Coronavirus latest news: Merkel backs EU chief over AstraZeneca threat - 'We have a problem'

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Global Health Security Team
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel reacts during a late-night press conference as she unveiled a lockdown extension - EPA
German Chancellor Angela Merkel reacts during a late-night press conference as she unveiled a lockdown extension - EPA
Coronavirus Article Bar with counter ..
Coronavirus Article Bar with counter ..

Angela Merkel on Tuesday voiced support for EU chief Ursula von der Leyen’s threat to block AstraZeneca vaccines produced in the bloc from being exported, ahead of a crunch EU summit on the escalating row.

The German Chancellor gave her backing to the head of the EU as she extended her country's lockdown until April 18 to try to break a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic - which she blamed on the rapid spread of the UK variant.

"I support Commission President Ursula von der Leyen," Mrs Merkel said.

"We have a problem with AstraZeneca," she added. "We will decide responsibly."

European officials are furious that AstraZeneca has been able to deliver its UK contract in full while falling short on its supplies to the EU.

​​Follow the latest updates below.

05:34 AM

AstraZeneca 'provided incomplete view of data from US trial'

AstraZeneca may have provided an incomplete view of efficacy data on its Covid-19 vaccine from a large scale US trial, the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) said on Tuesday.

AstraZeneca said a day earlier that its Covid-19 vaccine developed with Oxford University was 79% effective in preventing symptomatic illness in a large trial in the United States, Chile and Peru.

"The DSMB expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data," the US agency said, referring to the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB).

"We urge the company to work with the DSMB to review the efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible."

The request cast doubts over the company's plan to seek US emergency use authorisation for the vaccine in the coming weeks.

Authorisation and guidelines for use of the vaccine in the United States will be determined by the Food and Drug Administration and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention after thorough review of the data by independent advisory committees, said the NIAID, part of the National Institutes of Health.

AstraZeneca did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

04:54 AM

South Korea's Moon gets jab

South Korea's President Moon Jae-in received AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday ahead of an overseas trip, as the country began inoculating more senior citizens and health workers in an effort to accelerate its vaccination drive.

Moon, 68, got the shot from a community clinic near his office in Seoul to prepare for a planned visit to the UK for a G7 summit in June.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in receives a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a health care centre in Seoul  - AP
South Korean President Moon Jae-in receives a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a health care centre in Seoul - AP

Moon's wife and nine aides who will accompany him on the trip, including National Security Advisor Suh Hoon, were also vaccinated, his office said in a statement.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has invited South Korea, India and Australia to attend the summit as guests.

South Korea's government on Tuesday began inoculating nearly 300,000 people at care hospitals and nursing homes who are 65 or older and medical workers there as it steps up its vaccination drive.

03:50 AM

Merkel backs EU over AstraZeneca row

Angela Merkel on Tuesday voiced support for EU chief Ursula von der Leyen's threat to block AstraZeneca vaccines produced in the bloc from being exported, before a key EU summit on the escalating row.

"I support Commission President Ursula von der Leyen," Mrs Merkel said.

"We have a problem with AstraZeneca," she added.

European officials are furious that AstraZeneca has been able to deliver its UK contract in full while falling short on its supplies to the EU. It comes as European leaders are taking emergency action to prevent a third wave of cases.

Read more: Boris Johnson ponders sharing Dutch-made AstraZeneca doses with the EU

03:30 AM

Germany in 'serious situation' as it extends lockdown

Germany is extending its lockdown until April 18 and calling on citizens to stay at home for five days over the Easter holidays to try to break a third wave of the pandemic, Angela Merkel said on Tuesday.

In talks that ran deep into the night, the German Chancellor pushed the leaders of the 16 states to take a tougher stance to fight the pandemic, reversing plans for a gradual re-opening of the economy agreed earlier this month after a sharp rise in the infection rate.

"We are now in a very serious situation," she told a news conference, adding that Germany was in a race against time to vaccinate its population against the coronavirus.

Germany started cautiously easing restrictions earlier this month. But the spread of more infectious variants of the virus has pushed up cases, prompting concerns that hospitals could soon be overstretched without further curbs. More than 3,000 people with Covid-19 were in intensive care beds as of Sunday.

How many people have been vaccinated in Germany?
How many people have been vaccinated in Germany?

03:26 AM

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