A number of EU international locations are in a race to scoop up Denmark’s additional Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine doses after the nation introduced Wednesday that it could be stopping the rollout of the jab.
Lithuania, Estonia and the Czech Republic have all expressed an curiosity in securing as many doses as doable from Denmark. In a tweet shortly after the announcement, Latvian Well being Minister Daniels Pavļuts mentioned his authorities can be contacting Copenhagen to learn how to use for the vaccines. Equally, Jan Hamáček, Czechia’s inside minister, wasted no time in tweeting that he had instructed Prague’s ambassador in Denmark to “contact the Danish authorities instantly and to announce the Czech Republic’s curiosity in buying all AstraZeneca vaccines from Denmark.”
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, in the meantime, mentioned in an emailed assertion that Lithuania at the moment has fewer “vaccines than individuals keen to be vaccinated.”
“Subsequently, Lithuania has expressed readiness to take as many doses of AstraZeneca as Denmark is able to share,” mentioned Šimonytė.
Denmark cited blood clot considerations in its resolution to cease utilizing the jab and pointed to the comparatively low stage of COVID-19 instances within the nation. One other issue was the supply of different vaccines within the nation, mentioned the Danish well being authority.
Their curiosity however, Lithuania and Estonia are literally doing comparatively nicely with their vaccination campaigns, with each international locations having given at the very least one vaccine dose to 19 out of 100 individuals. The one European nations doing higher are the U.Ok., Malta, Hungary and Finland. In contrast, the Czech Republic is within the backside 5 international locations, having reached just below 14 individuals out of 100.
This text is a part of POLITICO’s premium coverage service: Professional Well being Care. From drug pricing, EMA, vaccines, pharma and extra, our specialised journalists hold you on prime of the matters driving the well being care coverage agenda. Electronic mail [email protected] for a complimentary trial.