EU secures further 100m doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

The European Union has exercised its option for a further 100m doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, the two drug companies confirmed on Monday.

The decision brings the total number of doses delivered to the EU to 600m, enough to fully protect two thirds of the bloc’s population, the firms added.

Albert Bourla, Pfizer chief executive, said: “We remain committed to moving as quickly and safely as possible to bring this vaccine to more people in Europe, as the deadly virus continues to wreak havoc across the continent.”

Sean Marett, chief commercial officer of BioNTech, added: “The additional 100m doses from this option exercise will further help to support the acceleration of the vaccination campaigns throughout the EU.”

Brussels’s vaccination programme had been hit by a number of issues, including a temporary suspension of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University over rare side effects, supply issues and vaccine hesitancy.

At the same time, a third wave of Covid-19 infections had washed over the continent, although conditions appeared to be improving, according to Pantheon Macroeconomics’ latest Covid-19 update.

It noted: “The overall picture in Western Europe is improving, though it is not clear if the trend in new cases in Germany has peaked or merely paused temporarily. The numbers are volatile, even smoothed over seven days, so we need more data before we can be sure.

“The French data are even more erratic, but cases peaked in late March, aside from a very brief post-Easter spike, and the trend is now falling.”