Milan:
The EU Commission has decided not to renew COVID-19 vaccine contracts next year with AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson (J&J), Italian everyday La Stampa reported on Wednesday, citing a supply from the Italian well being ministry.
“The European Commission, in agreement with the leaders of many (EU) countries, has decided that the contracts with the companies that produce (viral vector) vaccines that are valid for the current year will not be renewed at their expiry,” the newspaper reported.
It added that Brussels would rather concentrate on COVID-19 vaccines utilizing messenger RNA (mRNA) technologies, such as Pfizer’s and Moderna’s.
A spokesman for the EU Commission mentioned it was maintaining all choices open to be ready for the next stages of the pandemic, for 2022 and beyond.
“We cannot, however, comment on contractual issues,” the spokesman added.
The Italian well being ministry declined to comment.
The European Commission is in search of clarification from J&J about the company’s “completely unexpected” announcement of delays in COVID-19 vaccine deliveries to the EU, an EU official told Reuters on Tuesday.
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