During a meeting of the Commission for Public Health, Food Safety and Environment (ENVI) in the European Parliament, Socialist MEP, Sara Cerdas, requested information from the European Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides, regarding the European strategy concerning vaccinations for Covid-19 and their distribution among Member States.
In an exchange of views, Sara Cerdas called for a coordinated strategy by the European Commission covering the distribution of a possible vaccine to ensure that all Member States and European citizens have access to the vaccine and that no one is left behind. She continued saying “We need a safe and effective vaccine, developed through a transparent process which, when available, is available to everyone. I therefore seek clarification concerning the European Commission’s strategy for the distribution of this vaccine among Member States, whether they will take into account the epidemiological situation of the Member States, and whether there will be a strategy to prioritise the most vulnerable groups when assessing access to the vaccine?”
Stella Kyriakides did not answer the questions put by the Socialist MEP or that of other MEP’s regarding accessibility and a distribution strategy. However, she confirmed that the European Commission is currently working with a number of companies responsible for the development of vaccines and mass production technologies, with the aim of accelerating the development of an effective vaccine against Covid-19. However, it is not yet possible to estimate when the vaccine will be ready, but efforts are being made to streamline the process. The Commissioner also called for a sense of solidarity and mutual help between Member States.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
