EU vaccination scheme unlikely to commence until 2021

Formal assessments of the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech have been pushed back until December 29, meaning the EU's planned vaccination rollouts may not commence until next year.

Certification of the Moderna vaccine has also been delayed until January 12, causing further delays as the bloc become eager to begin inoculation.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has confirmed it will give its opinions on these two dates, which will push back any plans to begin distribution unlikely until late January.

It was recently reported that international Covid vaccine rollout would begin next year as several vaccine models are currently undergoing certification in the US, but the UK is expected to be the first nation to sanction its use. 

This comes following phase III trials which suggested the Pfizer vaccine could be 90% effective for patients with symptoms of coronavirus.

Read more: 6,000 Volunteers To Be Inoculated in Phase 3 Vaccine Tests

Member state approval for vaccine rollout in the EU is expected three-to-four days after approval by the EMA.

Both vaccines were originally meant to be assessed on December 22, but this date was pushed back. The Pfizer/BioNTech jab has been in review since October.

German officials hoped distribution could come as early as mid-December.

Member states have allegedly been lobbying the EMA to align with US and UK regulators, who are far less strict, in order to promptly get the vaccine into circulation and begin mass inoculation.

Read more: EU Set To Buy 300m Doses of Pfizer Covid Vaccine

It is hoped that the UK regulator, UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, could give it approval within a week or two whereas the US Food and Drug Administration is expected to render judgement by the middle of December.

In a statement, the EMA said it will recommend marketing authorisation if the benefits of the vaccine outweigh its risks in protecting against Covid-19.

It is then up to the European Commission to grant a conditional marketing authorisation valid in all EU and EEA member states within a few days.

Back to Homepage

Back to Healthcare