"We urgently need better and more systematic controls on all entries from the United Kingdom to the European continent," said the health spokesperson of the largest political group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats), Dr med. Peter Liese.
"I find it intolerable that we have made it clear in the Brexit agreement that any import of potentially infectious food is prohibited and that we are even discussing whether a lorry driver can bring his ham and cheese sandwich into the EU continent, but that Member States have no systematic approach to preventing Corona infections from returnees from the UK. As far as I am aware, there is no uniform procedure for arrivals by plane. The question of how travellers arriving by ferry, through the tunnel or on the Eurostar are tested is also not sufficiently clarified for me. Obviously, only quick tests are used in many cases. However, a quick test does not provide sufficient information. In particular, it is possible for someone to be infectious shortly after a quick test even if he or she has had a negative quick test result.
The result of the quick tests is actually only certain for 24 hours. This means that a lorry driver or business traveller coming from the UK to the continent can have a negative quick test when arriving at the continent but can still infect his family and colleagues three/four days later," said the MEP and doctor.
Read more: Peter Liese demands stricter controls on entries from the United Kingdom to the continent
On Wednesday this week, the EPP the European Parliament will hold a video conference on vaccination, research and health in the European Union. Anyone interested can participate at the link https://epp.group/EPP4Health from 2.45 pm. The conference will be attended by BioNTech founder Ugur Sahin, the head of the American partner company Pfizer Albert Bourla, the CEO of the second major German vaccine manufacturer CureVac Franz-Werner Haas and Tal Zaks from the American company Moderna. In addition, the Research and Health Commissioners of the European Union, as well as Peter Liese as health policy spokesman of the EPPgroup.
Liese explained that it will become clear at the conference that the European Union will now make more vaccine available to citizens on a regular basis, in principle every week. "Today, the second approved vaccine, namely the one from the company Moderna, is available in Europe. Since last week, it has been officially approved to take six doses instead of five from a Biontech vaccine ampoule. This vaccine, which has already been used for vaccination since 27 December, will be available in ever greater quantities." Despite difficulties, Liese also relies on the vaccine of the British-Swedish manufacturer AstraZeneca as they will submit a request for a conditional marketing authorization in the EU on Thursday. "AstraZeneca did make a mistake in the clinical trials, but fortunately the clinical trials are continuing and there may now be better information about effect and side effect, so that the European Medicines Agency can still approve the vaccine in January," said the doctor and MEP.
"There is another sign of hope in the fight against the coronavirus. EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides announced during our group meeting this morning that the vaccine manufacturer Johnson&Johnson is likely to submit an application for approval to the EU for their vaccine in February," said the health spokesperson of the largest political group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats) Dr med Peter Liese. The Johnson&Johnson company produces in the Netherlands. "If all goes well, we will already have the fourth Corona vaccine available in a few weeks. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has the advantage that only one vaccination is needed to be sufficiently protected. Additionally, it is much easier to process, store and transport compared to the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine. The EU has secured 400 million doses. With this, the vaccine supply will be even faster than we expected. We will possibly be able to offer vaccination to very many people as early as the first half of the year”, concludes the doctor and MEP.
“These are important and good news. We can get 20 per cent more people vaccinated in short term without taking away the vaccine from anyone “says MEP and EPP health policy spokesperson Dr. Peter Liese.
On Wednesday, EMA approved a variation of Biontech/Pfizer vaccine authorisation to formally allow drawing six instead of five doses form one vial. This requires special syringes so called low-dead-volume or low-dead-space syringes but according to Peter Liese, they are widely available, for example, you can order them for less than one Euro, sometimes only 9 Cent on the Internet. They are widely uses in hospitals, in medical practices and even for patients at home. “I call on everybody to use the vaccine accordingly because this will enable us to vaccinate 20% more Europeans without taking away the vaccine from anyone else.”
Read more: 20 percent more vaccine in short-term due to special syringes