Pfizer gets go-ahead to expand vaccine plants in Europe

The European Medicines Agency's human medicines committee has approved a site in France and a new manufacturing line in Germany

The EU has been trying to boost and protect supplies after a rocky start to its vaccination campaign by bringing more facilities online and paying more for new Covid shots.

Europe's medicines regulator has approved additional manufacturing sites for mRNA-based coronavirus vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, to help boost production amid a resurgence in infections.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said its human medicines committee had approved a site at Saint Remy sur Avre in France for making the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Comirnaty.