Ireland to receive 160,000 AstraZeneca doses after Italian discovery

A vial of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine ready for use. Picture: Alastair Grant/AP

Ireland is to receive approximately 160,000 doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine after 29m doses were found in an Italian warehouse, the Irish Examiner understands.

Of the 29m doses discovered, 16m will be split pro-rata between EU member states, with Ireland getting 1%, or 160,000.  

Around 13m of the doses are destined for the international Covax scheme, which was set up to ensure that the 92 middle- and lower-income countries that cannot fully afford to pay for Covid-19 vaccines get equal access.

AstraZeneca has said it was “incorrect” to describe the find as a stockpile, stating that the doses were waiting for “quality control” to be completed.

It is understood the decision was made as Taoiseach Micheál Martin held a lengthy meeting on Thursday with EU leaders about improving vaccine supply after months of roadblocks in the European rollout.

EU leaders held virtual talks to discuss supply issues and improving distribution across its 27 member states.

"What was clear was the consensus of the urgent need to increase production and increase the supply of vaccine in quarter two and the importance of the export authorization mechanisms, particularly in the context of AstraZeneca and companies who don't fulfil their contracts, there is a mechanism there to engage," Mr Martin said.

We welcome the fact that the EU and UK are now engaged in a process working together on the wider issues of keeping supply chains open.

"The EU has been the most significant producer of vaccines in the global market and the export authorisation mechanism makes that more transparent.

"In the context of companies who fail to fulfil their contract with the EU, leverage is there and has to be there to ensure contracts are fulfilled and that the EU can have certain safety nets in respect of having the necessary vaccine for its own population."

The EU Council said in a statement tonight: “Accelerating the production, delivery, and deployment of vaccines remains essential and urgent to overcome the crisis. Efforts to this end must be further intensified. We underline the importance of transparency as well as of the use of export authorisations.”

The European Commission said it is working with AstraZeneca and the British government to find a satisfactory way forward after months of issues with supply.

Leaders also discussed the need for solidarity with a small group of member states who were disproportionately reliant on AstraZeneca in their portfolio of vaccines.

The group of leaders also met virtually with US president Joe Biden to discuss ongoing co-operation between the EU and US on vaccines. 

It is likely that weekly meetings will now be set up between Thierry Breton, the commissioner for the internal market, and a US envoy to co-operate on vaccine production and supply.

"President Biden gave a strong presentation on renewing and resetting the transatlantic partnership and saying America is all-in in terms of its commitment, and the European Commission and US will work closely together to remove any bottlenecks in the production and delivery of vaccines," Mr Martin said.

"All in all, a positive intervention by the president and certainly indicating a new era in US-European relationships."

The meeting continues today.