AstraZeneca to supply nine million more vaccine doses, says European Union

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (Olivier Hoslet, Pool Photo via AP)

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has agreed to supply nine million additional doses of its coronavirus vaccine to the European Union during the first quarter, the bloc’s executive branch said on Sunday.

The new target of 40 million doses by the end of March is still only half what the British/Swedish company had originally aimed for, triggering a spat between AstraZeneca and the EU last week.

Speaking after a call with seven vaccine makers on Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that AstraZeneca would also begin deliveries one week sooner than scheduled and expand its manufacturing capacity in Europe.

Step forward on vaccines.@AstraZeneca will deliver 9 million additional doses in the first quarter (40 million in total) compared to last week’s offer & will start deliveries one week earlier than scheduled.

The company will also expand its manufacturing capacity in Europe.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) January 31, 2021

Ms Von der Leyen, who has come under intense pressure over the European Commission’s handling of the vaccine orders in recent days, tweeted: “Step forward on vaccines.”

The EU is far behind Britain and the United States in getting its population of 450 million vaccinated against the virus.

The slow rollout has been blamed on a range of national problems as well as delayed approval of the vaccines compared to elsewhere and an initial shortage of supply.