EU allows export of 34m Covid vaccines despite domestic shortages

The EU has been under pressure to increase the pace of vaccinations but member nations have complained that production woefully trails demand.

The last available figures show that 35% of the UK adult population has had a shot while the figure in the EU stands at 9.6%.  Picture: Larry Cummins

The European Union (EU) has allowed the export of 34 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines over recent weeks, figures show, despite shortages at home as it continues to struggle to get its vaccination drive up to speed.

Sources said more than 9.1 million doses were exported to the UK at a time when diplomatic tensions rose over vaccine exports and the implementation of the Brexit divorce agreement.