The European Union is warning its member states that there is a looming risk of a shortage of critical equipment that would be needed to administer mass COVID-19 vaccinations.
EU Warns Critical Supply Shortages May Hinder Future COVID-19 Immunization Campaigns
In a recent document, the EU states that such equipment, specifically syringes, wipes and protective gear, will likely be hard to come by in the future and urges members of the bloc to consider a joint procurement of such items, reported Reuters.
Should a vaccine candidate be proven effective, manufacturing and distribution issues could become major challenges, which many countries aim to avoid. Some governments hope a vaccine could be ready as early as this year.
“COVID-19 vaccines, once developed, may come without syringes and other items,” the EU Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, told European health experts during a meeting last week, according to a summary report on its website.
The document urges EU members to consider a joint acquisition of such items, which could help them obtain better prices through cooperation rather than competing against one another. Representatives of Italy and the Netherlands expressed interest in such a plan, Reuters reports.
The Commission declined to comment on either the supply acquisition proposal or the flu vaccine proposal, with a spokesman noting in regards to the former topic that preparations for such possible purchases are confidential, according to Reuters.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
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