EU health ministers plan common strategy to prevent new coronavirus wave

EU health ministers said on Thursday they were happy that the European Commission would support efforts of vaccine developers to produce safe and effective vaccines.

COMMISSIONER, HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, STELLA KYRIAKIDES said "In terms of the issue to do with vaccines: As you know, the European Commission has moved forward with all 27 member states with a European strategy for vaccines. We are at present in negotiations with the industry, with member states, in partnership with member states in order to be able to have access to a vaccine or vaccines as quickly as possible, available in an equitable way to all. Vaccines that are going to be safe. And this is a commitment that we have made as a commission."

"We have at present 10 member states who are using Corona apps and another eleven are looking at the potential of this coming in very soon. At the moment, these apps are not interoperable across borders, but we are working very closely with the member states in order to achieve this as soon as possible."

 The EU is planning to spend around 2 billion euros on the advance purchase of vaccines in testing on behalf of its 27 member states.