European Health

As COVID-19 cases surge across EU countries, European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides emphasizes the urgency of vaccination amidst the coexistence of multiple viruses. Kyriakides underscores the continued presence of COVID-19 variants in communities and the co-circulation of respiratory diseases, urging vigilance.

US pharmaceutical company Pfizer has agreed to extend its contract with the European Union for the vaccine against COVID-19 from 2023 to 2026, the Financial Times reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The European Commission has called on EU countries to plan vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 in the autumn as a precaution before new waves of infection are expected after temperatures drop.

Ljubljana/Brussels – Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek discussed Slovenia’s EU presidency priorities concerning food safety, and animals and plants with European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides via videoconference on Tuesday. The minister said Slovenia would devote utmost attention to the safety of consumers, and food traceability.

The European Commission is considering legal action against pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca because of the failed delivery of sufficient Covid-19 vaccines, multiple diplomatic sources said cited by news agencies. The EU executive could seek an injunction because the company had not yet made a formal commitment on planned deliveries, one EU diplomat told dpa.

A warning from AstraZeneca that initial supplies of its COVID vaccinations to Europe will be lower than expected has sparked fresh concern over the rollout of inoculations, forcing some countries to plan for a sharp drop in deliveries.

European Union health ministers met in Brussels on Thursday for an emergency summit to discuss a coordinated response to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Greece's Vassilis Kikilias recommended a digital platform that would allow member-states' crisis management authorities to exchange information related to the health scare in real time.