EU VACCINE BAN NOT ‘AIMED’ AT AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIA has scrambled to shore up its vaccine supply chain after the EU threatened to cut exports amid a shortage of doses.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said he remained “cautious” after seeking assurances from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and the EU that Australia’s vaccine orders would not be delayed by potential export bans on vaccines produced within Europe.

“The advice that we have from all three sources at this stage is that our vaccine supplier and guidance remains on track,” he said.

“The guidance from the EU is provisional … so I will remain cautious, but that guidance is that the EU regulatory steps are not aimed at Australia, and not expected to affect Australia.”

Australian diplomats are working with the World Health Organisation and the EU to ensure the 80,000 Pfizer doses due in late February, and the 1.2 million AstraZeneca doses expected early March, remain on track.

Mr Hunt said confirmation that Melbourne-based manufacturer CSL was “ahead” of schedule on its delivery of 50 million locally produced doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine was a “very important comfort”.

“Global supply chains, there will be issues in the coming months, inevitably.

“But we have developed a strategy for all circumstances.

“We will just keep going and our goal is … very clear that we aim to have the country vaccinated before the end of October.”

Late on Friday the European Commission granted regulators the power to reject export requests for vaccines, following reported shortages of doses across the 27 countries in the EU bloc.

AstraZeneca had advised the EU it would only be able to deliver about 25 per cent of the 100m doses expected by the end of March, due to production problems at its Belgian plant. But at the same time the company assured the UK — which is no longer in the EU — it would be able to complete its order of 2m vaccine doses a day.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has since been criticised for instigating the “vaccine war” with Britain, which has directly threatened the security of Australia’s supply chain. She was forced into an embarrassing backflip on Saturday after threatening to establish a “vaccine border” between Ireland, which remains in the EU, and the UK.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has expressed his “grave concerns” about the potential impact of the export ban on vaccine imports.