Merkel and Macron have been hugely irresponsible
Across Europe the consequences of an apprehensive vaccine roll-out are already being felt. As a whole, the EU Commission has undermined the confidence of its own vaccine programme. But individually, French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Angela Merkel, have induced harmful long-term ramifications for their countries thanks to their scepticism for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
Macron said the jab was ‘quasiineffective’ for those aged over 65.
Merkel, 66, refused the vaccine at the end of February, implying it was not recommended for her age group. This came as reports said 1.4 million doses went unused in Germany.
Earlier this month, Germany, France and Spain paused the AstraZeneca rollout over concerns it causes fatal blood clots. Instantly, this action sent a message to others to question the vaccine’s safety and thereby reduced vaccine uptake.
However, as of March 10, only 30 cases of blood clotting had been recorded in more than five million vaccinations across Europe.
But beause of this ‘pause’, EU countries are facing a slow roll-out. My uncle, who lives in Munich and would be classed as clinically vulnerable in the UK, doesn’t believe he will be vaccinated until 2022 or perhaps even 2023.
Whether Macron’s and Merkel’s scepticism for the AZ jab is caused by tensions after Brexit or not, it is still hugely irresponsible for powerful leaders to suggest such inaccurate and false facts without thorough research and investigation. If they had done the latter, they would have found the AZ jab was 100 per cent effective at preventing people from falling seriously ill, thanks to research in the US.
It is, quite simply, scaremongering and that is something you do not expect from heads of state. Instead, you expect them to lead by example.
Neither Macron nor Merkel seems bothered about the fact that their apprehension has fuelled a dangerous anti-vaxxer movement in Europe. But when this comes back to bite them, they have only themselves to blame.