EU vaccines strategy is a total farce

AS a total farce goes one couldn’t make it up! One minute the EU is complaining it is not getting enough supplies of the AZ vaccine and sits upon over seven million doses, now it is telling people not to use it!

Quite apart from instigating a spiteful little trade war against our exports of fish and shellfish because somehow our previously clean waters suddenly became toxic at midnight on December

31st, and insisting that our dairy products – which include everything from cheese to cream buns – have to be checked by a vet, and even overlooking the fact that the EU was way behind the UK in ordering supplies of the AZ vaccine, the comedy of errors continue.

While attempting to trash our AZ vaccine in the eyes of the rest of Europe, Macron stated that the vaccine is only partially effective on over 65s, yet Merkel now says it should only be used on over 65s. Meanwhile Italy mounts a raid on a vaccine firm thinking the supplies are being sent to the UK when in most were destined for the EU!

Add to all this confusion, after the EU summit it decided not to block exports, but then in quite remarkable ‘double speak’ (or Eurospeak as it should be called) Commissioner von der Leyen states: “AstraZeneca cannot export any more Covid-19 vaccines from Europe until it makes good on its contracts with the European Union,” and the French foreign minister not only accuses the UK of “blackmail” but apparently suggested that Brussels could sabotage the UK’s rollout of the vaccine because it lacks enough supplies for a second dose! While it’s always good to know who your friends are, it’s better to know one’s enemies.

Paul Mercer Devon