"EU to Approve COVID-19 Vaccine Possibly Within This Year... Simultaneous Vaccination in Member States Early Next Year"

Charles Michel, EU Council President, Vaccine Approval Expected Within Weeks
Simultaneous Vaccination to Begin Across Europe Within Days After Approval

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Following the United States, the European Union (EU) also plans to complete the approval process for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine within the next few weeks. Accordingly, it is expected that vaccination will be possible on the European continent as early as the beginning of next year.

Charles Michel, President of the European Council, said in an interview with France Inter Radio on the 13th (local time), "The first vaccine approval in the EU will be made within a few weeks, possibly by the end of this month." He added, "We are currently going through the relevant procedures and will not play around with the approval." The term "play around" was aimed at the UK, which started COVID-19 vaccinations first in the world through rapid approval, implying that although it may take a little longer, the procedures will be properly followed.

Charles Michel, President of the European Union (EU) Summit [Photo by AP]

Michel stated, "We are not losing to time," and said, "Health authorities are analyzing scientific reports running into thousands of pages related to clinical trials," adding, "We will be able to confidently inform citizens whether vaccination is possible."

The EU plans to prepare so that once the COVID-19 vaccine is approved, vaccinations can begin simultaneously in all member states within 7 to 10 days. This is to prevent discrepancies in vaccination timing between countries. Michel mentioned, "It is easy to say that vaccinations will start, but organizing the vaccination campaign will be a challenging task."

Governments across Europe, including Germany, plan to start vaccinations as soon as the EU approval process is completed. Jens Spahn, German Minister of Health, said, "All necessary data is available, so the approval process for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will proceed quickly," adding, "This is a matter of citizens' trust in the EU's capability." He urged EU health authorities for faster approval, saying, "The faster the vaccination proceeds, the less the suffering and the more vulnerable groups can be protected."

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

While the EU's vaccine approval is imminent, the spread of COVID-19 in Europe shows no signs of slowing down. According to Worldometer, Germany reported 17,891 new confirmed cases in a single day on the 13th. CNN reported that on the 11th, Germany recorded a record high of 598 COVID-19 deaths within 24 hours. Consequently, from the 16th, only essential stores such as markets and pharmacies will remain open, and schools will be closed under strict lockdown measures. The German government is also limiting Christmas festivities and actively encouraging companies to increase remote work.

Sweden, which was considered to have entered a herd immunity experiment, is also facing its worst crisis. In Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, intensive care unit beds are already 99% occupied, indicating a healthcare collapse in progress. Neighboring countries with relatively lower increases, Norway and Finland, have extended offers to provide beds and other support. However, Sweden has not officially requested assistance, stating that it will first use its own military and local medical facilities with better conditions within the country.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.