EU Surpasses 1 Billion Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Exports

On the morning of the 18th, medical staff at Hongik Hospital in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, are preparing for COVID-19 vaccinations for adolescents aged 16 to 17. Photo by Joint Press Corps

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union (EU), announced on the 18th (local time) that the EU has exported over 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.

President von der Leyen explained that vaccines produced within the EU over the past 10 months have been shipped to more than 150 countries, including Japan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa, and Brazil.

She also added that approximately 87 million doses have been delivered to low- and middle-income countries through COVAX, the international project for joint vaccine procurement and distribution.

President von der Leyen emphasized, "Clearly, the EU is the largest exporter of COVID-19 vaccines," and stated, "We have always shared our vaccines fairly with other countries around the world."

She further noted, "The EU will donate at least 500 million doses of vaccines to the most vulnerable countries in the coming months," and added that other countries need to strengthen similar efforts.

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