The European Commission will today finalise a deal for 300 million doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.
The company has said its early trial results suggest the vaccine candidate is more than 90% effective with “no serious safety concerns.”
The EU agreed to purchase 200 million doses of the vaccine in September with an option to buy another 100 million.
The deal for all 300 million is expected to be finalised today and based on its population size, Ireland is expected to get more than two million doses – some of which could be en-route before the end of the year.
The European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen has said the vaccine will be quickly distributed around the block when it is cleared for use.
Great news from @pfizer & @BioNTech_Group on the successful results of their latest clinical trial for a #COVID19 vaccine. European science works!@EU_Commission to sign contract with them soon for up to 300 million doses.
Let's keep protecting each other in the meantime.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) November 9, 2020
Pfizer is expected to release its full safety analysis in about two-weeks’ time, with the final study to be published around three or four weeks later.
It hopes to get emergency approval for use in the US in the coming weeks, with the EU to follow.
Ireland South MEP Seán Kelly said it could be distributed around Ireland early in the new year.
“I don’t think there will be any issue with it being available once it is distributed initially, I think it will ramp up very quickly from there on,” he said.
“Ireland will obviously be at the forefront, the same as the other European states. There is no question of any state being left behind or one getting priority over the other.”
Yesterday, Trinity Professor Luke O’Neill told The Pat Kenny Show that every nursing home in Ireland could have access to a coronavirus vaccine as early as Christmas.
Meanwhile, WHO spokesperson Dr Margaret Harris told The Hard Shoulder that the vaccine will not mean that public health measures can be immediately dropped.
