PARIS (Reuters) – The European Union does not need Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 and can achieve immunity across the continent through European production, a leading EU executive said in comments on Sunday that provoked a backlash from the vaccine manufacturer.
The European Commission has been criticized for a slow deployment of vaccines as the bloc faces an increase in cases and as the former British member’s inoculation program progresses.
“We have absolutely no need for Sputnik V,” Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, who heads the EU executive’s vaccine working group, told TF1 television.
“Today, clearly, we have the capacity to deliver 300 to 350 million doses by the end of June, and therefore on July 14 … we have the potential to reach immunity across the continent,” he said. .
July 14, or Bastille Day, is the national day of France.
Breton reiterated an earlier comment that the EU should help Russia with vaccine production if necessary, but Europeans should be given priority, he said.
“There are doses, now people have to accept vaccination and we have the logistics,” he said.
In a series of posts on Twitter, vaccine maker Sputnik V accused Breton of being “clearly biased.”
“Europeans want a selection of safe and efficient vaccines, which you have not provided so far,” he said. “If this is an official EU position, let us know that there is no reason to get EMA approval because of your political biases. We will continue to save lives in other countries.”
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) launched an ongoing review of the Sputnik V vaccine earlier this month.
Sybille de La Hamaide Reports; Edited by Barbara Lewis and Daniel Wallis