The meeting of European leaders ended with an important announcement. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said European partners will launch a coronavirus vaccination passport that could make the trip to the European Union (EU) possible.
During the press conference that followed virtual meetings of leaders UE, the Chancellor explained that all countries agree on a system to allow access to the various vaccination passports that have been developed by the 27 Member States
The European Commission has three months to define the technical conditions of this system, and leaders are confident that it will be operational. "in the coming months", According to the chancellor.
Annual vaccination campaigns may be required.
Merkel warned that due to coronavirus mutations, annual vaccination campaigns may be needed to control the pandemic. Merkel said the new variants of coronavirus, those discovered in the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa, are spreading rapidly and that this is a major risk factor.
The chancellor said the summit addressed the possibility of restricting exports of COVID-19 vaccines produced in the EU, similar to those made by the US and the UK.
Merkel assured that the EU will not restrict exports, as long as pharmaceutical companies with vaccines authorized at Community level (Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna and Oxford - AstraZenec) will comply with the contracts, in particular the quantities and delivery dates of their lots for all 27 Member States.
It is desired to introduce rapid tests that do not require medical personnel.
Regarding the arrival of rapid tests that do not require medical staff, Merkel indicated that they are still an option that can be used to help fight the pandemic. She said studies will be done to see if the tests meet certain requirements before approving their use.
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