Half of 29 million doses reserved for Europe: Astrazeneca

AstraZeneca has said that half of a 29-million-dose "vaccine stockpile" at an Italian factory is being sent to European Union nations during the last week of March, while the opposite half will be sent to low-income countries via the COVAX facility.

The Anglo-Swedish firm, which has been at the heart of a row in the EU and the UK over vaccine supplies, criticised "inaccurate statements" in the media on Wednesday that called the vaccine doses a "stockpile".

It said that 13 million of the doses that were found during a European Commission study of the Anagni plant in Italy on the weekend would be distributed via COVAX, were made outside the EU and are in Italy in order to be prepared into vials for transport.

A further 16 million doses are expecting quality control review, a spokesperson told Euronews, before staying sent to Europe. At least 10 million of those doses will be sent in the last week of March, with the other six million sent in April.

"It is incorrect to describe this as a stockpile. The process of manufacturing vaccines is very complex and time-consuming. In particular, vaccine applications must wait for the quality control room after the filling of vials is completed," the spokesperson said.

AstraZeneca has been entangled in a row between Brussels and London, with the EU angered that Britain has got some 10 million doses from EU plants while they say zero came back from Britain.

The EU is now asking for change as it sees employment rates in Britain racing upwards while the bloc proceeds at a crawl.

With regards to AstraZeneca, the European Union's chief executive warned last week that the EU would not hesitate to take action against third-party nations.

"This export modification of export authorisation system does not constitute an export ban," Dombrovskis said.