EU facing pressure to follow UK’s lead on delaying second Covid vaccine
World Health Organization backs decision to leave eight to 12 weeks between doses
EU leaders are coming under increasing pressure to fall into line with Britain’s strategy of delaying the second Covid-19 vaccine dose after the World Health Organization (WHO) gave its backing to the plan.
The WHO yesterday signed off on giving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to older adults, while also encouraging countries to delay the second jab in order to inoculate more people in a shorter period of time.
Boris Johnson responded to the WHO’s announcement by saying that it was “good to see” the health body vindicate the decision to give patients their second shot between eight and 12 weeks after the first jab.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The WHO’s judgement “will be taken as a vindication of Britain’s controversial decision to disregard dosing strategies” in order to “quickly offer protection to millions more older people”, The Times says. “It also gives reassurance to those unnerved by criticism of the vaccine from EU leaders, who will now come under pressure to fall into line with the British approach.”
Several EU nations, including Germany and France, have not recommended the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for the over-65s. French President Emmanuel Macron went so far as to wrongly state that the jab is only “quasi-ineffective” when used on people over 65.
The WHO committee said research “suggests it is likely that the vaccine will be found to be efficacious in older persons”, Politico reports, and therefore found that “taking the totality of available evidence into account” it recommends its use on older patients.
David Spiegelhalter, professor of biostatistics at the University of Cambridge, told The Times it would be interesting to see “how this goes down in Germany, France, Austria, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain, who are all currently denying their older citizens this protection”.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday said she “deeply regretted” the EU’s threat to restrict the flow of vaccines passing between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Insisting that “in the end we got it right” she added that the EU “will do its utmost to protect the peace in Northern Ireland”.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Chas Newkey-Burden has been part of The Week Digital team for more than a decade and a journalist for 25 years, starting out on the irreverent football weekly 90 Minutes, before moving to lifestyle magazines Loaded and Attitude. He was a columnist for The Big Issue and landed a world exclusive with David Beckham that became the weekly magazine’s bestselling issue. He now writes regularly for The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, Metro, FourFourTwo and the i new site. He is also the author of a number of non-fiction books.
-
The mental health crisis affecting vets
Under The Radar Death of Hampshire vet highlights mental health issues plaguing the industry
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Onion is having a very ironic laugh with Infowars
The Explainer The satirical newspaper is purchasing the controversial website out of bankruptcy
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Rahmbo, back from Japan, will be looking for a job? Really?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Has the Taliban banned women from speaking?
Today's Big Question 'Rambling' message about 'bizarre' restriction joins series of recent decrees that amount to silencing of Afghanistan's women
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Cuba's energy crisis
The Explainer Already beset by a host of issues, the island nation is struggling with nationwide blackouts
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Did the Covid virus leak from a lab?
The Explainer Once dismissed as a conspiracy theory, the idea that Covid-19 originated in a virology lab in Wuhan now has many adherents
By The Week UK Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 March
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?
Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published