PARIS (Reuters) – The European Union does not need the Russian Sputnik V vaccine for COVID-19 and can gain immunity across the continent using European production, a top EU executive said on Sunday in comments that provoked a reaction from the vaccine manufacturer .
The European Commission has been criticized for a slow implementation of the vaccine when the bloc faces an increase in cases and as the vaccination program of the former member of Great Britain gains speed.
“We have absolutely no need for Sputnik V,” Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, who heads the EU executive’s vaccine task force, told TF1 television.
“Today, we clearly have the capacity to deliver 300 to 350 million doses by the end of June and, therefore, by 14 July … we have the possibility to achieve immunity across the continent,” he said.
July 14, or Bastille Day, is France’s national day.
Breton repeated a previous comment that the EU should help Russia with the production of the vaccine, if necessary, but priority should be given to Europeans, he said.
“The doses are there, now people have to accept the vaccination and we have the logistics,” he said.
In a series of Twitter posts, vaccine maker Sputnik V accused Breton of being “clearly biased”.
“Europeans want a choice of safe and efficient vaccines, which you have not provided so far,” said the document. “If this is an official EU position, let us know that there is no reason to seek approval from the EMA because of your political prejudices. We will continue to save lives in other countries. “
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) launched a continuous review of the Sputnik V vaccine earlier this month.
Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide; Editing by Barbara Lewis and Daniel Wallis