Vaccine nationalism

As I have previously written, while any country has a serious COVID-19 outbreak none of us are safe. And a lot of the supply chains which provide PPE, drugs and vaccines are international supply chains. So vaccine nationalism helps nobody.

This is illustrated by the fact that the AZ factory in the Netherlands whose output to Britain the EU is threatening to block depends on supplies from a UK company based in Yorkshire.

I welcome the statement by the Prime Minister last week, that Britain will continue to work with our European friends - and expect them to stand by their commitment not to place restrictions on vaccine exports.

  • The EU should stand by the commitment President Von der Leyen made to the Prime Minister earlier this year when she said the EU would not block exports of the vaccine if companies are fulfilling contracts.
     
  • The recovery from Covid relies on international collaboration. We are all dependent on global supply chains and putting in place restrictions endangers the global efforts to fight the virus. 
     
  • While Britain remains confident in our supply chains, I hope our European friends will stand by their word by not imposing restrictions on the export of vaccines which will help the whole world defeat this terrible virus.

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