From the Horse's Mouth

The EU's machinations on the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is a public health disaster. Giles Tremlett, has taken Spanish nationality, as he works in that country as a doctor. He confirms, in an opinion piece, the EU's stance 'will cost lives, here in Spain, and all over Europe' (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/mar/19/eu-astrazeneca-vaccine-stance-spain-europe-covid ). Tremlett notes, Spain has given a first vaccine dose to fewer than 10% of its population. It is doing worse, in this respect, than either Serbia or Morocco. Spain will start delivering the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine again but not for another 4 days (no rush then?). Tremlett notes, the New York Times (along with many others), think the chief motivation for pausing the use of the vaccine, was 'political'. Even after reassurances from the EMA and the WHO, a number of the EU countries, who paused the vaccine's roll-out, seem very half-hearted about resuming. This is not going to help vaccine hesitants in their populations. It appears odd, the EU complains about getting insufficient quantities of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, when they don't seem to want to use it. Vaccine, in the refrigerator, doesn't save any lives!