German president says Europe must share vaccine with poorer nations

Berlin, Nov. 18, (dpa/GNA) – German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier says that once available, Europe should sacrifice a portion of its coronavirus vaccine doses to help vaccinate front-line workers in poorer nations.

“Germany and Europe should now give a political signal that they are ready to give up part of these quotas right from the start, for example in order to protect health workers in poorer countries as quickly as possible,” Steinmeier wrote in a guest article for Wednesday’s edition of the German newspaper Tagesspiegel.

Last week the EU Commission formally approved a framework agreement with the companies Biontech and Pfizer for up to 300 million vaccine doses. Clinical test results of the vaccine have been encouraging.

Steinmeier wrote that Germany could be proud of the achievements of the entrepreneurs Oezlem Tuereci and Ugur Sahin.

“But it would make us even prouder if we had the insight and the wisdom to set an example for the world in this situation,” the president said.

GNA