The first coronavirus vaccine available to EU citizens should appear in March 2021, Belgian Health Minister, Maggie de Block, said on Thursday.
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“In theory, the first vaccine will be from Sanofi and will appear in March here in Belgium and other EU countries,’’ the minister said.
According to her, physicians and the most vulnerable citizens will be the first to receive vaccines.
French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi was at the centre of a controversy earlier this year after an executive was quoted as saying that the U.S. would be given priority to receive the vaccine as the primary source of funding for its development.
The comments were quickly walked back by the company.
The European Commission is negotiating with several firms to secure pledges for the supply of a future COVID-19 vaccine.