Roundup: Greek expert calls for int'l efforts to address COVID-19 vaccine supply problems

by Maria Spiliopoulou, Alexia Vlachou

ATHENS, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The vaccination program against COVID-19 in Greece unfolded at a satisfactory pace so far, almost a month since its launch, but the prospect of delays in the delivery of doses by pharmaceuticals, faced by the EU as a whole and other countries worldwide, must be addressed quickly on an international level, a Greek expert has said.

The inoculation of as many people as possible across the globe with no delays is of critical significance in this common battle against the pandemic, Alkiviadis Vatopoulos, professor of microbiology at the University of West Attica, told Xinhua on Wednesday.

The Greek vaccination program started on Dec. 27. So far more than 203,000 doses have been administered (about 1.96 percent of the population), according to the latest statistics provided by the Health ministry. More than 188,000 people have received their first dose of the vaccine.

The vaccination in special centers set up across the country is free of charge and voluntary. Priority is given to high-risk groups, based on age, and then on underlying health conditions.

A few days ago, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that Greece aims to reach about two million vaccinations by the end of March.

However, talks about delays in production and deliveries by pharmaceutical giants to EU member states now cast a shadow also on the Greek program.

Under the EU's joint-buying strategy, Greece is receiving its pro-rata share of vaccines procured at EU level. The Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine was the first to reach the country and more deliveries are scheduled for coming weeks by other companies as well.

"In general, during the first three weeks, the vaccination (in Greece) went smoothly, but now the reduction in the supply of vaccines is on the horizon. I think that globally the problem that needs to be solved is the production and distribution of vaccines," said Vatopoulos, who is also a member of the committee of experts advising the Greek government on crisis management.

"The problem is not only the delay (in vaccinations), it is the possible occurrence of mutations which seem to increase the ability of the virus to spread. This will also cause a problem that the vaccine will be called upon to solve. That is why it is important that vaccinations proceed quickly," he explained.

Supply problems hamper the battle against COVID-19 as a new wave of the pandemic is unfolding across the globe and the mutated strains are also spreading.

Despite a lockdown which started on Nov. 7, Greece is still tested by high numbers of new daily infections and fatalities. On Wednesday the National Public Health Organization (EODY) announced 858 new cases and 32 deaths within 24 hours.

Moreover, at least 59 cases of the new coronavirus variant that was first detected in Britain were diagnosed by Tuesday, EODY President Panagiotis Arkoumaneas, told local SKAI TV.

It is a battle against time as well to reach the EU's target to inoculate 70 percent of its adult population before the end of summer to eventually build a wall of herd immunity.

"Currently there is no question of the effectiveness of the vaccines, also in relation to mutations. But no one knows what might happen in the future, because the virus has shown us that it can mutate mainly into forms that spread more easily," Vatopoulos said regarding the vaccines approved so far by the EU.

A total of 236 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 63 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain and the United States, according to information released by the World Health Organization on Jan. 26.

"I think the relevant dossiers should be studied," said the professor, who is adamant that the solution to a pandemic will be given only through international cooperation.

There is no room for vaccination nationalism, he said.

In addition to moral dilemmas regarding underdeveloped countries' access to vaccines compared to developed economies, in a globalized society practically it does not make sense speeding up the process to vaccinate a population and leaving another without any shield, he stressed.