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Originally Posted by Sephiroth
Am I right in thinking that the 12 week gap decision was foolhardy in the light of the (perfidious) EU position on vaccine exports? Might some first jab Pfizer recipients end up stranded?
The Guvmin's lack of transparency is worrying. Maybe there is a reason for this, like not giving the game away to the EU. But it would be better for Zahawi to say straight that we should accept his assurances because full disclosure would potentially prejudice supply arrangements or similar better than weasel words.
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Unlikely, because so far the Oxford-AstraZenica vaccine is the only truly versatile vaccine available, the EU is going to need a substantial amount of it eventually, and it is mostly made in the UK. If the EU were to put export controls on consignments we had already contracted and paid for, all they would achieve would be to find their supplies of Ox/AZ compromised by HMG defensively doing likewise. Ultimately, nobody wins.
I also think you need to stop fretting over lack of transparency. Vaccine production, distribution and storage is highly sensitive information. Excessive details of the timetable present a risk to public order in the event that unforeseen problems cause delays.