BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union is at the start of a third wave of COVID-19 infections but vaccinations are progressing steadily and the bloc is on course to have 70% of adults inoculated in the second quarter, the European Commission’s president said on Thursday.
Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference after a summit of EU leaders that mortality increases are slower than the spread of the virus, early evidence that having vaccinated most people over the age of 80 is having an impact.
“But overall the situation is of great concern, and this highlights the importance of a fast and speedy vaccination” the EU executive’s chief said.
She said deliveries of Astrazeneca vaccines will be much lower than contracted, but still with shots from other vaccine manufacturers the EU is set to hits its 70% adult goal in the summer.
(Reporting by John Chalmers)
