The delivery of the first vaccine doses purchased by the European Commission‘s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) in response to the current monkeypox outbreak is starting, with an initial 5,300 doses arriving in Spain, out of the total 109,090 doses procured. It is the first of a series of deliveries that will take place regularly in the weeks and months to come to ensure that all Member States are ready to respond to the current monkeypox outbreak, prioritizing the most affected Member States.
Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides said: “The first deliveries of vaccines in response to the monkeypox outbreak are arriving at the most affected countries. This is a European Health Union that responds in real-time to new health threats and protects its citizens. This is the first time that we are, through our Health Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), directly buying and donating vaccines to the Member States. With HERA up and running, the EU has significantly reinforced its capacity to respond and address new health threats decisively.”
As was the case with COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine doses are allocated on a pro-rata basis, according to the population of each country. Member States with a higher number of monkeypox cases (on the date of conclusion of the contract) are being prioritized for deliveries, as agreed with the Member States. The vaccines are delivered directly by the pharmaceutical company to the Member States. Shortly after the deliveries to Spain, Portugal, Germany, and Belgium will be the next countries to receive doses. Further deliveries to additional Member States will take place in the course of July and August.
From the onset of the monkeypox outbreak, the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) has been, alongside other Commission services and the Member States, closely following the evolution of the outbreak in Europe and supporting the preparedness and response efforts of all Member States. The purchase and donation of 109,090 vaccines, produced by Bavarian Nordic, is just one example of the support being provided to the Member States.
It is also the first time that the EU budget is being used, through the EU4Health program, to directly purchase vaccines to be donated to the Member States.
