Europe should be prepared if another influenza pandemic were to break out. The European commission and 15 states including Luxembourg signed an agreement with British pharmaceuticals company Seqirus.
If worst came to worst and another influenza pandemic plagued Europe, the company would provide for large amounts of medication and vaccines. A spokesperson of the European commission explained that this deal guarantees the availability and affordability of vaccines in the worst-case scenario.
Apart from the Grand Duchy, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, and Spain also signed the agreement.
This deal is not the only weapon in the fight against an influenza pandemic. Another agreement between EU member states established that individual countries can rely on the help of the European commission to buy medical equipment if faced with a transnational health emergency. This cooperation creates stronger position to negotiate better prices for the medical equipment.
In this context, officials also said that the EU commission and member states could buy the much-anticipated coronavirus vaccine together once it becomes available.
