Nations in the European Union kicked off a coordinated effort to give Covid-19 vaccinations to the most vulnerable among the bloc's nearly 450 million people. Some of the first shots were given to healthcare workers, seniors, and leading politicians from across the 27-nation bloc to reassure the public that the vaccinations are safe and represent the best chance to emerge from the pandemic.
Italian virus czar Domenico Arcuri said it was significant that Italy's first vaccine doses were administered at Spallanzani. Speaking with reporters, he said, “Today is a beautiful, symbolic day: All the citizens of Europe together are starting to get their vaccinations, the first ray of light after a long night.” However, he cautioned, “We all have to continue to be prudent, cautious and responsible. We still have a long road ahead, but finally we see a bit of light.”
The vaccines, developed by Germany's BioNTech and US drugmaker Pfizer, arrived in super-cold containers at EU hospitals recently. All those getting shots will have to come back in three weeks for a second dose. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen released a video celebrating the vaccine rollout and called it “a touching moment of unity.”
The rollout, however, came with its issues. In one mishap, eight workers at a care home in Stralsund on the north German coast were injected with five times the recommended dose of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. Four were hospitalised. Meanwhile, in southern Germany, officials said they would not use some shots after temperature trackers in cool boxes showed they may not have been kept cold enough.
