EU extends COVID vaccine export ban until end-June

The European Commission has extended until the end of June its scheme requiring authorization for COVID vaccine exports, due to continued EU concerns about supplies within the 27-nation bloc, Report informs referring to Reuters.

"The Commission has today extended until the end of June the transparency and authorization mechanism for COVID-19 vaccine exports. This follows persistent delays in some of the deliveries of vaccines to the EU," reads the statement.

The move comes after the EU blocked a shipment of vaccines to Australia last week under the mechanism set up as a reaction to drugmakers’ announcements of delays in the deliveries of vaccines to the EU.

The delays have slowed the roll-out of inoculations in many EU countries, much to public frustration.