UK won the Covid-19 vaccines race over EU by being ‘nimble’ and throwing support at drugs firms

Ministers didn’t want to entrust success of vaccination programme to Brussels at a time of significant cross-Channel tensions over Brexit trade talks

In the race to secure access to a Covid-19 vaccine, the UK Government was fully aware that it had some significant disadvantages compared to larger entities such as the US and the EU.

Britain was always going to have less buying power than the biggest economies, and less political influence with which to bend companies to its will.

One option would have been to join the EU’s vaccines procurement scheme, an offer available to the UK because the post-Brexit transition period was still in train at the time the pandemic broke out.

The Government decided to opt out of the scheme – partly, no doubt, on political grounds given the Prime Minister’s pro-Brexit views, but also because ministers thought it would be better to leverage the advantages Britain does have rather than entrust the success of the vaccination programme to Brussels at a time of significant cross-Channel tensions over the trade talks.

‘At a disadvantage’

Kate Bingham, the venture capitalist who led the Vaccines Taskforce, said: “We were clearly at a disadvantage in terms of size and buying power so the way we chose to address that was by being nimble, and as co-operative and supportive as we possibly could be.”

Britain acted early – while the EU was still negotiating with member states to agree a shared approach – and identified seven promising vaccine candidates. The taskforce prioritised guaranteed supply over price: the UK is believed to be paying more per dose than the EU, reasoning that a rapid vaccination programme more than pays for itself.

The Government worked closely with potential suppliers, above all the University of Oxford which was persuaded to team up with UK-based AstraZeneca rather than a foreign pharmaceutical firm. And there was also a major element of luck: five out of the seven vaccines which Ms Bingham secured have produced successful results after their clinical trials, with three being approved by the British regulator.

The total number of doses promised to the UK by the manufacturers comes to 367 million – enough to cover the whole country three times over, even though most require two doses to be administered. It is likely that batches left over will be donated to poorer countries whose vaccination programmes are lagging behind.

Source: The i

Novavax have published phase 3 trial data showing positive efficacy results for it in the UK

Novavax has published positive data from the UK phase 3 study of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, showing it to be 89.3% effective in preventing coronavirus in participants.

It will be manufactured in Teesside with 60 million doses already ordered by UK government.

Davos: Vladimir Putin warns of US 'Big Tech' dominance

Putin's remarks came one day after he held his first phone call with Joe Biden during his tenure as US President. It is the first time that the Russian leader has spoken to the World Economic Forum since 2009.

Putin's comments came as Russia ramps up pressure on the activities of foreign internet companies

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday warned against the increasing influence of big tech companies, which he said are "competing" with states.

"These are not just economic giants, in some areas they are already de facto competing with states," Putin said, speaking at the Davos virtual economic summit.

The Russian leader questioned whether the recent behaviour of some US firms in the country's presidential election raised the prospect of tougher regulation.

On Wednesday, the Russian telecommunications regulator Roskomnadsor announced that Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, VKontakte and Odnoklassniki would all face fines for failing to delete calls for youths to participate in illegal protests across the country on January 23. The mass protests were organized by opposition figure Alexei Navalny and his supporters.

The US and Russia have agreed to extend a nuclear arms treaty between both countries

President Biden's first call with the Kremlin

Putin's remarks came one day after he held his first phone call with US President Joe Biden.

The pair agreed to extend the New START nuclear weapons treaty that would have expired next month.

"No doubt it is a step in the right direction," Putin said

But the Russian leader warned: "The situation can still develop unpredictably and uncontrollably if we sit on our hands."

Originally signed in 2010, the pact limits each side to 1,550 long-range nuclear warheads, a lower number than under a previous deal.

Russia's lower house of parliament has already approved the extension, with the country's senate expected to ratify the move.

No congressional vote is required in the US.

A departure from the Trump era

A Kremlin statement said the exchange between the two leaders was "business-like and frank."

But the White House's readout of the call with the Kremlin also highlighted the difficult relationship between the former Cold War foes.

Aides to the new president said Biden was firm on US support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, while Russia is supporting separatists in the country’s east.

They also discussed the detention of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who the US government has called to be freed.

It marks a departure from his predecessor's stance.

Critics of Donald Trump often accused the former president of being too deferential to Putin, often undercutting his own administration's diplomatic efforts.

But Putin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying the case could undermine the possibility of further cooperation between Moscow and the European Union.

Source: DW