Hungary on Wednesday became the first EU nation to start using China's coronavirus Sinopharm vaccine, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
The country of 10 milli
Read more about Coronavirus surges anew in central Europe in face of new variants on Business Standard. Authorities in central Europe warned on Friday that they are seeing a surge in coronavirus cases across their region amid the discovery of new variants.
Hungary has become the first country in the European Union to adopt Chinese COVID-19 vaccines for inoculation, which will allow the vaccination of 2.5 million people, says Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto.
Hungary Secures EU’s First Deal to Buy Chinese Covid-19 Shot Bloomberg 1/29/2021 Veronika Gulyas
(Bloomberg) Hungary reached an agreement to buy 5 million doses of coronavirus vaccines developed by China’s Sinopharm, becoming the first European Union member to approve and buy the shot.
The country will receive the doses that are enough to inoculate 2.5 million people in four monthly installments, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Facebook Friday, without saying when the first deliveries would be made.
The approval followed a government decree that gives an automatic green light for vaccines already used on at least 1 million people abroad, Chief Medical Officer Cecilia Muller said at a briefing earlier in the day.
Covid-19: Hungary first in EU to approve Chinese vaccine
AFP/Budapest
Reuters Today the National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition (OGYEI) gave its approval for the Sinopharm vaccine, Chief Medical Officer Cecilia Muller told a briefing. Hungary on Friday became the first EU member to approve the Chinese-made Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine, a week after it also broke ranks with Brussels by issuing a provisional permit for Russia’s Sputnik V jab.
“Today the National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition (OGYEI) gave its approval for the Sinopharm vaccine,” Chief Medical Officer Cecilia Muller told a briefing.
Earlier on Friday Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Hungary plans to sign a procurement deal with the Chinese firm “today or tomorrow” for a first delivery, adding he would choose it for his own inoculation.