🗣️ "When a 74-year-old inhabitant of a care home in Haarlem in the Netherlands 🇳🇱 was vaccinated yesterday, he was asked afterwards how he felt. “It feels like I now have a shield, like I finally will be shielded against this #virus,” was his answer. “And I hope I will be able to go outside more and see my granddaughter again.”
Madam President, being a shield for those who need protection, is that not one of the key functions, one of the key tasks of government? Whether that government is national, local or #European. When fighting an opponent like the #Coronavirus it is clear that we need all levels of government to fight and work together.
And this is why the EPP Group supports the work of European Commissioner @Stela Kyriakides championing a European approach rather than one where Member States are outcompeting each other like we often saw during previous cross-border health threats, like the Mexican flu.
Does that mean that the rollout of the vaccination strategies is going perfectly? No, there are still many challenges in Member States and production needs to be scaled up.
Does it mean that the pharmaceutical industry is an easy counterpart to negotiate with? Certainly not and only more transparency can take away the widespread perception, whether justified or not, that too often profit is put before people in this industry.
But one thing is clear: thanks to the Commission and the Member States’ joint approach the joint purchase of vaccines, for example, has shown that we have had a stronger negotiating position than each individual Member State would have had on its own.
That means more vaccines for a better price and under better conditions. It shows what Europe can do when we stand united. It can help save lives".
📺Watch Esther de Lange MEP during today's #EPlenary debate on the EU global strategy on #COVID19 vaccinations.
#VaccinesWork #EPP4Health #VaccineStrategy
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