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BERLIN, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Germany expects the European
Union to give quick approval to the coronavirus vaccine
developed by Oxford University and Astrazeneca that was
cleared for use in Britain on Wednesday, its top vaccines
official said.
Klaus Cichutek, head of the Paul Ehrlich Institute, said
that, thanks to the rolling EU review of the Astrazeneca
vaccine's effectiveness, it would be possible to take a quick
decision once a formal application was submitted.
No such application had been received by the European
Medicines Agency (EMA) by Wednesday morning, Cichutek told
reporters, but a debate in its councils would follow as soon as
it arrived.
"Once the application is submitted a decision can be taken
quickly," Cichutek told a news conference.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn urged "a quick and
thorough examination" of the Astrazeneca vaccine by EMA, in
addition to the expected EU clearance of a shot from Moderna
in early January.
A vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and BioNTech
is already being administered under an EU-wide
vaccination campaign that began after Christmas.
(Reporting by Kirsti Knolle and Douglas Busvine; editing by
John Stonestreet)