(Adds details)
By Michael Nienaber
BERLIN, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Germany is planning to spend
nearly 9 billion euros ($10.9 billion) this year to buy up to
635.1 million COVID-19 vaccines as part of the European Union's
procurement scheme and national deals, a finance ministry
document seen by Reuters showed on Tuesday.
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz's deputy Bettina Hagedorn
proposed to lawmakers in a letter that they greenlight a request
by Health Minister Jens Spahn for an additional 6.22 bln euros
to buy more vaccines, according to the document.
This comes on top of 2.66 billion euros already earmarked in
the 2021 budget to buy COVID-19 vaccines.
A coalition source told Reuters that the Bundestag lower
house of parliament's budget committee was expected to approve
the additional spending on Wednesday.
The Health Ministry will use the total funds of 8.89 billion
euros ($10.77 billion) to buy up to 635.1 million vaccine doses
as part of the European Union's joint procurement plans and
Berlin's national scheme, the document said.
"For the federal government, obtaining COVID-19 vaccines is
of fundamental importance to get the pandemic under control,"
Hagedorn told lawmakers in the letter.
"In addition, a broad portfolio (of vaccines) is required so
that Germany will have effective vaccines with enough vaccine
doses for the various population groups, also in the case that
not all vaccines are approved," she added.
($1 = 0.8258 euros)
(Reporting by Michael Nienaber
Editing by Caroline Copley)
Astrazeneca (AZN)
