Public health expert Dr Gabriel Scally has said that while the EU may be experienced in economic matters, it was not experienced in medical matters which was why there were difficulties in its response to the Covid-19 crisis.
The EU’s competency in medical matters was a fundamental problem, he told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show.
Each country had the capacity to implement its own emergency approval of vaccines, he said, pointing out that Hungary had approved use of the Russian vaccine Sputnik.
Ireland’s experience with vaccine delivery dates being changed 20 times was “extraordinarily disappointing” he said. It would be difficult to run a proper vaccination programme with such delivery issues. “That’s no way to run a railroad.”
The Government should look to see what other potential suppliers were available. They should be talking to Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock about availing of the UK’s surplus vaccines, he said.
The UK had ordered 407 million doses and their vaccination programme was moving quickly. There would be substantial surplus in the coming months. Dr Scally had received his first does of the vaccine after which he felt “a huge weight” had been lifted off his shoulders.
