BERLIN (Reuters) – Pfizer has informed the European Union that it will temporarily reduce its deliveries of a COVID-19 vaccine to member states due to construction work at its plant in the Belgian town of Puurs, the German health ministry said on Friday.
The deliveries of the next three to four weeks would be affected, the ministry said in a statement, citing information given by Pfizer to the EU Commission.
Pfizer nevertheless pledged to deliver the full amount of vaccine promised for the first quarter, the ministry added.
The construction work in Puurs was needed to upgrade the plant so capacities there could be increased from mid-February, according to Pfizer.
The German health ministry called Pfizer’s announcement surprising and regrettable, adding that the company had committed to binding delivery dates until mid-February.
(Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Editing by Riham Alkousaa)
