Italy blocked the vaccine shipment to Australia because drug giant AstraZeneca has not provided the EU with as many vials as expected. The comments by French Health Minister Olivier Véran came the day after Rome invoked European Union powers to block the shipment to Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison was asked yesterday whether he blamed Italian authorities for blocking the supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Europe v AstraZenecaAt the beginning of the year a conflict erupted between the European Union and AstraZeneca over vaccine delays. About 50 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are expected to be made at a plant in Melbourne's northern suburbs.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 06, 2021 03:43 UTC