MEPs call for fact-based approach to EU vaccines rollout to avoid disinformation

The Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI) of the European Parliament has said that, in order to respond to European citizens’ growing concerns, data on the number of vaccine doses supplied and on the vaccination schedules for each country must be transparent and provided on a monthly basis until the summer.

ENVI Chair Pascal Canfin (Renew, FR) said the European Parliament is asking for exhaustive data to be published every month on the number of vaccines allocated to each member state.

“Only once we have a clear picture, can we build trust, address challenges linked to delays in supply and the speed at which vaccines are being administered, and fight back the growing wave of uncertainty and disinformation in Europe,” he said.

This information is currently not comprehensive enough, as evidenced by a compilation of existing national data provided by national governments. Only a limited number of countries have communicated their vaccination figures, MEPs stress.

Following requests from the ENVI committee, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), has launched its dashboard on the vaccination situation in member states. This overview should be complemented by additional elements, such as the projected delivery of vaccines, MEPs ask.

On Wednesday 10 February, MEPs will debate in plenary the state of play of the EU’s vaccination strategy with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.