Europe needs quicker vaccinations and more stimulus

THE MOODAZEUAZEU in the European Union is grim. Only 2% of its people have been vaccinated, compared with 7% in America and 11% in Britain (see ). The slower the roll-out, the more die and the greater the economic harm will be.Hence news that AstraZeneca (), an Anglo-Swedish vaccine-maker, may supply less than 40% of the doses the expected in the first quarter has sparked fury. Amid the recriminations, politicians are arguing that, if refuses to make up some of the shortfall with supplies from its plants in Britain, then the should retaliate by stopping exports to Britain from plants in continental Europe. That would be a grave error. There are better ways for Europe to speed up vaccination. They need to be taken as urgently as efforts to stop another economic slump.