BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany plans to buy some 204 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for 2022, far more than the two each needed for its 84 million population, in order to have a comfortable buffer in case of mutations or a need for booster shots.
A health ministry paper seen by Reuters said that the contract the European Union signed with Biontech and Pfizer for their mRNA-type vaccine covered Germany’s needs next year in the best case, but the extra would provide added security.
The paper said at least one other mRNA-type vaccine should be procured, as well as a vaccine using another technology, to help guard against production bottlenecks.
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, writing by Thomas Escritt; editing by Diane Craft)
