Merkel: Vaccines Can Be Quickly Developed To New Variants

Speaking at a press conference, German Chancellor Angela Merkel trod the line between optimism and realismwith comments on the COVID-19 pandemic.

• She acknowledged that while cases seemed to be declining in Germany and the vaccine rollout accelerating there remained a need for tighter measures as hospitalisations remain high and new variants of the virus spread.
• Merkel stated that the current vaccine can be quickly modified to fight new variants. [Aside: not clear whether she indicates here that current vaccines are not effective against new strains, no evidence so far that they are not]
• Says 'intensive talks' underway on boosting production of the vaccine. Political tensions evident in Germany over the rollout, with SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz and CSU leader Markus Soeder calling for Germany to make parallel deal with pharma firms to secure more doses, but reluctance to circumvent the EU procurement plan among many in gov't.