Norway says Pfizer temporarily reducing European deliveries

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer has said it will temporarily reduce deliveries to Europe of its COVID-19 vaccine while it upgrades production capacity, Norwegian health officials said Friday.

“We received this message today,” said Geir Bukholm, director of infection control at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, a government agency.

“We had predicted 43,875 vaccine doses from Pfizer in week 3. Now it seems that we get 36,075 doses,” he said.

The reduction in deliveries will start next week and is due to Pfizer limiting output so that it can upgrade production capacity to 2 billion vaccine doses per year from 1.3 billion currently, the agency said.

“This temporary reduction will affect all European countries,” it added. Norway is not a member of the European Union.

“It is not yet clear exactly how long it will take before Pfizer is up to maximum production capacity again, which will be increased from 1.3 to 2 billion doses per year," the agency said.

Neither Pfizer nor its German partner BioNTech immediately confirmed the delivery reduction.

In EU member Finland, broadcaster YLE said the delay would cause domestic delivery problems at the end of January and the beginning of March.

The EU Commission sealed the vaccine deals on behalf of all 27 member states, but is not responsible for the timetable and deliveries.

Asked whether Brussels has been informed by Pfizer about delays in the EU, Commission health policy spokesman Stefan de Keersmaecker said all questions on production and production capacity should be directed to the company.

“The Commission stands ready to support and facilitate contacts between the company and member states whenever needed,” he said.

De Keersmaecker said deliveries are made on the basis...