UK to offer Covid vaccines to Ireland
March 28 2021, The Sunday Times
Britain is planning to offer 3.7 million Covid jabs to Ireland, in part to help lift the lockdown in Northern Ireland, in a move that could raise tensions with the European Union.
It would be the first time the UK has exported vaccines to the EU, but the plan was described by a cabinet minister as a “poke in the eye for Brussels” because it could disrupt EU unity.
Brussels, which has co-ordinated vaccine procurement and delivery on behalf of its member states, has made slower progress than the UK. Amid an acrimonious dispute over supplies, the EU has threatened to block exports of vaccines and their ingredients.
Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, Michael Gove, chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, and Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland secretary, have had “outline discussions” about the plan.
Failure to vaccinate the Irish could trigger a third wave in Northern Ireland if people travel across the border when lockdown restrictions are lifted.
A cabinet source said: “Everyone can see the logic of it. It’s good politics while at the same time solving a genuine public health concern in Northern Ireland.
“It is a balancing act, making sure that we have enough vaccines to give the UK’s adult population the second dose. Easter will be when we might be able to start offering vaccines to Ireland.”
Developing countries could receive UK vaccines after Ireland. But the Cabinet Office is drawing up plans to send surplus vaccines to other EU countries this year amid fears that the poor vaccine programme in France and Germany could boost extremist parties. “The fear is that Macron has made such a mess of things that it might mean we end up with Marine Le Pen getting elected,” a well-placed Whitehall source said. “No one wants that.”
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