A continent on pause: why Europe is still struggling with slow vaccine roll-out

Almost a year into the pandemic, nations across the EU are still struggling to decide on strategy and jump-start a sluggish vaccine roll-out while the US finally gets its act together

A healthcare worker attends to a patient at the Covid-19 wing of the Enfermera Isabel Zendal new emergency hospital, in Madrid Picture: Getty

“Overall, health is not a core competence for the EU,” said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, last Friday morning. Given the current state of play across the region, there are not many that would disagree with her.

The Commission president was referring to problems with the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines for EU member states, but it cannot be denied that the continent’s handling of the pandemic leaves a lot to be ...