COVID-19 vaccinations in EU to start from Dec. 27, Commission chief says

European Union countries will begin inoculating people against the new coronavirus from Dec. 27, the head of the EU commission said on Thursday, assuming the EU regulator approves a vaccine. "On 27, 28 and 29 December vaccination will start across the EU," von der Leyen wrote on Twitter.

European Union countries will begin inoculating people against the new coronavirus from Dec. 27, the head of the EU commission said on Thursday, assuming the EU regulator approves a vaccine.

"On 27, 28 and 29 December vaccination will start across the EU," von der Leyen wrote on Twitter. She had previously called for a coordinated start to inoculations on the same day in all 27 EU countries. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said an expert panel will convene on Monday to evaluate the vaccine made by U.S. company Pfizer and German partner BioNTech.

Deliveries will start on Dec. 26 from vaccine production sites in Belgium and Germany but the Commission said it would be up to each of the EU's 27 states to organize and coordinate their own vaccination programs.