00:00This is our final press briefing of 2021, but it's also a very important anniversary.
00:07It's exactly one year since the approval of the first COVID-19 vaccine on 21st of December 2020.
00:15So when I made this announcement last year, I really didn't expect that one year on we'd still be in
00:21a pandemic.
00:22But as you all know, the epidemiological situation remains extremely worrying across Europe.
00:28There are still high levels of transmission of the Delta variant, but we're also seeing that Omicron has become the
00:34dominant variant in a growing number of countries.
00:38But today I want to have focus on three main messages.
00:42With five vaccines and six treatments, we're in a stronger position than this time last year.
00:48We have many more tools at our disposal.
00:52From a regulatory perspective, we are prepared in case there is a need to change the existing vaccines or therapeutics.
00:59And thirdly, irrespective of whatever data will support the need for such a change, the priority now must be to
01:07increase vaccine uptake, increase booster uptake and continue to increase supply.
01:12Thank you.
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