LISBON, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Friday that the European industry, especially in Portugal, is trained and ready to increase the production of vaccines against COVID-19.
"After meeting today with European Commissioner Thierry Breton, who leads the European task force to increase industrial production of vaccines against COVID-19, I am confident in the capacity of European industry to mobilize," Costa said on Twitter.
As acting president of the Council of the European Union (EU), Costa reaffirmed Portugal's willingness to "actively contribute to this joint effort" to rapidly increase vaccine production.
"Our industry has the necessary skills and proven evidence of the ability to adapt and produce new products to combat the pandemic," said the Portuguese head of government.
Portugal announced that, in the next few days, 11 companies in the country will participate in an "interconnection exercise" with vaccine companies that need greater production capacity.
As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in an increasing number of countries with already-authorized coronavirus vaccines.
Meanwhile, 267 candidate vaccines are still being developed globally -- 83 of them in clinical trials, according to information released by the World Health Organization on March 23. Enditem
