34 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine exported from EU since February

Pharmaceutical companies exported 34 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine out of the European Union to some 30 countries worldwide since February 1, EU officials confirmed on condition of anonymity.

Nine million of these were sent to Britain, 4 million to Canada, 3 million to Mexico and 1 million to the United States, the EU sources said.

Britain's health department declined to release the number of vaccines which have been exported to other countries.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the movement of vaccines and their components is down to "contractual obligations that vaccine suppliers have to their customers."

The European Commission has also refused to officially disclose the figures. It has strict privacy agreements with supplier firms.