Azores threatens to buy vaccines from Russia, China and U.S.

Concerned by a sudden spike in the number of local cases – and with no effective vaccine supply from the mainland – the regional government of the Azores is threatening to buy vaccines direct from Russia, China and the United States. Vice-governor of the region Clélio Meneses says the only alternative is for the EU to treat the archipelago as a special case, and supply the vaccines needed. He stressed citizens on the various islands do not all have equal access to intensive care, therefore they need to be protected ahead of nationals on the Portuguese mainland which has better health infrastructures.