As Vaccine Battle With UK Deepens, EU Blames AstraZeneca

Medical workers prepare doses of Oxford/AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination centre in Antwerp, Belgium, on March 18, 2021. Yves Herman/Reuters

LONDON—Britain on Monday demanded the European Union allow the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines it has ordered as tensions over a possible export ban on EU-manufactured shots mounted and Brussels pointed an accusing finger at drugmaker AstraZeneca.

“The UK is not to blame. The EU is not to blame,” said an EU official. “It’s about everyone finding agreement with a company that has been over-selling its production capacity. AstraZeneca has to deliver doses to its EU customers.”