Netherlands contributes €50 mil. to international research for coronavirus vaccine

The Dutch government is contributing 50 million euros to international research into a vaccine for the coronavirus, Minister Hugo de Jonge of Public Health, Welfare and Sports announced in a letter to parliament. The amount will go to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), an organization that funds independent research into vaccines through donations, NU.nl reports.

CEPI expects to need around 875 million dollars, or around 804 million euros, this year for research. Some 80 percent of that amount has already been raised, mainly thanks to donations from European Union member states. According to De Jonge, the development of a vaccine in 2021 will require another amount up to 1 billion dollars. He said that the Netherlands will also invest in the next research phase. 

According to the Minister, the Netherlands' highest priority is the fastest possible development of a safe and effective vaccine against Covid-19. De Jonge called CEPI an "innovative global partnership between public, private, philanthropic and civil society organizations". 

He called the development of a vaccine a "complex international process". In order to make sure Dutch knowledge, experience and facilities are used as efficiently as possible, he asked special envoy Feike Sijbesma to also give attention to the development of a vaccine. Sijbesma, former CEO of DSM, was appointed the Netherlands' special coronavirus envoy three weeks ago.