German Chancellor Angela Merkel opposes general bans on the export of vaccines from the COVID-19. She said this following a 15-hour meeting with the heads of government of the federal states, DW reported.

According to the head of the German government, there are international interdependencies within the vaccination campaign, and the existing supply chains must be closely monitored.

Merkel expressed support for the President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen, who recently toughened her tone against the pharmaceutical concern AstraZeneca due to the company's failure to fulfill its obligations to supply anti-coronavirus vaccines to the EU countries. The German Chancellor noted that all decisions of Brussels on this issue will be made in a responsible manner and in the format of a dialogue with the British government. At the same time, the head of the German government recalled that she had talks with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on this matter.

The British-Swedish AstraZeneca announced earlier that in the first quarter it would be able to supply to the EU instead of the originally planned 120 million doses - only 30 million, in the second quarter - instead of 180 million - only 70 million. Von der Leyen reacted harshly to such actions.

Earlier, on March 23, it was decided that to combat the coronavirus pandemic, public, economic and private life in Germany during the Easter holidays should be limited as much as never before during this epidemic.