<p>The European Union could authorise a second coronavirus vaccine "in the coming hours", European Council chief Charles Michel said Tuesday, adding that leaders would hold a virtual summit on the health crisis later this month.</p>.<p>National capitals have been pressuring the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to issue its green light for the shot from US-based Moderna as other advanced nations like Britain, the US and Israel press ahead.</p>.<p>But its CHMP human medicines committee did not approve the jab on Monday, agreeing instead to reconvene on Wednesday.</p>.<p>"Even if it's not certain, we hope that in the coming hours a second vaccine will be agreed on," Michel said in Lisbon in a press conference marking Portugal taking over the rotating presidency of the EU.</p>.<p>So far the only inoculation available in the bloc is the one produced by Pfizer-BioNTech, which the EMA gave the go-ahead on December 21.</p>.<p>Michel said that getting vaccines to the EU's almost 450 million people was a "gigantic challenge".</p>.<p>But he insisted that "alongside member states, the European Commission is working night and day to make sure we can increase the number of vaccines available" -- while "respecting the independence of the medicines agency".</p>
<p>The European Union could authorise a second coronavirus vaccine "in the coming hours", European Council chief Charles Michel said Tuesday, adding that leaders would hold a virtual summit on the health crisis later this month.</p>.<p>National capitals have been pressuring the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to issue its green light for the shot from US-based Moderna as other advanced nations like Britain, the US and Israel press ahead.</p>.<p>But its CHMP human medicines committee did not approve the jab on Monday, agreeing instead to reconvene on Wednesday.</p>.<p>"Even if it's not certain, we hope that in the coming hours a second vaccine will be agreed on," Michel said in Lisbon in a press conference marking Portugal taking over the rotating presidency of the EU.</p>.<p>So far the only inoculation available in the bloc is the one produced by Pfizer-BioNTech, which the EMA gave the go-ahead on December 21.</p>.<p>Michel said that getting vaccines to the EU's almost 450 million people was a "gigantic challenge".</p>.<p>But he insisted that "alongside member states, the European Commission is working night and day to make sure we can increase the number of vaccines available" -- while "respecting the independence of the medicines agency".</p>