Some Europeans get choosy about which vaccines they want

Some Europeans get choosy about which vaccines they want

WARSAW, Poland (AP) “” Many Europeans are desperate for a coronavirus vaccine. But not just any vaccine.

As AstraZeneca shots are rolling out to European Union nations this month, joining the Pfizer and Moderna doses already available, some people are balking at being offered a vaccine that they perceive “” fairly or not “” as second-best.

Poland began vaccinating teachers Friday with the AstraZeneca vaccine, and some had misgivings about being put in line for a vaccine they believe is less effective than the others.

Ewelina Jankowska, the director of a primary and high school in Warsaw's southern Wilanow district, said nobody in her school was enthusiastic about getting the AstraZeneca shot, although many signed up, eager for any protection against a virus that has upended their lives and their students' schooling.

"I still fear the illness more than the AstraZeneca vaccine,“ said Jankowska, who was infected with COVID-19 in November and had a very slow recovery.

AstraZeneca, an Anglo-Swedish company, developed its vaccine with the University of Oxford. While regulators in more than 50 countries, including the EU's drug watchdog, have authorized its widespread use, it has attracted more criticism than others due to concerns about its human trials.

Several European nations have recommended the