<p><strong>New Delhi: </strong>Amid the threat of highly transmissible Omicron Covid-19 variant, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday said it Was time for the European Union to "think about mandatory vaccination" against coronavirus.</p> <p>Leyen said the issue "needs discussion" and a "common approach" among member state governments. </p> <p>“How can we encourage and potentially think about mandatory vaccination within the European Union? This needs discussion. This needs a common approach. But it is a discussion that I think has to be led,” news agency AFP quoted Leyen as saying.</p> <p><strong>Omicron Scare: <a title="India Defers Resumption Of International Flights From Dec 15" href="https://ift.tt/3oahRGV" target="_blank" rel="dofollow noopener">India Defers Resumption Of International Flights From Dec 15</a></strong></p> <p>Underscoring that a third of the European Union population was still unvaccinated, she said, "My personal position is…I think it is still understandable and appropriate to lead this discussion now."</p> <p>The European Commission chief had on Sunday urged all to take precautions and give time to the scientists to understand the Omicron strain. She said the world was in a “race against time” to understand the new Covid variant and, if needed, modify vaccines to counter it.</p> <p>“The scientists and manufacturers need two to three weeks to have a full picture about the quality of the mutations of this Omicron variant,” she added.</p> <p>The European Commission chief said that a contract struck in the summer by the European Commission with BioNTech-Pfizer for 1.8 billion vaccine doses included a clause in case of an “escape variant” -- a strain that can evade vaccine immunity.</p> <p>She added a clause in the contract states "that if a variant turns into an escape variant... BioNTech-Pfizer is able to adapt its vaccine within 100 days".</p>
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