European leaders say sharing vaccines is key to fighting COVID-19

European leaders are distancing themselves from President Joe Biden's move to waive patent rights for vaccines.

Instead, they say the key to ending the pandemic is vaccine-sharing.

"We need vaccines now for the whole world," said Ursula Von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission. "In the short and medium term, the IP waiver will not solve the problems, will not bring a single dose of vaccine in the short and medium term."

The president of the European Commission said vaccine sharing and investing in other countries to be able to manufacture their own vaccines is key.

She noted that about 50% of the doses being produced in Europe are being exported around the world. 

This story was originally published by Simon Kaufman and Alex Livingston at Newsy.