EU says reduction in J&J vaccine deliveries only temporary

BRUSSELS, May 31 (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Monday that the reduction in deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines from Johnson & Johnson to EU member states was only temporary, and the company was still due to meet its contract for total doses by the end of this year.

"Member states were informed of certain delays when it comes to the delivery of Johnson & Johnson shots, and they expressed their concern," a spokesman for the European Union executive told a news conference.

"The way we understand it is that this is a temporary reduction in deliveries and we can expect to see an increase in deliveries of doses soon. We're still working on the basis of the hypothesis that we're going to have the number of doses agreed on the whole, the second and third quarters."

(Reporting by John Chalmers; editing by Foo Yun Chee)