"Yesterday during the online pledging event we raised €7.4 billion ($8 billion) in initial funding to develop diagnostics, treatments and vaccines to fight #coronavirus!", the European Commission announced on its Twitter account.
The so-called Coronavirus Global Response International Pledging Conference aims to raise enough money to fill the “immediate funding gaps" in vaccine research.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany would give 525 million euros in the search for vaccines and treatments, while France and Italy each promised 500 million euros. The UK pledged just over 440 million euros, rfi reported.