The lack of EU government preparedness for a "Dunkirk Moment" rollout of vaccines is a scandal. We know that national differences within the EU are large, just at the @NYTimes tells us they are between states in the US https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/covid-19-vaccine-doses.html?name=styln-coronavirus-vaccines&region=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=Interactive&impression_id=2befe3f0-54ce-11eb-b0d8-5d920dc8852d&variant=1_Show

But what about regional differences within EU members? Much more difficult, as many countries still suppress the data (embarrassed about your performance say @EmmanuelMacron @MinPres or @SwedishPM??). Others are more transparent though - and I easily found data for DE, 2/n

DK, ES and IT. Two regional level variables probably matter most to gauge the competence level of EU governments - the share of population vaccinated and the share of available vaccines used. Available data reveal WIDE cross-country and intra-country differences. 3/n

The regional share of population vaccinated around Jan 10-11 is lowest in Madrid and the Balearics, followed by several German states and noticeable at the national level Germany is ahead of only the region of Calabria in Italy. 4/n

Re. share of available vaccines actually used, DK and some IT regions do best (utilizing more than 100% by getting more doses than prescribed from each vial), while its less than 20% utilized in Sachsen and Thuringen. However EU purchased vaccs, its not main problemi n DE 5/n

Unsurprisingly, the correlation between the two is high and a graphic representation of "government competence in vaccine rollout by region" can be constructed. DK does best, while the poor relative DE vaccine performance is at odds with Covid-measures taken to date. Given 6/n

With German leaders directly responsible for this outcome - including the health minister and the state premier of the "Below Calabria" NRW - are running to take over from Chancellor Merkel this week, it is clearly not their vaccine rollout performance they want to highlight. 7/n

Finally, one can also of course compare regional vaccine rollout with Covid-mortality rates to see if there is any real "competence relation". This appears in DK, while again Madrid stands out as having "not had a great Covid response" and Germany rest on its laurels now. End

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