The European Commission is working on all fronts to support efforts to fight the coronavirus, helping Member States to repatriate their citizens and providing emergency services to the Chinese authorities. The first repatriations on planes from France and Germany, co-financed by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, concerned 447 European citizens departing from Wuhan last weekend. In addition, the EU helped facilitate the delivery of 12 tonnes of personal protective equipment to China as first aid. Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management, said: "I would like to thank France and Germany for helping to bring hundreds of citizens from EU member states home safely. It is a success of our common European civil protection efforts. We also work 24/7 to help the Chinese authorities provide protective equipment. The first supplies have already arrived in China this weekend. Additional EU aid is on the way. The EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre coordinates EU assistance. The EU has also provided € 10 million for research into vaccines.