The Australia’s Prime Minister announced on Tuesday that they has secured access to a “promising” potential Covid-19 vaccine, saying that the country would manufacture it and offer the free doses to the entire population.Australia has reached a deal with AstraZeneca, a Swedish British pharmaceutical company to receive the corona virus vaccine, that is developing with Oxford University, said PM Scott Morrison.
“The Oxford vaccine is one of the most advanced and promising in the world, and under this deal we have secured early access for every Australian,” he said.”If this vaccine proves successful we will manufacture and supply vaccines straight away under our own steam and make it free for 25 million Australians.”
The Oxford vaccine is one among the five globally, which has reached Phase 3 of efficacy trials and researchers hope to have the results by the end of the year.It is the Australia’s first such deal and Morrison informed that his government was in talks with “many parties around the world” related to other potential vaccines as well as supporting the local scientists in their efforts.
The country is yet to make a final agreement with the AstraZeneca related to the cost and also the local manufacturer has not yet been locked in.Though, Australia has signed an agreement worth of Aus$25 million ($18 million) with the Becton Dickinson, American medical technology company to buy 100 million needles and syringes to administer the doses.
While none of the Covid-19 vaccines under the development has not yet proved its efficacy in clinical trials, around 5.7 billion doses have been pre-ordered around the world.5 vaccines that are in Phase 3 of efficacy trials connecting thousands of people are 3 Western and 2 Chinese, including the Oxford vaccine.
AstraZeneca company has also signed the agreements with the US, Europe and Brazil to provide doses.Another deal by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, would see India to manufacture the Oxford vaccine for distributing it in 57 low and middle income countries.
First shipments of a coronavirus vaccine developed by Western laboratories have often been snapped by the US.
Morrison stated that, Australia has remained “committed” to ensure early access to the potential vaccine for Pacific countries and regional partners in Southeast Asia.
He informed nations to share the potential vaccines earlier this month, saying any country that discovers one and did not make it available globally “would be judged terribly by history”.
Australia has reported around 24,000 cases of coronavirus and 438 fatalities till date.
Early in the coronavirus outbreak Australia was considered among the most successful country at curbing the virus’s spread until the outbreak in the country’s second biggest city, Melbourne, that authorities struggled to contain.
The outbreak which was traced back to the two hotels that were being used to quarantine the travellers returning from overseas has ravaged aged care homes in the city, leading dozens of deaths.
The measure like overnight curfew, mandatory wearing mask and the shutdown of non essential services, helped to bring virus under control, with the number of daily new cases falling below 300 in recent days.
