Australia has secured the rights to manufacture one of the world’s potential vaccines against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and plans to give it for free for Australian citizens.
The ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 or AZD1222 was developed by Oxford University and is currently undergoing phase 3 trials. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison stated that if these trials are successful and approved, this COVID-19 vaccine will be given to at least 25 million Australians for free.
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“There are always exemptions for any vaccine on medical grounds but that should be the only basis — I mean we’re talking about a pandemic that has destroyed the global economy and taken the lives of hundreds of thousands around the world,” said Prime Minister Morrison who said that they’re eyeing the availability of the vaccine early next year, as per reports from Australia’s ABC News.
Once proven effective, Australia will receive the patent for the Oxford-developed COVID-19 vaccine, which is the scientific recipe for creating it. This way, Australia can create their own vials instead of having to wait for vaccines to be shipped from one country to another.
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In addition, Australia is also extending its assistance to get early access for the vaccine for neighboring Pacific countries as well as for its regional partners across South East Asia.
