Researchers at the University of Oxford are working on a promising coronavirus vaccine,which Australians will get free if it is proven to work.Credit:AP
The government will on Wednesday also release its multibillion-dollar vaccine strategy,to be led by Department of Health secretary Brendan Murphy. It includes a $24.7 million deal with American medical technology giant Becton Dickinson to secure 100 million needles and syringes.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said under the deal,every Australian would be able to receive the Oxford University vaccine free. Priority candidates for the first doses will probably include over-60s and Australians with co-morbidities such as asthma,heart disease,transplant recipients and cancer patients.
Mr Morrison said the Oxford trial was in a phase-three stage and warned more work was needed to prove its viability. He said if the vaccine proved successful,Australia would manufacture and supply vaccines"straight away under our own steam".
"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.
"However,there is no guarantee that this,or any other,vaccine will be successful,which is why we are continuing discussions with many parties around the world while backing our own researchers at the same time to find a vaccine."
The letter of intent signed with AstraZeneca to supply the University of Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine candidate to Australia includes development,production and distribution. It commits to production of the vaccine in Australia subject to safety and effectiveness.