Sydney, Australia:
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the national medical regulator has approved Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for use in Australia.
It is the first vaccine to receive approval for use in Australia, and the TGA has said they arrived upon the decision after a thorough and independent review. The TGA said Pfizer’s vaccine meets the high safety, efficacy and quality standards requirement.
The decision was welcomed by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Australia’s vaccination program is expected to begin from anytime between mid to end February. Health Minister Greg Hunt has said the rollout would start with 80,000 jabs per week – doctors, nurses, aged care providers, and other front line workers and Australia’s vulnerable community will be priortised.
Australia has entered into 4 separate agreements for the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, if they are proved to be safe and effective – Pfizer/BioNTech, University of Oxford/AstraZeneca, Novavax, and the COVAX Facility led by Gavi Alliance.
