Australia gains access to AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine within months

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia said on Monday it would receive its first batch of potential COVID-19 vaccines in January 2021, as the country’s virus hotspot said the number of new daily infections fell to a 10-week low.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that his government has signed a manufacturing deal with CSL Ltd (CSL.AX) to produce AstraZeneca (AZN.L) and the Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine, with which in January and February 2021 There are 3.8 million doses delivered.

Known as AZD1222, the AstraZeneca vaccine is undergoing late-stage clinical trials in the UK, Brazil and South Africa.

In August, Australia said it would buy the AstraZeneca vaccine, but in August CSL said it was prioritizing its rival vaccines.

This hurdle was overcome when Australia said on Monday that it had agreed to purchase CSL’s alternative COVID-19 vaccine if the trial was successful.

The agreement came after the state of Victoria in Australia said 41 cases of COVID-19 had been detected in the last 24 hours, an increase from 63 cases reported a day earlier and the lowest one-day increase since 26 June.

Australia’s second most populous state has been the center of a second wave, now accounting for approximately 75% of the country’s 26,320 cases and 90% of 762 deaths.

The southeastern state imposed a strict lockout in its capital Melbourne on Sunday until 28 September, as the daily infection rate had slowly declined more than expected.