Canberra: Australia will start vaccinating its inhabitants in opposition to Covid-19 subsequent week after its first cargo of Pfizer vaccine was delivered on Monday. Greater than 142,000 doses had arrived at Sydney airport, the federal government stated. Well being care, aged care and quarantine employees shall be among the many first to be vaccinated from February 22.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison may also be among the many first to obtain a dose in a bid to boost public confidence in this system.

Australia determined in opposition to accelerating the vaccine regulator’s approval course of in an effort to improve public confidence that the Pfizer product was secure.

Thus far, Pfizer is the one vaccine permitted to be used in Australia. However the regulator is predicted to additionally approve the AstraZeneca vaccine quickly.

Australia is contracted to obtain 20 million Pfizer doses and to obtain or manufacture at residence 53.8 million AstraZeneca doses.