Australia secures access to Coronavirus vaccine by Oxford-AstraZeneca

Australia has said that it has already secured access to a promising Coronavirus vaccine and will be able to offer free doses to its entire population of 25 million people. The vaccine is being developed by the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and Oxford University.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that if clinical trials are successful, the deal with AstraZeneca would secure early access for



every Australian. He said, it was likely that vaccinations would be mandatory. Australia has recorded 450 Coronavirus deaths, most from an outbreak in the state of Victoria.

Earlier this month, Victoria declared a state of disaster and imposed strict lockdown measures after a surge in infections. It still has more than 7,000 active cases.