Australians to be 'fully vaccinated' against COVID-19 by end of October

Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt has said that nation's plans for COVID-19 vaccine are ahe of schedule and rollout is expected to be completed by end of October. public distribution of vaccine in Australia is expected to begin as early as March. government h previously said that Australians would be vaccinated by end of 2021, although jab against virus will be voluntary. 

According to Guardian, Hunt said on Monday, December 28 that while progression of vaccine was well underway, government’s approach was to "under-promise and over-deliver". He ded that country’s vaccine program is on track and ahe of schedule and government expects that Australians will be fully vaccinated by end of October on basis that it’s free, universal, and entirely voluntary. He also urged as many Australians to be vaccinated as possible. 

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Australia has acquired vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca/Oxford University, and vavax. Hunt informed that government has finalised its contract with Pfizer and expects its assessment to be completed at end of next month. He said, "Pfizer is progressing well, Oxford is progressing well". 

While AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine has alrey submitted ditional data about ir vaccine, Health Minister said that Australian drugs regulator, rapeutic Goods ministration (TGA), will have final data on Pfizer vaccine to analyse by February. Hunt said that government is hopeful that y will have both domestic production and international import of se vaccines ahe of schedule. "And I think that’s reassuring, reaffirming, and an important point hope," he ded. 

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Australian states impose travel ban

Meanwhile, Australian states have started imposing entry bans on Sydney residents as vel coronavirus outbreak spres in largest city of island nation. With New Years' just around corner, holiday plans have been dashed by border closures outside New South Wales (NSW) with even airlines cancelling several flights leaving Sydney Airport. 

As per reports, city has recorded at least 83 cases till w in outbreak and all are linked to Sydney’s rrn Beaches region. In wake of situation, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that "2020 is t done with us yet". Speaking from Canberra, Morrison called recent events in country "incredibly frustrating and disappointing" for people across nation who were looking forward to get-togers and inter-state travel. 

(Im Credits: AP)

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