Australian PM vows to manufacture and distribute COVID-19 vaccine for free to citizens

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on August 18 vowed that his country will manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine and distribute it for free to citizens. The announcement comes as the Australian government secured a deal with AstraZeneca for the vaccine the company is making in partnership with Oxford University. The federal government of Australia has signed an agreement with AstraZeneca to manufacture its COVID-19 vaccine if the trials prove successful. AstraZeneca and Oxford's vaccine is one of the most advanced in the world, according to WHO. Following the deal, PM Morrison said that Australia will not only manufacture the vaccine but will also give it for free to all its citizens. 

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According to reports, the vaccine ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222), which is being developed by the Oxford University and AstraZeneca are one of the 160 candidates being monitored by the WHO. The Oxford candidate is being considered a frontrunner in the race due to its successful phase 1 and phase 2 trials. The Australian government's agreement says that as soon as the vaccine is ready, it will get the formula straight away which will allow it to manufacture and distribute it as it wants. Apart from the Australian government, the United States and the United Kingdom's governments have also invested in AstraZeneca's vaccine candidate to secure millions of doses for themselves. 

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Similar claim by the US

Health officials in the United States also made similar claims last week as they said that the government is planning to distribute coronavirus vaccine to Americans for free, when available. As per reports, the US government will pay only for the vaccine doses, while the medical professionals who will be deployed on the ground to administer the distribution of the drug will be paid by private and public insurers. 

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Read: US Health Officials Claim COVID-19 Vaccine Will Be Free For All Americans