Australia is set to begin administering the first COVID-19 vaccines in February, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, as the country moves to scale up its inoculation program while two states try to curb outbreaks.

Australia’s pharmaceutical regulator will likely approve the use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine by the end of January, and the first doses will be issued within weeks. Morrison said, “We are now in a position where believe we will be able to commence vaccinations in mid-to-late February.” Australia has ordered 10 million doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine and has also finalized a deal with AstraZeneca PLC.Morrison stated that the regulatory approval of the AstraZeneca vaccine is expected in the month of February… (Reuters, January 7, 2021)