Australia granted approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use on Monday; however, it cautioned that issues with AstraZeneca’s international production suggest that the country would have to roll out a locally manufactured vaccine earlier than planned.

Vaccination with the Pfizer vaccine for the priority groups is expected to start in late February, at an estimated rate of 80,000 doses per week, stated Health Minister Greg Hunt. Australia will begin CSL’s domestic supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine in March, which is earlier than planned, at a rate of 1 million doses per week. Australia has a target of 4 million doses of vaccine by April… (Reuters, January 25, 2021)