SYDNEY, September 13. /TASS/. Australia will receive 1 million doses of vaccine from the American company Moderna, in addition to the previously purchased batch of 25 million doses, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Sunday evening.
He noted that "the extra doses, along with the first shipment of the already contracted doses, will arrive in Australia within the next week"
"The Moderna vaccines will go directly to local community pharmacies across the country and into the arms of Australians. Today Moderna was also approved for everyone 12 years and older so anyone aged 12-59, including families, will be able to go to a local pharmacy for their jab," he wrote in Twitter.
The Prime Minister also noted that during this month over 11 mln Pfozer and Moderna doses will be distributed in Australia, which is "enough to wipe out any queues for jabs."
"This means we’ll be able to take the next steps in our plan to safely reopen Australia in October," he added.
Earlier it was reported that the Australian regulator - Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) - and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ATAGI) approved the use of Moderna vaccine for the vaccination of children over 12 years old and adults aged 16 to 59 years.
In Australia, with a population of 25.7 million, the first case of coronavirus infection was detected on January 25, 2020. At the moment, the total number of infected people in the country has exceeded 75,300, more than 54,000 people have recovered and 1,100 patients have died. In June, a new wave of the spread of coronavirus began in the country. The authorities are still trying to cope with it, while vaccinating residents at the same time. To date, more than 22.6 million people (88.2% of the country's inhabitants) have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Of this number, 8.7 million received both doses of the vaccine (34%).