CANBERRA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Monday that a COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be made available in the first quarter of 2021.
The Australian government announced in September that it had secured onshore manufacturing agreements for two candidate vaccines being developed by the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca and the University of Queensland/CSL in deals worth a combined 1.7 billion Australian dollars (1.2 billion U.S. dollars).
"So progressing well. We have two major contracts that have already been signed and completed. And that's for what's called the Oxford Vaccine, 33.8 million units, and Australia's own University of Queensland vaccine, 51 million units," Hunt told radio station 2GB on Monday.
"We're expecting the first vaccinations to commence - on the latest advice that I had on Friday - in the first quarter of 2021."
As of Monday afternoon there had been 27,527 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, and the number of new cases in last 24 hours is nine, according to the latest figures from the government.
Victoria, the hardest-hit state by the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, confirmed no new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, which is the first time the state has experienced a day of zero cases since June 9.
"It's why today I can confirm what we've long waited for: Melbourne will move out of lockdown and into the Third Step," Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said in a statement on Monday.
According to him, under the Third Step, and from 11:59 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Melbourne, the capital city of the state, will move from "stay home" to "stay safe," with no more restrictions on the reasons to leave home. And Melbourne's cafes, restaurants and pubs can reopen. Enditem
