Australia to manufacture COVID-19 vaccine, give free doses to citizens: PM

Australia has signed a deal with Swedish-British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to receive a potential COVID-19 vaccine, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday.

"Under this deal we have secured early access for every Australian," Morrison said in an emailed statement.

"If this vaccine proves successful we will manufacture and supply vaccines straight away under our own steam and make it free for 25 million Australians." 

The vaccine AstraZeneca is developing with Oxford University is one of the five vaccines in Phase 3 efficacy trials globally, and researchers are looking to have results by the end of the year.

(With input from agencies)