Australian state seeks to build onshore mRNA vaccine site Reuters 2 hrs ago
SYDNEY, April 21 (Reuters) - Australia s Victoria state on Wednesday unveiled plans to develop an onshore messenger-RNA (mRNA) vaccine manufacturing facility and launched three mass coronavirus immunisation centres to speed up the national inoculation programme.
Victoria would spend A$50 million ($39 million) initially to set up the mRNA facility in the state, which authorities said could become the first such centre in the southern hemisphere. The mRNA technology is used in COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna.
Australia s immunisation drive was thrown into disarray earlier this month after the government restricted the use of AstraZeneca s COVID-19 vaccine, which uses a different technology and is the mainstay of the country s inoculation drive, due to rare bloodclotting cases.
Victoria has introduced three mass vaccination hubs for thousands of Australians to receive their Covid-19 jab in an effort to expedite the nation s delayed vaccine rollout.
The Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and Geelong s former Ford factory in Victoria opened on Wednesday morning to solely administer the AstraZeneca vaccine for anyone eligible in phases 1A and 1B.
The Convention and Exhibition Centre hub alone can hold 2,400 people per day to receive their jab and no appointment is required.
Thousands of Victorians will now receive their Covid-19 vaccination as the state opens three mass vaccination hubs (pictured, queues outside Melbourne s Royal Exhibition Centre on Wednesday)
Date Time
Victoria to lead on new vaccine manufacturing
The Victorian Government will invest $50 million to establish mRNA vaccine and therapeutic manufacturing in Victoria.
The University of Melbourne welcomes today’s announcement by the Victorian Government they will invest $50 million to establish mRNA vaccine and therapeutic manufacturing in Victoria.
The funding announced by Acting Premier James Merlino and Minister for Health Martin Foley will be invested in new critical manufacturing technology and research that will provide certainty of supply of new vaccines and lifesaving treatments in Australia.
mRNA vaccines are a promising alternative to traditional vaccines because of their high efficacy, capacity for rapid development, low-cost manufacture, and safe administration.
2021-04-21 03:06:29 GMT2021-04-21 11:06:29(Beijing Time) Xinhua English
SYDNEY, April 21 (Xinhua) People in the Australian state of Victoria have more access to the COVID-19 vaccine with the opening of three mass-vaccination hubs on Wednesday.
Two of the hubs are in the state s capital of Melbourne and the other is in the neighboring city of Geelong, which are initially open for people in the Phase 1a and 1b categories for vaccination.
Phase 1a includes hospital staff, ambulance officers and paramedics, aged-care workers and allied health professionals, quarantine and border workers, or workers likely to come into contact with travelers.