Deakin University Chair of Epidemiology Professor Catherine Bennett says the Moderna vaccine is "very similar" to the Pfzier vaccine, but its storage requirements may be seen as a more “practical”.
Australia has secured 25 million doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine - which is awaiting approval from the TGA - after a deal was struck between the federal government and the pharmaceutical giant.
Professor Bennett told Sky News the Moderna vaccine has a similar efficacy rate as the Pfzier vaccine at over 90 per cent but it can be stored in a normal freezer compared to the minus 70 degrees Celsius required for Pfizer.
“It’s also something that can be kept in a fridge after you’ve defrosted it to start to administer doses,” she said.
“So there might be some practical benefits of Moderna over Pfizer as well that might help us in the latter part of the year when we’re trying to vaccinate that younger adult population”.