AstraZeneca vaccine to be rolled out in South Australia tomorrow

The first doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will be administered in South Australia tomorrow, the Prime Minister has confirmed.

Currently Australians prioritised on the vaccine roll-out plan are receiving the Pfizer vaccine, which was secured as a batch to use immediately.

The initial batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine has been imported from overseas, however it is anticipated that the remaining 50 million doses will be manufactured locally by CSL at its Broadmeadows facility.

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The Australian Government has confirmed both vaccines are effective in preventing "development of COVID-19 symptoms" and "protecting against severe disease".

Australians will not be able to choose whether they receive the Pfizer vaccine or the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Most will receive the AstraZeneca vaccine once local production is up and running.

READ MORE: 300,000 doses of COVID vaccines to roll out in next 10 days

Here is a full explainer on Australia's vaccine rollout – including when you'll be able to receive it.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the decision to produce the vaccine locally will ensure consistent supply for Australians.

"The first phase of those vaccines that we were able to secure from overseas, supporting this first phase of the vaccine rollout across the country," Mr Morrison said.

"Let's not forget that 50 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be made right here in Australia in Melbourne.

READ MORE: When you will receive the COVID-19 vaccine

"And we took the decision to have the sovereign capability to do that because we did not want to be overly reliant or dependent on supply chains from somewhere else."

Mr Morrison said Australia is one of the few countries in the world capable of replicating and manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines on local soil.