What the UK's COVID-19 vaccine means for Australia

The race for a COVID-19 vaccine appears to have hit the final stretch, with the UK announcing it will roll out doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's offering within days.

It's the first approval from a Western nation's government, and a promising sign things may finally be able to return to some sort of normal.

The UK will first vaccinate high-risk patients such as the elderly, before rolling it out basically as fast as they can make it.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock says the breakthrough means that as early as Easter, "things are going to be better", a stunning prediction that will raise hopes of normality returning around the world and hopefully fast-track the the return international travel.

But what does the UK announcement mean for Australia?

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is one of five COVID-19 vaccines the Australian government has signed an agreement for wide-spread supply.

The others include University of Oxford/AstraZeneca, University of Queensland/CSL, Novavax and COVAX Facility.

Health Minister Greg Hunt says the Pfizer vaccine is on track to be approved in Australia by the end of January and "our planning is for first vaccine delivery in March 2021".

He said he had again spoken to the Australian CEO of Pfizer, and they continue to provide the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) with "data for safety and efficacy as part of the approval process".

"Today is an important step for the world," Mr Hunt said.

For the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be approved in Australia, it will need to pass our own rigorous testing via the TGA.

If successful, we would then have access to 10 million doses from early 2021.

These doses are purchased by the Australian Government but will be manufactured in the United States, Belgium and Germany.

In October 2020, the TGA granted a provisional determination to Pfizer for this vaccine.

This means it is eligible to apply for provisional registration on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.

Australia will have the option to purchase additional doses where supply is available.

Scientists believe multiple approved vaccines will be needed to stamp out the pandemic worldwide, with deadly upswings in the US and Europe creating more urgency.

How crucial is a vaccine to international travel?

International travel for Australians may be back on the cards as early as June, with plans to revive overseas flights hinging on the availability of a vacine.

"Our base plan is that we will probably get a significant amount of the international operation up in the next financial year, which is between July and June," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said last month.

"We always were assuming 50 per cent of it. It is dependent on the vaccine but the news on the vaccine is looking really, really positive."

Studies conducted by Airbus, Boeing and Iarta show that the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 on an aircraft is "very low", Mr Joyce said.

The breakthrough in the UK means the chances of flying abroad sooner rather than later have just had a huge boost.

What about the other vaccine contenders?

The Australian Government has invested more than $3.3 billion to buy vaccines and help with scientific development.

This gives Australia potential access to multiple vaccine options as they complete the TGA approval process.

University of Oxford/AstraZeneca

If approved for use, it will be available in Australia from early 2021.

The vaccine would be manufactured by Australian-headquartered multinational bio-pharmaceutical company CSL in partnership with the developer, international pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.

The Oxford vaccine is one of nine vaccines supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a global partnership to accelerate vaccine development.

University of Queensland/CSL

The Australian Government has provided $5 million to support the development of molecular clamp technology for this vaccine.

It is also funded by the Queensland Government, the international Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI), CSL and philanthropic organisations.

The vaccine doses purchased by the Australian Government will be manufactured in Australia at CSL's biologics facility in Broadmeadows Victoria.

The vaccine is one of nine vaccines supported by CEPI, a global partnership to accelerate vaccine development.

Novavax

If approved, it will be available in Australia in the first half of 2021.

It is expected that 40 million doses will be made available in Australia during 2021.

Doses for Australia will be manufactured in several locations across Europe.

COVAX Facility

Currently 188 countries around the world have entered into the COVAX Facility.

The participation of countries like Australia means the facility can invest in a diverse portfolio of potential COVID-19 vaccines and support vaccine manufacturers.

It is aiming to mobilise two billion doses for the world by the end of 2021, addressing the acute phase of the pandemic.

COVAX is coordinated by Gavi with help from member countries, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the World Health Organisation, and UNICEF.

Moderna

Moderna created its shots with the US National Institutes of Health and already had a hint they were working, but said it got the final needed results that suggest the vaccine is more than 94 per cent effective.

Moderna said the shots' effectiveness and a good safety record so far — with only temporary, flu-like side effects — mean they meet requirements set by the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use before the final-stage testing is complete.