PM’s Covid vaccine deal heralds a ‘day of hope’

Scott Morrison has tapped into the nation’s mindset and lifted our spirits with his announcement that his government has locked in a deal for the Aust­ralia-wide supply of the world’s first potential COVID-19 vaccine. Under a letter-of-intent with Britain-based drug company AstraZeneca, every Australian will be offered the University of Oxford vaccine for free early next year or even late this year, provided it proves successful. It remains unproven technology but its efficacy in terms of developing antibodies against coronavirus has been shown and its safety demonstrated in phase one and phase two trials. There is no guarantee, of course, that the Oxford or any other vaccine will be successful, as the Prime Minister said. That is why the government is continuing discussions with other developers and backing Australian researchers, such as the University of Queensland, in the quest for a vaccine.

After 22 million COVID cases worldwide and 780,000 deaths, including 450 in Australia, few would disagree with Mr Morrison that a vaccine should be “as mandatory as you could possibly make it”, while allowing for medical exemptions. He is aiming for a take-up rate of at least 95 per cent. That should be achievable given concerns about COVID contagion and Australians’ appreciation of the benefits of immunisation against measles, mumps and rubella, flu, cervical cancer and other illnesses. Amid repressive state border closures, Victoria’s stage four lockdown and grim figures about the coronavirus death rate in nursing homes and its decimating effect on jobs, aviation and other industries, our COVID discourse desperately needed a change of gear. Mr Morrison has provided it, offering realistic hope of deliverance from the nation’s and the world’s worst health crisis in a century and the worst economic crisis since the Depression.

Australian biotechnology company CSL, the largest company on the Australian Securities Exchange, backs Mr Morrison’s optimism. CSL expects to have an effective anti-COVID vaccine ready by the middle of next year. The company is continuing its partnership with UQ, which has a vaccine in phase one trials. CSL and UQ have “tightened the timeline” on the project. CSL also has signed an agreement with AstraZeneca to buy or manufacture the Oxford vaccine in Australia. CSL chief executive Paul Perreault says no single vaccine or therapy will defeat COVID-19. For that reason, CSL is deploying resources on three fronts: partnering with UQ, potentially manufacturing the Oxford vaccine, and developing hyperimmune treatment for the most serious cases of the virus. Its efforts, and those of about 160 vaccine projects under way around the world, 30 of which have reached the stage of clinical trials, offer desperately needed hope as coronavirus continues to spread. The widespread, almost unprecedented collaboration between industries, government and researchers in search of a vaccine is a bright spot. And it underlines the increasing importance of scientific research.

Conscious of the spread of coronavirus in developing nations, Mr Morrison has taken a responsible stand in promising Australia will support our regional neighbours in acquiring vaccines for their people. He has already discussed vaccines with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and the leaders of Fiji and Papua New Guinea. But until research is finalised and vaccines manufactured and distributed, efforts to contain COVID-19 through social distancing and hygiene must continue diligently and consistently. So must efforts to save lives with best-practice treatments. Victoria’s experience shows how a couple of bad mistakes dealing with such a contagious virus can escalate into a full-blown disaster within days.

After the strangest six months most Australians have ever lived through, especially Melburnians, the idea of returning to normal life, as it was late last year, feels surreal. A vaccine holds out the promise of families and friends being together wherever and whenever; all business sectors gearing up to full throttle; stepping into crowded areas without a qualm; being out and about freely; flying interstate and overseas; uninterrupted school and university terms, and the return of international students. It also offers hope that the current ongoing economic destruction can be curtailed as soon as possible. Most of all, the prospect of a vaccine offers hope of life without a lurking fear of COVID-19.