The Therapeutic Goods Administration has given the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine provisional approval.
The move, , takes the US-made shot a step closer to joining Australia’s vaccine rollout, along with Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Moderna, like Pfizer, is a messenger RNA vaccine that teaches cells how to make a protein to trigger an immune response. It requires two doses 28 days apart.
But when will the doses arrive and go into the arms of people in Australia?
It’s still early days, but here’s what we know so far.
How many doses will we get?
The government has bought 25 million Moderna doses in total so far.
That includes 10 million doses for use in 2021 and 15 million doses of its updated variant booster vaccine for 2022.
When will the doses arrive?
The first million doses are due to arrive in September and will be initially allocated to pharmacies.
Another three million doses are expected to arrive in October, November and December of 2021.
"This is another important tool that we have in our battle against COVID," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday.
"We'll have it in our hands and we will have the jabs in our arms starting next month."
Who will get it?
It’s not totally clear yet, as the shot hasn’t quite received final approval and the government hasn't set eligibility.
The TGA's provisional green light was given for use in people in Australia aged 18 and older.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) will factor the provisional approval and supplies of the Moderna vaccine into their future advice regarding the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Monday.
Data to support the use of the Moderna shot for people aged 12 to 17 years is still being reviewed by the TGA.
How effective is the Moderna jab?
Extremely - though medical research shows all of Australia’s approved COVID-19 vaccines provide excellent protection against hospitalisation and death.
TGA boss John Skerritt said on Monday the Moderna shot is 93 per cent effective against COVID-19 infection, 98 per cent against severe disease, and 100 per cent against death.
"It's very exciting to see such sustained activity of that vaccine six months after," he told reporters.
"It also seems to be quite efficacious against variants although the company is doing some further work on development."
Which other countries have authorised it?
It’s being used in a multitude of nations, including the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Bangladesh, the European Union, Singapore, and others.
There have been more than 140 million doses of Moderna administered in the US alone.
With AAP.
