The Oxford vaccine, also known as the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, is a COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford in collaboration with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. Australia has been involved in the development of this vaccine through its partnership with AstraZeneca and the funding it has provided for clinical trials and manufacturing.
Australia has secured agreements with AstraZeneca to manufacture the Oxford vaccine locally, which will enable the country to produce enough doses to vaccinate its entire population. This will also help in the global distribution of the vaccine to other countries in need.
The Oxford vaccine uses a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) that has been genetically modified to not replicate in humans. This virus is combined with genetic material from the COVID-19 virus, which triggers an immune response in the body. This is different from other vaccines that use inactivated or weakened forms of the COVID-19 virus.
The Oxford vaccine has shown promising results in clinical trials, with an average efficacy rate of 70%. It is also easier to store and transport compared to other COVID-19 vaccines, as it can be stored at regular refrigerator temperatures. This makes it more accessible for distribution in remote and rural areas of Australia.
The Australian government has announced that it aims to start rolling out the Oxford vaccine from March 2021, pending regulatory approval. However, the exact timeline will depend on the progress of clinical trials and the approval process by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).