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Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategy released

The Australian government released the COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategy on Tuesday, 18 August 2020, which outlines the government’s investment in promising COVID-19 vaccines and treatments and how these will be delivered to all Australians safely, equitably and rapidly. 

The strategy involves working in key areas of research and development; purchase and manufacturing; international partnerships; regulations and safety; and immunisation administration and monitoring. 

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) will play a key role in advising the government on planning for the allocation and use of COVID-19 vaccines under the strategy. NCIRS provides scientific research support to ATAGI and the Immunisation branch of the Australian Government Department of Health for the development and implementation of national immunisation policies, including for COVID-19. 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, NCIRS has been closely monitoring the developments in candidate vaccines and other aspects of disease while also undertaking research relating to SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Australia. When vaccines are approved for use in Australia, NCIRS will continue undertaking research, monitoring and evaluation to support the national COVID-19 immunisation program.

Read more about NCIRS’s research to inform policy work here and COVID-19 work here.