Topline
The Australian government has reached a Covid-19 swap agreement with Singapore. This will allow the Australian government to receive 500,000 doses from Pfizer shot earlier from Singapore as it battles an unrelenting epidemic of the delta variant that has now spread to many parts of the country.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison talks about the Government's plan for 'living with the virus' during a press conference held at Parliament House. Getty Images
The Key Facts
The deal was announced by Scott Morrison, the Australian Prime Minister. It will give Australia early access the Pfizer doses earmarked for Singapore. Australia agreed to deliver the same number vaccine doses to Singapore as it did to Australia in return. Morrison said that the swap agreement allows his government to accelerate its vaccination program in a critical time, when it is facing the worst pandemic. Morrison stated that the additional 500,000 Pfizer doses would be administered to patients in addition to the planned 4.5 million shots for September. After batch testing, all states and territories will receive the additional doses on an equal basis.
Big Number
34.41% According to the Syndey Morning Herald's tracker, this is the proportion of Australia's eligible population that have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Morrison's government set a goal to fully vaccinate 70% of eligible population by October, and 80% by November. Australia will end its large-scale lockdowns and travel restrictions once the final target has been met.
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