The Australian government has secured 25 million doses of the two-dose Moderna vaccine and is also in talks with the company to establish an mRNA manufacturing facility in the country. “Moderna is, on the advice that we have, the most advanced of the vaccine products with relation to the capacity to adapt to booster and variants requirements,” Health Minister Greg Hunt told reporters. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new vaccine showed an overall efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19 of 94.1 percent and 100 percent efficacy against severe cases. “It has also shown strong protection of 90 percent efficacy against COVID-19 for at least six months after the second dose,” Morrison said. The first 10 million doses are scheduled to arrive by the end of 2021. The other 15 million doses will arrive by 2022, which will be shots designed to treat variant strains. Currently, Pfizer is available for people under-50 …