Australia is on track to receive COVID-19 vaccine supplies in order to begin immunisation in late February despite the European Union (EU) threatening to block shipments to some countries. The EU has made new export restrictions on vaccinations produced by pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and AstraZeneca to a list of countries including Australia after supply shortages were reported. Acting Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd said this was concerning and Australia was reaching out to colleagues across the world to ensure continuity in supplies. “This is why (Health Minister Greg) Hunt is keeping in contact with the country leads of both Pfizer and AstraZeneca on a day to day basis to ensure that we continue to have certainty about the offshore production, but also the shipping of the doses of two vaccines to Australia,” he said on Saturday. He confirmed onshore production of AstraZeneca would begin in March subject to approval by the …