Southern Hemisphere To Get First MRNA Vaccine Facility
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published August 15, 2022 | 09:00 AM
Sydney, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2022 ) :Covid-19 vaccine maker Moderna announced Monday that it will open an mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility in the Australian city of Melbourne, a first for the southern hemisphere.
The project will be based at one of Australia's largest universities, Monash, and will produce 100 million vaccine doses a year for Covid-19, influenza and other diseases.
Moderna's Spikevax was one of a new class of inoculations developed during the coronavirus pandemic that uses a cutting-edge technology called messenger RNA (mRNA).
These vaccines can be quickly developed and use a molecule to teach the body to identify and fight a pathogen, such as Covid-19, unlike traditional jabs, which contain a small piece of bacteria or virus.
Construction on the mRNA manufacturing facility is set to begin this year and be complete in 2024 -- with vaccines production starting soon after.
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday that it was a "show of faith" in Australia by vaccine giant Moderna.
For Australia, the facility is not only about health or science, he said, but "also about national security" after the country experienced serious vaccine shortages during the pandemic.
Melbourne, where the Moderna facility will be based, faced one of the world's longest lockdowns as authorities tried to contain the virus.
Albanese said a lesson from the pandemic was that "we need to make more things here. We can't continue to assume that it's okay to be at the end of global supply chains".
"In this part of the world, in the fastest-growing region in the world in human history, we have an opportunity to project that capacity into the Indo-Pacific as well," he said.
In recent months, Covid-19 cases have spiked in Australia after restrictions were loosened. The virus became the country's third-most common cause of death in 2022.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Tennis: ATP Barcelona Open results - 1st update
Swiatek's perfect 10 in Stuttgart as Vondrousova stuns Sabalenka
Arandu's roads closed due to flooding
Oil tanker catches fire in Islamabad’s Blue Area
Pakistan committed to ensure safety of foreign nationals: FO
Tennis: WTA Stuttgart results - 1st update
Four passengers injured as train hit an empty vehicle
Over- speeding bus crushed to death two bike riders
Turkey's Freedom Flotilla ready to set sail for Gaza
French teen dies from heart failure after knife attack near school
Iranians appear unfazed by Isfahan blasts
UAF celebrates Int'l Chinese Language Day
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Transforming education sector: from job hunters to job creators
21 hours ago -
Amjad Bobby remembered on 19th death anniversary for timeless contributions to music
5 days ago -
Legendary actor Nadeem’s 26 films released on Eid-ul-Fitr days in 50 years
6 days ago -
Besant Hall Cultural Centre to celebrate evening with Sanam Marvi on 26 April
6 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur presents program “Eidi Shidi”
9 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur to broadcast Eid programs
11 days ago
-
DC, DPO Haripur inspect bus terminals to review fares compliance
13 days ago -
Second phase of refugees’ repatriation to start after Eidul Fitr vacations
13 days ago -
Reaping bounties as Ramazan culminates
13 days ago -
Digital transformation – a boon or bane
13 days ago -
Plants’ business: Another casualty of climate change
15 days ago -
Eid shoppers prioritize children’s joy over personal comforts
15 days ago