Australia has secured access to a “promising” coronavirus vaccine, the prime minister announced, saying the country would manufacture it and offer free doses to the entire population, according to AFP.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia had reached a deal with Swedish-British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to receive the Covid-19 vaccine it is developing with Oxford University.

“If this vaccine proves successful we will manufacture and supply vaccines straight away under our own steam and make it free for 25 million Australians,” he said.