A third COVID-19 vaccine, developed in the UK by Oxford University and AstraZeneca could get international travel moving again by mid-2021.
According to a report by the Guardian, trial results have shown that the UK’s new COVID vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca can protect 70.4% of people from becoming ill and up to 90% of people if a lower first dose is used.
The Oxford vaccine is the third to produce promising results, following recent reports from both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna..
Although the new vaccine may not look to be as effective as the other two vaccines just yet, it does have some big advantages.
It can be easily transported anywhere in the world, thanks to its fridge-stability and it is also substantially cheaper, at roughly $6 a dose, rather than $37 like Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna – making it widely accessible to all.
What does this mean for international travel?
After Alan Joyce’s segment on ACA last night, it looks like some airlines and countries will require a COVID-19 vaccine in order to travel internationally.
Therefore, international travel could get moving as soon as the vaccine is rolled out through the world.
We should start to see travel bubbles reopening by March 2021, with the potential of having international borders back to ‘normal’ by mid-year; allowing travellers entry into Australia if they have had the vaccine.
Australia has reportedly ordered 33.8m doses of the Oxford vaccine and people in the UK could be vaccinated as soon as next month.
Could this be the green light international travel has been waiting for?
What do you think? Let us know by emailing editor@karryon.com.au
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