Sydney, Australia — Australia’s leader called Wednesday for coronavirus immunizations to be mandatory, wading into ethical and safety debates raging around the world as the race to develop a vaccine gathers pace. “There are always exemptions for any vaccine on medical grounds, but that should be the only basis,” he said. But the announcement was met with skepticism by the World Health Organization, which said it still needed a rigorous review, and scientists say it has been approved without large-scale trials. Among the competitors, Brazilian health regulators on Tuesday gave the green light to the final stage of trials on a vaccine by Johnson & Johnson. It has appealed to countries to join its global shared vaccine program rather than go it alone in developing a cure.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 19, 2020 09:00 UTC