Australia has recently backed the right for developing countries to develop their own affordable COVID-19 Vaccination. The World Trade Organisation has waived the patents and other intellectual property rights on vaccines, treatments, tests, and devices needed to fight the virus. Australia held out longer than the US to support this waiver, even when the US had more at stake. This change now gives developing nations the chance to close the gap on vaccination rates.

Associate Professor in Public Health, Deborah Gleeson, from La Trobe University discussed this long-awaited waiver with us earlier.