Australia said Monday it has approved U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc.'s coronavirus vaccine, making it the first to get regulatory approval for use in the country.

Following the Therapeutic Goods Administration's provisional approval for use in people age 16 and older, the vaccine is expected to be rolled out in late February, according to the Department of Health.

Older Australians and front-line medical staff will be among the first people to receive the two-dose vaccine. The vaccinations will begin with 80,000 doses per week.

Australia has secured 140 million vaccine doses, one of the highest dosing rates per head of population in the world, according to the department.

The country also has an agreement to procure the vaccine developed by Britain's AstraZeneca Plc, which is still subject to approval.

==Kyodo

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