Biotechnology giant CSL announced they would start producing the AstraZeneca AZD1222 coronavirus vaccine at its factory in Melbourne this week.

About 30million doses will be manufactured as part of a first-of-its-kind agreement with the Australian government, with the company hoping to release them in the first half of 2021 pending clinical trials and approval.

The jab, which was produced at the University of Oxford, is seen as the leading candidate across the globe and is in final-stage trials.