A MODERNA APPROACH

The US Food and Drug Administration has released new data that finds the Moderna vaccine is highly protective for adults and prevents severe cases of COVID-19, news that The New York Times explains means the agency is likely to grant emergency authorisation for use on Friday. It is worth noting that America saw deaths from COVID-19 exceed 300,000 this week — a caseload nearly 120,000 higher than the next worst-hit country, Brazil.

Moderna announced 94.5% efficacy of its candidate in November in first interim analysis of phase three results and could begin distribution just one week after the Pfizer-BioNTech drug began rolling out in America.

Canada also began vaccinations on Monday, where, according to CNN, Minister of Procurement Anita Anand said the country may hit less than half of Justin Trudeau’s pledge of 249,000 doses by December 31 following a “fiercely competitive” global scramble for early doses.

In other global COVID-19 news:

• Singapore has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech drug while EU regulators move up their assessment date to December 21
• England, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands have all ramped-up lockdown measures
• Sweden recorded almost record-high hospitalisation rates — 2406, just below a peak of 2412 on April 20 — on Monday after a “let it rip” approach led to more than 7500 deaths (a much higher per capita rate than Nordic neighbours).

BOOST TO AGED CARE

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Morrison government will pledge $850 million for an extra 10,000 in-home care packages — a key recommendation in the aged care royal commission’s interim report — as part of Thursday’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

Currently, more than 102,000 people are waiting for packages they have already been approved for, a waitlist the commission described as a “cruel and discriminatory system” that saw “alarming” numbers of older Australians dying while waiting or being prematurely forced into residential aged care.

The government says the new funding will see the total number of people currently receiving in-home care jump from about 152,000 to 195,000 by June 2021.

PS: According to the ABC, a five-year review into Medicare has found the “fee for service” model can reward inefficient or unnecessary services, and needs to adapt and evolve to meet changing standards of living.

THE BIG BAN THEORY

According to the ABC, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang Wenbin, has told a press conference the country’s alleged ban on Australian coal — first reported in state media — is both legal and responsible for domestic industries and consumers.

Wang further accused the Australian government of playing the victim, “constantly accusing and attacking China by innuendo”, after Scott Morrison described the reported ban as a “lose-lose situation” and argued that, if substantiated, it would breach World Trade Organisation rules and a bilateral free trade agreement.

PS: In a reminder that advocating the free market is more of a feeling than a consistent ideology, The Age reports that Josh Frydenberg has thrown his support behind an inquiry into banks divesting from fossil fuels, following pressure from Resources Minister Keith Pitt for an investigation led by climate denialist George Christensen.