Health

More doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine have arrived in Australia as the early stages of the jab rollout continue.

Two nurses have become the first Western Australians to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, saying they hope it will save lives and ease the strain on the healthcare system.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has raised hopes international borders could reopen once coronavirus vaccinations have been widely delivered.

Biotech giant CSL says it has accelerated the manufacture of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine with the first doses planned for release in late March.

At least 5,000 Western Australians should be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by mid-March with hotel quarantine workers to be among the first recipients.

New figures show Australia looks set for solid economic growth in coming months, with unemployment falling further as jobs vacancies surged to an 18-month high.

WA has not recorded any new cases of COVID-19 overnight, as the state prepares for the arrival of the first batch of the Pfizer vaccine.

Australia's medical regulator has approved a second coronavirus vaccine, paving the way for millions of jabs to be administered in coming months.

Shares in BARD1 Life Sciences have more than doubled, after the diagnostics business revealed its SubB2M technology can be used to detect all stages of breast cancer.

Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout will begin on February 22 after the first doses of the Pfizer jab arrived in Sydney.

A mix of good fortune and good management meant WA emerged from the recent lockdown in good shape. How likely is it to happen again?

Shares in Singular Health have almost doubled in value on its first day of trading on the ASX, finishing with a market capitalisation of $50 million.

The Liberal Party WA has reiterated calls for better support for businesses, following new figures by Treasury indicating that the five-day lockdown cost the state $100 million.

The state's transitional lockdown restrictions are on track to cease from midnight tomorrow, but a 72-hour hard border with Victoria will be enforced from tonight.

The state government is expected to deliver updated health advice on its transitional restrictions and border arrangements in the next 24 hours.

Premier Mark McGowan has quashed speculation surrounding the deputy chief health officer's decision to take leave during an investigation of the hotel quarantine breach.

Australia's first shipment of coronavirus vaccines has been formally approved and will arrive in the country within weeks.

New restrictions preventing hotel quarantine workers from having a second job will be enforced from next Monday.

More than $120 million has been spent on hotels and security companies during the past year as part of the state government's strategy for quarantining international travellers.

Opposition leader Zak Kirkup has called on the WA Labor Party to stand up and contest the state election, claiming the party believes the March poll to be done and dusted.

The state has recorded its ninth consecutive day with no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19, according to Premier Mark McGowan.

The European Union has promised not to block shipments of coronavirus vaccines to Australia.

Western Australia has recorded its eighth consecutive day with no new locally acquired cases overnight, Premier Mark McGowan has confirmed.

Health Minister Greg Hunt has downplayed concerns about the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine as medical professionals begin training to administer jabs.

Government research organisation ANSTO, Qantas and Perth Children's Hospital have synced their operations to bring a dose of Iodine 123 from Japan to the hospital today.

In today's COVID-19 Wrap, Perth, Peel and South West regions prepare for life out of lockdown, the national cabinet meets to discuss hotel quarantine, and businesses compensated.

The cap on international travellers, the efficacy of the hotel quarantine system and the ever-changing risks posed by the coronavirus were discussed at the national cabinet meeting.

The Liberal Party has criticised the state government's $500 credit for small businesses affected by the five-day lockdown, saying it falls well short.

Premier Mark McGowan has confirmed Western Australia recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 overnight, giving the green light to transition out of the five-day lockdown.

UPDATED: More stranded Australians will be able to return home from later in the month when international arrivals caps are returned to higher levels.

Officials are expecting the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine to receive approval by the middle of February.

From 6pm tomorrow, several of WA's COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted as part of the state's transition out of the five-day lockdown, but masks will remain mandatory.