Infectious diseases expert Professor Peter Collignon says all the available data shows coronavirus vaccines are as safe as other vaccines, and the “good news” is they are more effective.

It comes as Australia’s rollout of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine commences.

“I think it’s quite reasonable for some people to have some reservations,” Professor Collignon told Sky News host Peta Credlin.

“But the good news so far is that we’ve had vaccines put out in reasonably record time, and from all the data that’s available so far they appear to be as safe as – for instance – the influenza vaccines.

“They’re much more effective than the influenza vaccine, that may be 30, 50 per cent effective, these are at least 60, some are 90 per cent.”