Australia’s next “big risk period” in terms of coronavirus infections is next Winter which gives the nation a few months to see how the US, UK, and Europe respond to the vaccine, according to infectious diseases expert professor Peter Collignon.

The UK have become the first nation to approve the Pfizer vaccine for use with the jab expected to be rolled out to Britons beginning next week.

Professor Collignon said he does think the British government are moving too quickly with its rollout of the vaccine especially given phase three studies have not yet finished.

“The information in the public arena is from basically press reports from pharmaceutical companies,” he told Sky News.

“We really have to be sure that some rare side effect that’s very serious is not there”.

He also said Australia has the added benefit of having extremely low COVID cases now as well as the fact the country is heading into Summer.

“The reality in Australia is the risk of getting COVID and dying from COVID currently is very low. The risk of it spreading widely in the community during summer – relative to winter – is very low”.

“We do have the advantage that our big risk period is next winter, and we’ve got at least a few months to see what’s going to happen with the US with these vaccines that are novel and new and haven’t been used before.”