This, as the Prime Minister and Health Minister noted when announcing regulatory approval had been granted for the Pfizer vaccine on Monday, is welcome news.

The focus of the advertising campaign, and statements by the PM, Mr Hunt, Health Department secretary Dr Brendan Murphy, and others has been to stress that despite the fact the vaccine has been developed in a remarkably short period it is both safe and fit for purpose.

This is an important message to get out given the abundance of "fake news" and alarmist statements on social media - some of it even being circulated by MPs, the strength of the anti-vaxxer movement, and fears as many as 30 per cent of Australians may be wary of the needle.

Matters haven't been helped by apparent attempts by some state actors to undermine confidence in the western-developed vaccines, questionable reports out of some European countries on the efficacy of certain shots, and the like.

All of the research and hard work that has gone into developing the vaccines and then dispatching them around the country will have been for nought if people don't do the right thing and literally roll up their sleeves.

We do not want a repeat of the US experience where it has been reported that in some areas as many as 40 per cent of people are refusing to be inoculated.

The mathematics of vaccination is very simple. If at least 90 per cent of the population is inoculated against a disease, whether it be measles, mumps, polio, or COVID-19, even if an outbreak does occur it would be very hard for it to obtain a foothold.

While, as Mr Morrison has said, vaccines are not a "silver bullet", and social distancing, masks and other measures will have an important role to play for a long time to come, widespread community acceptance is the best way to avoid the large-scale lockdowns that have had to be imposed in the wake of hotel quarantine escapes over the holiday period.

Although it is not yet known how effective the jab will be at limiting community transmission, it is widely accepted both the Pfizer and the AstraZeneca vaccines do the job of mitigating the effects of exposure by preventing serious illness and death.

While, as a result of the difficulties with the performance of some vaccines and supply chain problems with others, the government has come under fire over its handling of the process, Australia is far better off than most other countries.

Thanks to our success in effectively containing the virus we have not had to roll out the Pfizer vaccine under emergency conditions, allowing it to undergo a complete and comprehensive battery of tests and reviews.

And, because the government made the decision early on to pick at least one vaccine that could be locally produced, we are not as exposed to the shortages that are escalating tensions between the EU and the UK as other jurisdictions.

It is also heartening to note that unlike the many countries that have been slammed by the World Health Organisation for "vaccine nationalism" Australia is committed to helping the region.

More than $500 million was committed to fund the distribution of millions of doses across South-East Asia and the Pacific last October.

This an example many more developed nations should consider following if the world is to achieve vaccine equity.