Failing to share vaccine would be 'judged terribly': PM

There are more than 100 vaccine candidates in development around the world, some of which have moved to clinical trials. Most are still in their earliest stages.

Mr Morrison wouldn't single out any countries on Friday but did make his opinion clear.

"Whoever finds this vaccine must share it," he said.

"Any country that were to find this vaccine and not make it available around the world, without restraint, I think would be judged terribly by history and that's certainly Australia's view and we'll continue to advocate that view in every conversation we have as I certainly have."

Among a number of vaccine candidates in Australia, one under development at the University of Queensland has shown promising early signs and already attracted a distribution deal with pharmaceutical company CSL if it were to be successful.

Mr Morrison pledged that if an Australian organisation was to develop a successful vaccine, it would be shared.

"I think every country's leader should say that," he said.

National cabinet met on Friday and discussed Australia's position regarding a vaccine, including preparations on how a possible vaccine could be manufactured and distributed.

Acting chief medical officer Paul Kelly said he was optimistic about the development of a vaccine, even though no successful vaccine to a coronavirus had been developed before.

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Professor Kelly said there was published research showing some of the vaccine candidates under development had been successful in producing antibodies to the virus and the early trials had shown a "good safety signal".

"But just as the PM has said about the economy, we don't have all of our eggs in the basket of a vaccine," he said, pointing to the success of the suppression strategy in most of Australia.

Despite the planning for a potential vaccine, Mr Morrison acknowledged there was no guarantee one would be developed.

"There is a broader plan when it comes to the economy and that continues to be rolled out - vaccine or no vaccine - but we're also putting the effort into the vaccine because obviously our economic plans are accelerated significantly by that being in place."

Plans around how a potential vaccine would be distributed, and who would be prioritised, were part of the discussions being had at top levels, professor Kelly said.

Those decisions "will depend a lot about what type of vaccine comes, where it's going to be most effective, how much there is, all of these things will be taken into account as we go forward with that planning", he said.