Italy has blocked the export of a shipment of 250,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to Australia.

It’s understood the European Commission has backed the move.

It comes amid a stoush between the European Union and AstraZeneca, after the vaccine producer failed to meet the production targets set out in its contract.

In January, the EU granted itself sweeping powers to decide whether vaccines made in Europe can leave the continent.

But it’s the first time a European country has blocked a shipment.

6PR UK Correspondent, Enda Brady, said “Australia will lose out because of this”.

“Those vaccines are going to be given to European Union countries and not exported to Australia.”

At this stage, there’s been no official comment from Italy, the EU or AstraZeneca.

Meanwhile, frontline health staff in South Australia will this morning receive the first doses of the AstraZeneca jab.

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