New Zealand: The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern received its first dose of the Pfizer (PFE.N) vaccine, just like 567,188 other kiwis. Jacinda Ardern popped along to the Manurewa Vaccination Centre in Auckland, which has an amazing team. She tried to capture the whole process in its story if you’re interested.
She said it’s amazing to think that so far, more than 300,000 people have been fully vaccinated, and we’re on track to hit a key milestone of one million doses administered in the next few days.
While I was being vaccinated, someone asked me “why now?” It’s a fair question. I chose not to be vaccinated at the beginning of our rollout because our workers who face the risk of getting COVID19 needed to be our priority. But I’m also mindful that I need to show how much I believe in the vaccine its safety, effectiveness, and the difference it will make to New Zealand.
She said yesterday we also announced our plans for the rollout of the vaccine to our general population. From July 28, New Zealanders over 60 will be invited to book a vaccination and those over 55 will be invited to book their vaccines from August 11, with remaining age groups to be vaccinated on a rolling basis after that we’ll keep announcing exact dates as we go, and as our supply of vaccine reaches New Zealand.
We’ve made the decision to vaccinate people by age band, starting with older Kiwis and working our way down, because that will help us manage demand and supply, and it’s been the same approach successfully adopted by the likes of the UK.
Once your age band is announced, there is no cutoff. You can be vaccinated from then on, at any time but the sooner, the better. We have secured enough Pfizer vaccine for everyone in New Zealand, and by the end of the year, everyone aged 16 or over will have had the chance to be vaccinated. The country’s medical authorities are yet to approve the use of any other vaccine, including AstraZeneca.
When it’s your turn for your age band to be vaccinated you will receive an invitation from the Ministry of Health to make a booking. You will get this invite either by email, text, mail, and phone.
Your invitation will ask you to use Book My Vaccine, the new online national booking tool, to book your first and second dose. Or you can phone a new national vaccination booking call centre. These services will be running from the 28th of July. You will be asked to book both of your vaccinations with a three-week gap between them.
Getting as many people in New Zealand vaccinated as possible will ensure we retain our freedoms and keep our hard-won place as one of the few countries in the world without COVID in the community. While the vaccine will become your individual armour against the virus, ultimately this is about wh?nau. It’s about looking after each other and ensuring our loved ones are safe. Each of us getting vaccinated means someone we love is safer. So my final message is that when your chance comes, please do it for those you love.
