Booter Vaccination Update:

21/12/2021: The NZ government has announced that booster vaccinations will be reduced from 6 months to 4 months.

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Why vaccinations are mandatoryHealth and disability, education, Fire and Emergency and correctional workforces are key public service sectors that each face particular and different challenges posed by COVID-19. This may be because they work with populations that either are unable to be vaccinated (education and health), are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 (health and corrections), or where outbreaks have occurred overseas (correctional facilities).
While each workforce has its own particular set of risk factors, vaccination is a vital measure in common for reducing infection and transmission.
In education, for instance, although New Zealand and international experience indicates classroom teaching presents a low risk of spreading COVID-19, vaccination is a highly effective way of further reducing risk when used together with ventilation measures, staying home if sick (and getting tested), face coverings (where applicable) and physical distancing.
Considering the important roles these workers undertake and the population groups they work with, as well as whānau and members of the wider community, it is therefore critical for staff working in these key sectors to be vaccinated. While most people in these sectors have already been vaccinated, complete protection across these sectors is critical to the country’s successful management of COVID-19.

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There were 18,880 first and second vaccine doses administered yesterday, made up of 6,496 first doses and 12,384 second doses. To date, 92% of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose and 84% are fully vaccinated.

As of 9am today, more than 1,664,000 million requests for a My Vaccine Pass had been processed.

COVID-19 vaccine updateTotal first and second vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 7,386,242: 3,853,592 first doses (92%); 3,532,650 second doses (84%) 
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News article
22 November 2021

​The Ministry has updated the position on the use of saliva for diagnostic testing for COVID-19. This means saliva testing for surveillance purposes for some groups of workers can be reduced from twice weekly to once a week, and there is no need for a follow-up nasopharyngeal swab to confirm a positive saliva test result.
Effective immediately, permitted workers crossing the Alert Level boundary who have chosen saliva testing to meet their testing requirements will only need one saliva test within a seven-day period not two saliva tests. From 15 December permitted workers will need proof of being fully vaccinated or proof of a test taken no more than seven days prior to crossing the boundary.

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Additional information: Third Primary Dose
Yesterday we announced a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine would be available for people who are severely immuncompromised. We anticipate this option will only be suitable for a very small group of the population. 

Issue #20 - 20 October 2021
Welcome to Issue #20 of the COVID-19 Vaccine Programme Update. This fortnightly newsletter for the health and disability sector contains a general programme update and clinical information for vaccinators.  A list of resource links and subscription information completes this newsletter.
In this issue:
Highlights

• Mandatory vaccinations for health workers
• Third primary doses for immunocompromised
• Vaccinator role - have your say
• Accessibility audit of sites
• My COVID RECORD 
• Almost everyone is ok to get vaccinated

How to talk to hesitant friends and whānau

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Third dose of the Pfizer vaccine for people who are severely immunocompromised - more details
Yesterday we announced a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine would be available for people who are severely immunocompromised. We anticipate this option will only be suitable for a very small group of the population.

Click here to read the full update

See the below information about Raukura Hauora o Tainui's Super vax saturday

Welcome to Issue #19 of the COVID-19 Vaccine Programme Update. This fortnightly newsletter for the health and disability sector contains a general programme update and clinical information for vaccinators. 

Click here to read the full update

​The Ministry has updated the advice on the timing of routine vaccines in relation to the COVID-19 vaccine. The influenza, MMR, HPV, diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis combination vaccine (Boostrix), and majority of other routine vaccines can now be administered before, after, or at the same time as the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, without concern for the spacing of the vaccinations.

The change supports completing a person’s recommended vaccination schedule in the shortest and most effective timeframe. The only exception to this advice is for the live-attenuated shingles vaccine (Zostavax) where a 7-day interval, before or after administering Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, is advised.
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This updated advice supports the uptake of the other vaccines already on the New Zealand schedule. There are no additional safety concerns associated with co-administration, over and above each vaccine’s individual safety profile. 
 
More details are available on the IMAC website https://covid.immune.org.nz/covid-19-vaccines-nz/getting-vaccinated/spacing-vaccinations