Vaccine approval expected in weeks

AUCKLAND: Approval for the Covid19 vaccine is on track to be granted in coming weeks, according to the directorgeneral of health.

Dr Ashley Bloomfield told Newstalk ZB yesterday that Government medicine regulator Medsafe was not far from finalising the official process to ensure the first tranche of the vaccine was safe for New Zealanders to use.

‘‘We are completely in step with Australia.

‘‘We’ve got our approval process robust and it is on track for providing us with approval in coming weeks and then getting the vaccine on shore as quickly as possible,’’ he said.

Dr Bloomfield said Medsafe had been receiving data from Pfizer about the vaccine since last year, including a large document drop last week.

‘‘They are really on to it and working very closely with their Australian counterparts.’’

New Zealand was undertaking the proper approval process, whereas some other countries’ governments had given authorisation to use the vaccines, rather than approval, he said.

‘‘We’re going through a proper approval process, as is Australia.

‘‘They, like us, are trying to do it as rapidly as possible.

‘‘As soon as we’ve got approval, then Pfizer are committed to providing us with the first tranche of vaccine which is 225,000 courses — that’s a twodose course — and we’re in contact with them very regularly and making sure that they know when we’re likely to approve.’’

Border workers would be first, then those in the community deemed at highest risk.

Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins this week indicated essential border staff and health workers would probably be immunised by March, but the rest of the population would have to wait until spring.

New Zealand had six new coronavirus cases in managed isolation yesterday, including one traveller from South Africa who tested positive on day 24.

The results, announced by the Ministry of Health yesterday, are the first since preflight testing rules for travellers to New Zealand were put in place.

The infected travellers came from South Africa, Britain, Zimbabwe, America and Russia. — The New Zealand Herald