Answers to your COVID-19 vaccine questions

Here are the answers to your frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, the plan, and how it will roll out for our whānau and our communities:

Where are we at with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout?

The rollout is going well. More than 600,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered.

Everyone aged 16 and over will get the chance to be vaccinated. This is a big job and the programme will run until December. To pace this out, we’ve divided people into four groups – based on the risk of catching COVID-19.

Group 1 is people working at the border and managed quarantine facilities and the people they live with– we’ve vaccinated most of this group.

Group 2 is high risk frontline workers in health and aged residential care; people living in long-term residential care; older Māori and Pacific people and those who care for them. It also includes people who live in the Counties Manukau District Health Board area aged 65 and over or people with underlying health conditions and disabilities. We are well underway with Group 2.

Group 3 is all people aged 65 and over, and people with an underlying health condition or disability – we are vaccinating this group now. People in it will be contacted by their district health board or other local health provider to book an appointment

Group 4 is everyone else in New Zealand aged 16 and over – this group will start in late July.

What are the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine?

You might experience some side effects 1–2 days after getting your vaccination such as pain at the vaccination site, aches and pain, headaches or fever. This is common, and a sign your immune system is learning to fight the virus.

The vaccine is being very closely monitored for safety. So far, the majority of reported side effects following vaccination are what we would expect. Signals of new side effects can be detected at any time, and will continue to be monitored for safety.

How effective is the vaccine, and what does 95% mean?

This vaccine is highly effective if people have both doses. That means, if you do catch COVID-19, you are far less likely to fall seriously ill or transmit the virus to others.

Studies have shown that 95% of people who received both doses of the vaccine were protected against getting seriously ill.

It’s the best way to protect you, your whānau and your community.

Find out more at Covid19.govt.nz/vaccines