COVID-19 vaccination in New Zealand
COVID-19 vaccination in New Zealand began on 20 February 2021,[2] and will continue throughout the pandemic with the goal of vaccinating all willing New Zealanders aged 5 or older. Those aged 5 to 11 require a parent, caregiver or legal guardian accompany them to their appointment and provide consent for them to be vaccinated.[3] As of 1 September, anyone in New Zealand, regardless of their immigration status, is eligible to be vaccinated.[4][5]
Date
20 February 2021 – present
The following reasons for overseas travel are eligible to be considered for an early vaccine:[29]
History[edit]
Unofficial initiatives[edit]
In late August 2020, Stuff reported that several businessmen and former politicians (including former National MP Ross Meurant and former National Party and ACT party leader Don Brash) had sought to import Russia's insufficiently tested Gam-COVID-Vac (also known as Sputnik V) vaccine into New Zealand. They had established a company called Covax-NZR Limited and filed paperwork through the Russian Embassy to establish supply and distribution arrangements to import the vaccine. Ross Meurant is the only director[30] and shareholder[31] of the company. University of Auckland vaccinologist Helen Petousis-Harris warned that using untested vaccines could hurt global efforts to develop safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19.[32]
On 17 August 2021, the French biotech company Valneva began trialing their COVID-19 vaccine in coordination with Pharma Sols. The company is looking for 300 adults in New Zealand who are over the age of 56 years, have not contracted COVID-19 or received a COVID-19 vaccine. The New Zealand clinical trial will take place at eight Pacific Research Network sites across the country. According to the New Zealand trial's lead coordinating investigator and Southern Clinical Trials Christchurch director Dr. Simon Carson, New Zealand was chosen due to the country's lower case numbers and slower vaccine rate.[23]
Official procurement efforts[edit]
On 12 October 2020, the New Zealand Government signed an agreement with Pfizer and BioNTech to buy 1.5 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which is enough for 750,000 people. The COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy Task Force also entered into negotiations with other pharmaceutical companies to provide vaccines. In addition, the Government established a fund of $66.3 million to support a COVID-19 immunisation programme as soon as the vaccine is ready.[33]
On 17 December, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the New Zealand Government had purchased two more vaccines for New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau and its Pacific partners Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu from the pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Novavax. The Government had purchased 7.6 million doses (enough for 3.8 million people) from AstraZeneca and 10.72 million doses (enough for 5.36 million people) from Novavax. Both vaccines require two doses to be administered. Both vaccines will be free for New Zealanders. The Government had already purchased 750,000 courses from Pfizer/BioNTech and 5 million from Janssen Pharmaceutica.[34]
On 3 February 2021, Ardern provisionally approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in New Zealand. The initial batches of the vaccine are scheduled to arrive in late March 2021, with frontline workers and the vulnerable given priority.[35] By 10 February, the Government had formally authorised the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in New Zealand. The vaccine will be limited to people aged 16 years and over.[36] By 8 March, the New Zealand Government had secured an additional 8.5 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine[37]
On 4 November, the US pharmaceutical company Novavax applied for provisional approval from Medsafe to use its COVID-19 vaccine in New Zealand.[38]
On 10 November, the Government announced that the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine would be made available from late November 2021 for a small number of people aged 18 or over who are medically unable to get the Pfizer vaccine.[39][40]
Booster shots[edit]
In early August 2021, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield confirmed that the Ministry of Health was negotiating with pharmaceutical company Pfizer about acquiring booster vaccines to counter possible waning immunity.[41]
Following the August 2021 Delta outbreak, the opposition National Party COVID-19 spokesperson Chris Bishop called on the Government to purchase Pfizer booster shots urgently. This call clashed with the World Health Organizations' advice that there was insufficient evidence they were needed and that wealthy countries buying up vaccine stocks would make it harder for poorer countries to acquire their first doses.[42] On 25 August 2021, a National Party social media post claiming that excess vaccine stocks are not boosters was criticised for inaccuracy by the scientists Helen Petousis-Harris and Alison Campbell.[43]
Vaccine diplomacy[edit]
On 16 April 2021, Jacinda Ardern announced that New Zealand would donate 1.6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses through an international vaccine sharing programme. This quantity will be enough to vaccinate 800,000 people, many of whom will be health workers and vulnerable people in the Pacific Islands. During the announcement, Ardern also advocated a "team of 7.8 billion," based on the Government's "team of 5 million" rhetoric.[44]
On 9 September 2021, Prime Minister Ardern confirmed that New Zealand had purchased 250,000 extra doses of the Pfizer vaccine from Spain as part of a deal with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The first shipment is due to arrive on 10 September. In addition, Ardern confirmed that New Zealand would receive 1.8 million Pfizer doses throughout the month of September.[45][46]
Public opinion[edit]
Official surveys[edit]
Beginning in September 2020, Horizon Research in association with the University of Auckland's School of Population Health conducted a series of public opinion surveys on adult New Zealanders' attitudes and sentiments towards COVID-19 vaccination. The first two surveys conducted between September and December 2020 found that 69% of the population would take a "well-tested and approved" COVID-19 vaccine while 24% were unlikely to take a vaccine and 16% were opposed to taking a vaccine. Support for vaccination was strongest in respondents aged 65 years and above while vaccine hesitancy was strongest among the Māori and Pacific Islander communities, parents with children in the household, and those of lower household incomes and education qualifications.[148]
In February 2021, a third public opinion survey found that 71.4% of the 1,317 respondents were willing to take a COVID-19 vaccine while 7.2% were unsure and 21.4% were unlikely to have a COVID-19 vaccine if offered to them. Major concerns identified in the survey including concerns about the long-term effects of vaccination and insufficient information. Those in the 65 years+ and 18–24 years age brackets were most receptive to taking a COVID-19 vaccine.[148]
In March 2021, a fourth public opinion survey found that 69% of respondents were willing to take a COVID-19 vaccine while 15% (an estimated 612,200 adults) would take the vaccine immediately if it was available. The number of people unlikely to take a vaccine remained at 9.4% while 20% of respondents (an estimated 798,000) were unlikely to take a COVID-19 vaccine if offered. The percentage of Māori and Pasifika who were unlikely to take a vaccine fell from a peak of 27% and 34% respectively in December 2020 to 18% and 9%. However, the percentage of those who will likely take a vaccine has not changed as significantly.[148]
In April 2021, a fifth public opinion survey found that 77% of respondents were willing to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Those unlikely to take a vaccine had dropped to 12% while those that would "definitely not" take a vaccine had dropped to 7.8%. The number of Māori open to taking a vaccine had risen from 64% in March 2021 to 71% in April 2021. The number of Pacific Islanders open to taking a vaccine had risen from 59% to 79%. District health board regions where the likelihood of respondents to accept a vaccine is lower than the national average included Waikato, Lakes, Tairawhiti, Whanganui, Hutt, Wairarapa, West Coast and South Canterbury.[148]
In May 2021, a sixth public opinion survey found that 80% of respondents were willing to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Those unlikely to take a vaccine remained steady at 13% while those that would "definitely not" take a vaccine stayed at 7%. The number of Māori open to taking a vaccine had risen to 75% while the number of Pasifika willing to take a vaccine dropped slightly to 78%. The survey found that 77% of respondents believe that people in New Zealand could choose whether or not to get vaccinated. In addition, 72% of respondents believed that people who were vaccinated could still get COVID-19; an increase from 57% in April 2021.[148]
In June 2021, a seventh public opinion survey found that 72% of people who were not vaccinated were likely to get a vaccine, a decrease from 77% the previous month. 66% of Māori respondents and 55% of Pasifika respondents who were not vaccinated were likely to get a vaccine. Overall, 81% of respondents felt that it was important that everyone in New Zealand who was able to be vaccinated receive the vaccine.[148]
Unofficial surveys[edit]
On 20 May 2020, a Stickybeak poll of 605 respondents conducted for The Spinoff found that 65% of respondents would aim to get vaccinated if a COVID-19 vaccine became available. By contrast, 20% said they were unsure while 16% said no.[149]
In February 2021, a follow-up The Spinoff public opinion poll found that 53% of respondents would take a medically approved COVID-19 vaccine, 25% were opposed to taking a COVID-19 vaccine, and 22% were unsure.[150]
In March 2021, a public opinion survey of 1,040 participants conducted by the Massey University communications lecturer Jagadish Thaker estimated that 36% of respondents were enthusiastic about taking COVID-19 vaccines, 28% were supportive of COVID-19 vaccines, 24% were hesitant about taking COVID-19 vaccines and that 12% were sceptical of COVID-19 Vaccines.[151]
In mid November 2021, a 1 News–Colmar Brunton public opinion survey found that 74% of New Zealanders supported the Government's vaccine mandate for education, healthcare, port, border and prison workers. 20% opposed the vaccine mandate while 6% did not know. Segments most supportive of the vaccine mandate policy include Labour Party supporters (86%), people with an annual household income over $150,000 (85%) and people aged 55 and older (81%). People living in Waikato (at least 30%) were more likely to oppose the mandate.[152]
Support[edit]
Several Christian leaders and denominations including Reverend Fitifiti Luatua of the Christchurch Samoan Congregational Christian Church, the Baptist Churches of New Zealand, the Anglican Church and the Catholic Church have supported COVID-19 vaccination efforts. The Anglican Missions Board organised a fundraiser campaign for vaccination campaigns in poorer countries, which had raised NZ$80,000 by 11 September. The Catholic Church also launched a "Love Your Neighbour As Yourself" campaign to combat misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.[153]
Following the death of a member of the Māngere Samoan Assemblies of God on 6 October 2021, local denomination leaders including First lady Rebekah Toleafoa and church spokesperson Jerome Mika have called for members to vaccinate.[154]
By 7 November 2021, the entire 120-member congregation of Samoan Methodist Māngere Central church in Auckland had been vaccinated due to an awareness campaign promoted by the church's Reverend Suiva'aia Te'o with the help of the church's youth group leaders.[155]
On 13 December New Zealand Rugby, the national governing body for rugby union, announced that all players wishing to compete in teenage and community rugby in 2022 would have to be fully vaccinated. This ruling was endorsed by all 26 provincial rugby unions in the country.[156]
Opposition[edit]
Several Christian fundamentalist leaders including Pastors Murray and Nancy Watkinson of Celebration Centre in Christchurch, Brian and Hannah Tamaki of Destiny Church, City Impact Church leader Peter Mortlock and conspiracy theorist Billy Te Kahika have criticised COVID-19 vaccination efforts, variably describing the vaccine as the mark of the beast, governmental overreach, and questioning its effectiveness.[153]
Despite the Tamakis' vocal opposition to vaccine mandates and lockdown policies, Destiny Church leased its carpark in Wiri, Auckland for the Whānau Ora Community Clinic's testing operations. The clinic, which has conducted tens of thousands of COVID-19 vaccinations at its Takanini mass vaccination centre, is owned by two prominent Destiny Church members Raewyn Bhana and George Ngatai.[157]
