New Zealand to receive first batch of Covid Vaccine next week

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The first batch of Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine is scheduled to arrive in New Zealand next week, earlier than expected placating ‘left-out feelings’ in some sections of the society and creating a new sense of hope and confidence among the rest of the population.

Arrival conditions

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement at a media conference in Wellington this morning, saying that the first consignment will be subject to transportation plans and quality temperature controls.

“We have been working behind the scenes to secure the timely arrival of Vaccines for our border workers and their families and it’s great they will arrive well within our scheduled timeframes,” she said.   

Ms Ardern said that government representatives have been in conversations with Pfizer on a constant basis for the last few weeks.

“We appreciate the effort that the Company has gone to deliver the first installment earlier than originally anticipated. Last year, we indicated that the Vaccine would arrive in the second quarter, and earlier this year we updated that to quarter one. It is pleasing to be receiving doses this early in quarter one,” she said.

“The arrival of our first batch of doses is an important milestone in our fight against Covid-1919. We now anticipate further deliveries through quarter one from Pfizer,” she added.

Vaccination on priority

Ms Ardern said that the government’s first priority is border workers, who are expected to vaccinate within two to three weeks followed by their household contacts.

Health care and essential workers and those most at risk from Covid-19 will follow in quarter two, before vaccination of the wider population in the second half of the year.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said that the first Vaccinations to border workers were on track to be administered in the same week as the vaccine’s arrival in New Zealand. The Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine requires two doses and must be stored at -70 degrees centigrade.

Systems and processes

“Systems and processes are in place for the first vaccinations to start once final checks have been completed. On arrival, the Vaccine must be independently tested for quality assurance, which is another important safety check. The doses will then be formally released to start the first phase of the vaccination programme,” he said.

Mr Hipkins said that at this stage, the government expects to start offering the Vaccine to border and MIQ workers on February 20, 2021, with the first immunisations given out to those working in the Auckland region.

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