New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern receives first dose of Pfizer vaccine earlier today and shares her Jab experience over social media.
Jacinda Ardern vaccinated, shares her experience
Today (just like 567,188 other kiwis!) I received my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. I popped along to the Manurewa Vaccination Centre in Auckland, who have an amazing team. (I’ve tried to capture the whole process on my story if you’re interested.) It’s amazing to think that so far, more than 300,000 people have been fully vaccinated, and we’re on track to hit a key milestone of one million doses administered in the next few days.While I was being vaccinated, someone asked me “why now?” It’s a fair question. I chose not to be vaccinated at the beginning of our roll out because our workers who face the risk of getting COVID needed to be our priority.
But I’m also mindful that I need to show how much I believe in the vaccine – in its safety, effectiveness and the difference it will make to New Zealand. Yesterday we also announced our plans for the rollout of the vaccine to our general population. From July 28, New Zealanders over 60 will be invited to book a vaccination and those over 55 will be invited to book their vaccines from August 11, with remaining age groups to be vaccinated on a rolling basis after that (we’ll keep announcing exact dates as we go, and as our supply of vaccine reaches New Zealand.)
We’ve made the decision to vaccinate people by age band, starting with older Kiwis and working our way down, because that will help us manage demand and supply, and it’s been the same approach successfully adopted by the likes of the UK. Once your age band is announced, there is no cut off. You can be vaccinated from then on, at any time – but the sooner, the better. We have secured enough Pfizer vaccine for everyone in New Zealand, and by the end of the year, everyone aged 16 or over will have had the chance to be vaccination.
When it’s your turn for your age band to be vaccinated you will receive an invitation from the Ministry of Health to make a booking. You will get this invite either by email, text, mail or by phone.Your invitation will ask you to use Book My Vaccine, the new online national booking tool, to book your first and second dose. Or you can phone a new national vaccination booking call centre. These services will be running from the 28th of July.
You will be asked to book both of your vaccinations with a three week gap between them. Getting as many people in New Zealand vaccinated as possible will ensure we retain our freedoms and keep our hard won place as one of the few countries in the world without COVID in the community. And while the vaccine will become your individual armour against the virus, ultimately this is about whānau.It’s about looking after each other and ensuring our loved ones are safe.
Each of us getting vaccinated means someone we love is safer. So my final message is that when your chance comes, please do it for those you love.
Afsheen Gohar believes in the power of clear, straightforward writing. Her blog posts tackle everyday topics with relatable insights and easy-to-follow advice. With a conversational style, she makes complex subjects feel understandable. She’s dedicated to sharing knowledge and empowering readers to take action. Find her latest posts on trending in social.
