WELLINGTON – The first batch of Covid-19 vaccines arrived in New Zealand today, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed.
The shipment of around 60,000 doses arrived at Auckland International Airport at 9.34am, reports the Xinhua news agency.
“The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines’ arrival allows us to start New Zealand’s largest-ever immunisation programme,” Ardern later told a press conference.
Between now and when the vaccination programme starts, quality assurance and checks will be undertaken, she said.
“We expect to start vaccinating border and MIQ (Managed Isolation and Quarantine) workers in Auckland this Saturday. The more than 30,000 courses will be more than enough to vaccinate this group of workers over the coming two to three weeks,” she said.
“Our border workforce, such as cleaners, nurses who undertake health checks in MIQ, security staff, customs and border officials, airline staff and hotel workers, have worked tirelessly to keep all New Zealanders safe and will rightly be first to receive the vaccine,” said the prime minister.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said New Zealand is expecting further shipments of the vaccine over coming weeks and will receive about 225,000 vaccine courses by the end of next month.
“As these batches arrive, we’ll vaccinate border workers’ household contacts, then the next group will be many front-line healthcare and essential workers, plus those most at risk from Covid-19, such as older people or those with medical conditions that make them vulnerable if infected,” Hipkins said. – Bernama, February 15, 2021
