Government releases Covid-19 vaccine delivery schedule, elderly and people with pre-existing conditions to be prioritised

Caryn Wilkinson Reporter from Community News

Chris Hipkins has unveiled New Zealand's Covid-19 vaccination timetable.

Read more in Thomas Manch's story below:

The Government intends to dole out the Covid-19 vaccine to about half of New Zealand by the end of June, and the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions are “priority populations” to receive early access.

A long-awaited schedule for the Pfizer vaccine roll-out was published by Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins on Wednesday, and showed the country carved into four groups.

“This is a balanced plan that prioritises reducing the chance of future outbreaks while protecting our elders, those with underlying health conditions and those who live in locations where we know outbreaks have occurred,” Hipkins said in a statement.

The first group to receive the vaccine, border workers and their families, would be completed by the end of March.

The second, 480,000 frontline healthcare workers and people living in “high-risk settings” has already begun and would continue until May.

The 234,000 people living in these “high-risk settings” include older people and people with pre-existing health conditions in the Counties Manukau District Health Board (DHB) area, people in residential aged-care facilities, and older people living in a family environment that poses a similar risk to aged-care homes.

“Anyone who lives in the Counties Manukau DHB area who is 65 and older or who has an underlying health condition is also in Group 2. This recognises that there are many border operations and MIQ facilities and their workforces based in this area,” Hipkins said.

The third round of the roll-outs would be for all other people aged 75 years old, then 65 years old, then people with pre-existing health conditions which include heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, respiratory conditions, kidney disease, and cancer.

The Government hopes to begin vaccinating this group – 1.7 million people in total – in May.

The fourth group is the remainder of the population, 2 million people who will start receiving the vaccine from July.

What do you think of the schedule for the Pfizer vaccine roll-out?

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