Loretta Roberts, National Director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) responds to the Immunisation Taskforce report Initial Priorities for the National Immunisation Programme in Aotearoa (the report).

Pertussis vaccinations are free and so important for hapū mama and young children.

Vaccination has been found to reduce preterm birth, low birth weight and stillbirth in a New Zealand study published and promoted by the highly reputable Centre for Disease Control today.

Child immunisations have dropped so far during COVID that the World Health Organisation and UNICEF are raising the alarm, as is the Immunisation Advisory Centre, IMAC. Internationally 25 million children have missed out on life-saving vaccinations and here in New Zealand Aotearoa we are seeing a similarly concerning trend

All authorised vaccinators are required to attend an update course every two years. Some Provisional Authorised Vaccinators are approaching two years since they completed their Provisional Vaccinator Foundation Course in 2020 and due to an administrative change their authorisation does not expire until 2023.

All the vaccines on the National Immunisation Schedule can now be given concurrently, immediately before or after the mRNA-COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, with the exception of the shingles vaccine (Zostavax). This includes MMR, influenza, HPV (Gardasil 9), tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Boostrix) and the meningococcal vaccines (Bexsero and Menactra).