News & opinions
News & opinions
May 4, 2023
Mar 24, 2023
Vaccinator Bridging Course ended on 30/04/2023

This course was a temporary pathway for eligible and interested provisionally authorised vaccinators to become fully authorised vaccinators.

News & opinions
News & opinions
May 4, 2023
May 4, 2023
Measles - Quick Access to Resources

Auckland Regional Public Health Service has ordered Auckland's Albany Senior High School to temporarily close under the Health Act while health authorities investigate a potential measles case.

News & opinions
News & opinions
May 1, 2023
Mar 22, 2023
Booster changes from 1 May

Media releases
Media releases
April 12, 2023
Apr 12, 2023
Breaking down barriers to immunisation is a sector-wide job

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).

News & opinions
News & opinions
April 11, 2023
Apr 12, 2023
Immunisation Handbook v22 published! Summary of changes here.

Immunisation Handbook v22 published! Summary of changes.

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 24, 2023
Mar 24, 2023
Provisional Vaccinator Update Course ending on 16/06/2023

If you wish to become a fully authorised vaccinator after the closing of the Provisional Vaccinator Update Course or your Provisional Authorised Vaccinator certificate has expired, you can become part of the immunisation workforce via the Vaccinator Foundation Course pathway.

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 15, 2023
Mar 15, 2023
Mpox Update 15/03/2023

The mpox vaccine continues to be available in New Zealand. Administration method has now changed to 'subcutaneous administration only'. People who are concerned they may have or are at risk of exposure to mpox, should complete an initial assessment on: https://www.burnettfoundation.org.nz or call the mpox Healthline: 0800 116 672 (between 8am and 8pm).

Media releases
Media releases
March 14, 2023
Mar 15, 2023
Protecting pregnant mama and pēpē from pertussis

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

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 6, 2023
Mar 6, 2023
Research on resettled refugee children in NZ and MMR vaccination

Resettled refugee children in New Zealand are not fully immunised for measles, mumps and rubella for a variety of reasons. Study by Nadia A. Charania, Janine Paynter, and Nikki Turner published in the Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific 2023;33: 100709.

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 1, 2023
Mar 1, 2023
MenB Bexsero key facts and resources

Quick answers to key questions

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 28, 2023
Mar 6, 2023
Role of vaccination in influenza control strategies

A review of literature by Mary Nowlan and Mika Hiroi for IMAC

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 27, 2023
Feb 28, 2023
Comirnaty grey caps x2 from 1 March

Comirnaty grey cap vaccines start 1 March 2023

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 23, 2023
Feb 23, 2023
MenB (Bexsero) is funded from 1 March 2023

MenB (Bexsero) will be funded for immunisations from 1 March 2023.

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 17, 2023
Feb 17, 2023
Cyclone Gabrielle and your vaccine cold chain

Guidance on cold chain depending on access to vaccines.

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 15, 2023
Feb 15, 2023
Version 21 of Immunisation Handbook has been published

See the latest version of the Immunisation Handbook on the Manatu Ora website at https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/immunisation-handbook-2020.

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 14, 2023
Feb 14, 2023
Measles - ensure you and your whānau are vaccinated

Measles is highly infectious and causes severe illness but vaccination is easy and free.

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 14, 2023
Feb 16, 2023
Measles resources: quick access here

Measles is here so you'll need to access our resources.

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 9, 2023
Feb 10, 2023
At risk under 5y now have access to COVID-19 vaccination

Comirnaty (3mcg) 6m-4y maroon cap vaccine is now available for children at high risk of COVID.

News & opinions
News & opinions
January 23, 2023
Jan 24, 2023
Bexsero funded from 1 March 2023

Bexsero, MenB vaccine is to be funded from 1 March 2023

News & opinions
News & opinions
January 18, 2023
Jan 18, 2023
Bexsero MenB Vaccine evidence review

A summary of IMAC's evidence review of Bexsero/MenB vaccine.

News & opinions
News & opinions
January 18, 2023
Jan 18, 2023
COVID Boosters and Bivalent research

Body of evidence shows bivalent COVID booster is better than mono.

News & opinions
News & opinions
December 22, 2022
Dec 21, 2022
Programme Finance Administrator role available

The Immunisation Advisory Centre is advertising a new role for a Programme Finance Administrator

News & opinions
News & opinions
December 19, 2022
Dec 21, 2022
MenQuadfi and Menactra supply issue

Media releases
Media releases
November 11, 2022
Nov 11, 2022
NZ study shows value of vaccination during pregnancy

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.

News & opinions
News & opinions
September 1, 2022
Sep 6, 2022
Vaccinating Health Worker Stage 1 Training now available

The Vaccinating Health Worker Stage 1 Training is now available for enrolment. Please see here for more information.

News & opinions
News & opinions
August 5, 2022
Oct 5, 2022
COVID vaccination from 6 months to <5 years in the news

Most tamariki are at much lower risk of severe COVID than older age groups, and it's more important to be fully up to date with MMR and all routine childhood immunisations.

News & opinions
News & opinions
July 28, 2022
Oct 5, 2022
Get boosted - it could save your life!

In Dr Ashley Bloomfield's final press conference yesterday he shared some critical information on vaccination versus deaths:

Media releases
Media releases
July 21, 2022
Sep 29, 2022
WHO and UNICEF raise alarm on drop in childhood immunisation, so do we

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

News & opinions
News & opinions
June 1, 2022
Aug 22, 2022
Protecting our communities against respiratory illness this winter and next

A position paper from the Immunisation Advisory Centre: Professor (Hon) Nikki Turner, Professor Peter McIntyre, Dr Joan Ingram, Dr Emma Best, Dr Edwin Reynolds, Dr Liz Wilson.

News & opinions
News & opinions
May 4, 2022
Oct 5, 2022
Maintaining high immunisation coverage in the current COVID-19 disease circulating environment.

There has been much discussion about the fall in childhood immunisation coverage. It is clear that this has happened through COVID-19, but what many don’t realise is that a decline started in 2016.‍

Media releases
Media releases
May 1, 2022
Sep 29, 2022
Provisional Authorised Vaccinator update course

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.

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 24, 2022
Oct 5, 2022
It's time to catch up on the measles vaccine

IMAC Medical Advisor Joan Ingram has written an article for GP Pulse on the importance of getting vaccinations up to date, especially for children born in the last 5 years and those who've missed out in the 18-32-year-old age group.

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 1, 2022
Oct 5, 2022
Nuvaxovid (Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine) approved for 18y and older.

Approved for 18y and olderNuvaxovid, the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, has now been approved to be used as a primary vaccination course for people aged 18 and older in Aotearoa. (Pfizer continues to be the preferred vaccine.)

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 22, 2022
Oct 5, 2022
Vaccination rates: Digging into the data

The Ministry of Health has excellent data sets that are updated either daily or weekly and can be looked at by ethnicity, age and geography. You can see which areas and ages are getting vaccinated, have had boosters and which groups or areas may need assistance to lift their vaccination rates.

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 9, 2022
Oct 5, 2022
8 weeks is a good interval for 5-11y old's second vaccine dose

We recommend that children have two doses of the vaccine 8 weeks apart because it offers:

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 1, 2022
Oct 5, 2022
Long COVID - another strong reason to get vaccinated

We all know that getting vaccinated protects us against getting sick, especially from getting very sick. But what you may not know is quite how important it is in preventing us from getting Long COVID.

News & opinions
News & opinions
December 22, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
IMAC Support Service Hours: 24 December 2021 to 7 January 2022

IMAC will have support services available during the holiday period (24th December to 7th January). Please view the attached resource for more information.

News & opinions
News & opinions
December 20, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
COVID-19 Vaccine Independent Safety Monitoring Board report on myocarditis cases

This is a news story, not clinical advice. It relates to the delta period only. A 26 year old male in New Zealand has died with myocarditis following vaccination with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

News & opinions
News & opinions
December 8, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Omicron preliminary study

Comment from Professor Nikki Turner, Medical Director, Immunisation Advisory Centre.

News & opinions
News & opinions
November 30, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Supporting our migrant communities in Dunedin

Kate Marshall, a COVID Immunisation Education Facilitator for the Southern Region facilitated this kōrero, sharing her knowledge and answering questions in the safe and supportive environment that English Language Partners has grown.

News & opinions
News & opinions
November 19, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Helping unvaccinated staff decide to vaccinate in Aged Care Sector: Webinar

Helping people who are mandated to get vaccinated is important work.

News & opinions
News & opinions
November 18, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Younger children and COVID vaccines: 5-11 year olds

Children do get COVID-19, and we have seen much higher rates of COVID infection in children in 2021 in Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ) than in 2020. However, less than two in one hundred children in the 5-11 year age group will have more than mild symptoms needing hospitalisation.

News & opinions
News & opinions
November 11, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Pfizer booster gets Medsafe approval

Medsafe has approved booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine for people aged 18 and older. The booster will be a single dose at least six months after a person completed their primary course of two doses.

News & opinions
News & opinions
November 9, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
New exemption process

A new COVID-19 vaccination exemptions process has now been announced by the Ministry of Health.

News & opinions
News & opinions
November 8, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Vaccination of 5-11 year olds

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 29, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Provisional approval for Pfizer vaccine extended

Medsafe has now renewed the provisional approval for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 2 years, until 3 November 2023. Provisional Consent renewal is routine and has been applied previously to other medicines.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 28, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
First national pilot of the face-to-face Immunisation support worker training

On Monday 4th of October, we had the first national pilot of the face-to-face Immunisation support worker training.

News & opinions
News & opinions
September 29, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Tips to prepare for your COVID-19 vaccine appointment

There isn’t a dress code for COVID-19 vaccination clinics, but ask a vaccinator and chances are they will have stories about people who have turned up to get their dose and they’re not wearing ideal clothes. How can that be?

News & opinions
News & opinions
September 29, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Getting your COVID-19 vaccine: What if I don’t like needles?

With all the talk about COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, chances are you’ve also seen many images of needles going into arms – the classic visual representation of immunisation.

News & opinions
News & opinions
September 27, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
UPDATED: Assessing eligibility for COVID-19 vaccination at vaccine centres: Don’t delay

As more people are coming through the doors of vaccine centres, so too are the range of individual circumstances and the queries we are seeing at the Immunisation Advisory Centre to confirm eligibility.

News & opinions
News & opinions
September 27, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Who can't have the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine?

There has been considerable confusion in the media, and also in some health professional circles, about which people cannot have COVID-19 vaccines.

News & opinions
News & opinions
September 23, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Overcoming lockdowns and long distances for COVID-19 vaccinator education

As New Zealand went into COVID-19 lockdown in August 2021, the demand for COVID-19 vaccines and ongoing preparation of the workforce to deliver them soared.

News & opinions
News & opinions
September 20, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Insider View: What was it like working at Sky Stadium’s drive-thru vaccine clinic

Last month’s mass COVID-19 vaccine drive-thru clinic at Sky Stadium saw Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) staff work alongside the wider health workforce to vaccinate Wellington’s population.

News & opinions
News & opinions
September 8, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
IMAC aids workforce readiness for vaccination success in the Pacific 

As part of the Polynesian Health Corridors programme, a five-year programme led by the Ministry of Health to strengthen existing linkages between the New Zealand and Polynesian health systems, the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) has been contracted to provide expert advice

Media releases
Media releases
September 1, 2021
Sep 29, 2022
Removal of spacing requirements between COVID-19 vaccine and other Schedule vaccines

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).

News & opinions
News & opinions
August 26, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Childhood immunisation and wearing PPE in Alert Level 4

In Alert Level 4, it is important that general practices and outreach services across the country continue delivering essential health services, including on-time delivery of the childhood immunisation schedule vaccines.‍

News & opinions
News & opinions
August 26, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Q&A with Olivia Haslam, IMAC Midlands COVID-19 RIA

We had a chat with Midlands COVID-19 Regional Immunisation Advisor Olivia Haslam to learn more about her and the work she does in her region. She also shares some more details about her background as a pharmacist vaccinator.

News & opinions
News & opinions
August 22, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Vaccination observation period changes to 15 minutes

The Government has today announced a change in post-vaccination observation period. It is now a minimum of 15 minutes instead of 20 minutes.

News & opinions
News & opinions
August 19, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
COVID-19 vaccination programme extended to 12-15 year-olds

Following Medsafe’s approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for 12-15 year olds, the Government has now extended eligibility of the COVID-19 vaccination programme to include this age group.

News & opinions
News & opinions
August 11, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
COVID-19 vaccination bookings shift to default three-week interval

Today the Government announced that new COVID-19 vaccination bookings will default to a three-week (21 day minimum) interval between doses. Those with existing bookings at an interval of six weeks can consider shifting their second dose to an earlier time.

News & opinions
News & opinions
August 11, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
COVID-19 vaccination programme dosage spacing to increase

Today the Government announced the COVID-19 vaccination rollout will be adjusted to increase spacing first and second vaccine doses. Bookings will now be at least six weeks apart rather than starting from 21 days.

News & opinions
News & opinions
August 10, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Insider view: What it was like working at New Zealand’s first mass-vaccination event

Dealla Smith, COVID-19 Immunisation Education Facilitator for IMAC, has been clocking up her vaccination experience since the COVID-19 rollout began, working as both an educator and vaccinator.

News & opinions
News & opinions
July 17, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
What we’re hearing: 0800 IMMUNE FAQs

Dotted across the country are our knowledgeable 0800 advisors manning the phones from 8am – 8pm awaiting your clinical queries. Our advisors have a variety of expertise, ranging from technical writing and practice nursing backgrounds, as well as representing our core IMAC education team, and now our COVID-19 immunisation education facilitators.

News & opinions
News & opinions
July 15, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
IMAC quick take: International COVID-19 vaccine current events

What can we make of the latest COVID-19 data from the UK?

News & opinions
News & opinions
July 7, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Janssen COVID-19 vaccine receives Medsafe approval in New Zealand

The Janssen COVID-19 vaccine now joins the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine with provisional approval from Medsafe in New Zealand. This is welcome news for New Zealand in ensuring we have options for another effective vaccine that also comes with an international excellent safety profile.

News & opinions
News & opinions
June 28, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
COVID-19 education for Prescriber Health Professionals to combine with COVID-19 authorised vaccinator education course

As New Zealand’s COVID-19 vaccination programme ramps up, Primary Care will have an increasing role in vaccination roll out. It is anticipated more healthcare professionals with prescribing rights will now be likely to administer the vaccine.

News & opinions
News & opinions
June 26, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Whitireia and IMAC forging new education pathways for future vaccinators

It started with a connection made between the Immunisation Advisory Centre’s (IMAC) Pasifika Engagement Advisor Siufofoga Matagi and Whitireia New Zealand’s Bachelor of Nursing Pacific Programme Manager Tania Mullane.

News & opinions
News & opinions
June 21, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
The possibility of vaccinating 12–15-year-olds in New Zealand for COVID-19

All New Zealanders can have confidence in the safety and efficacy of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and Medsafe’s provisional approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech for 12- to-15-year-olds adds weight to this confidence.

News & opinions
News & opinions
June 16, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
He waka eke noa - We’re all in this together

The Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) has been working alongside Māori Health Providers and DHBs in the North Island to prepare and educate the workforce for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Here we take a look at efforts by the Northern DHB to educate Kaimahi Māori workforce as well as Turanga Health’s model of vaccination delivery in Tairawhiti.

News & opinions
News & opinions
June 15, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Bespoke education successful recipe for engaging Pasifika vaccinator workforce

The Immunisation Advisory Centre’s (IMAC) Pasifika Engagement Advisor Siufofoga Matagi is conscious of the need to support more Pasifika vaccinators into the COVID-19 vaccinator workforce.

News & opinions
News & opinions
May 30, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Clinical Advisory – extension of Comirnaty (COVID-19 mRNA vaccine) storage conditions

Following approval by Medsafe, the storage conditions have changed for all batches of Comirnaty (COVID-19 mRNA vaccine) available in New Zealand.

News & opinions
News & opinions
May 14, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
In development: Vaccinator Assistant Education

This week the Ministry of Health announced it has commissioned the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC), to develop a new training and assurance programme to create a skilled pool of supervised Vaccinator Assistants who will work within a vaccination team in Covid-19 vaccination centres.

News & opinions
News & opinions
May 14, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
COVID-19 vaccinator workforce ready for wider rollout in Whakatane

On Thursday 6 May Te Puna Ora o Mataatua and the Immunisation Advisory Centre came together for a bespoke education session in preparation for the wider COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Whakatane.

News & opinions
News & opinions
May 12, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Immunisation Advisory Centre supporting Cook Islands COVID-19 vaccination roll out

Representatives from the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) are heading to the Cook Islands to support the nation’s roll out of their COVID-19 vaccination programme, as New Zealand and the Cook Islands prepare for a two-way travel bubble to launch on 17 May.

News & opinions
News & opinions
April 28, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Open access to online COVID-19 vaccine courses now available

We are pleased to share that access to our online COVID-19 vaccine courses is now open and free, without the need for a user to first enter a package code.

News & opinions
News & opinions
April 9, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Vaccination alone will not provide full protection. When borders open, NZ will still be managing COVID-19

By Nikki Turner, Immunisation Advisory Centre Clinical Director

News & opinions
News & opinions
April 7, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Minister Verrall visits IMAC as COVID vaccine training begins

Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall checked out the University of Auckland’s Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC), operated by UniServices on the Grafton campus, which will train and support the nation’s vaccinators and health workforce for the COVID-19 immunisation programme.

News & opinions
News & opinions
April 1, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Pfizer and BioNTech announce that Comirnaty™ is demonstrating excellent efficacy in teenagers

On 31 March 2021, Pfizer and BioNTech released top-line data from their phase 3 clinical trial showing 100% efficacy against COVID-19 in teenagers aged 12–15 years old following vaccination with Comirnaty™. A robust antibody response and tolerable side effects were consistent with those seen in adults aged 16–25.

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 23, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Inequities increase in vaccination of pregnant women

Recent research adds to alarm bells that pregnant people are not getting vaccinated in big enough numbers. Pregnancy puts you at greater risk of disease making vaccination even more important for both you and your baby.

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 8, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
Women can’t be excluded from vaccine trials

Women’s voices, women’s approach and women’s thinking should be visible in every level of our society. Too often they’re not and the results are frustrating.

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 2, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
How did we get COVID-19 vaccines so quickly?

Opinion: In less than a year, the world has a number of available licensed Covid-19 vaccines – this is incredible progress. Nikki Turner summarises how it was done.

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 12, 2021
Oct 5, 2022
IMAC scales up to deliver NZ’s COVID-19 immunisation education programme

The Ministry of Health has contracted the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC), operated by UniServices and based at the University of Auckland, to provide education and support to all health professionals and allied workforces across New Zealand during the rollout of the COVID-19 immunisation programme.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 1, 2020
Sep 29, 2022
Quick answers to frequent MMR questions

News & opinions
News & opinions
Oct 5, 2022
Dr Nikki Turner's COVID-19 vaccination diary | Ministry of Health

GP and Director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre, Dr Nikki Turner, is taking us along on her COVID-19 vaccine journey. Over the next few weeks she will be capturing her experiences from her first vaccine through to her second dose for the Ministry of Health.

News & opinions
News & opinions
Sep 6, 2022
AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria is no longer available

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccince Vaxzevria is no longer be available in New Zealand. Supplies are now expired (as of 5 September).

News & opinions
News & opinions
May 4, 2023
Measles - Quick Access to Resources

Auckland Regional Public Health Service has ordered Auckland's Albany Senior High School to temporarily close under the Health Act while health authorities investigate a potential measles case.

News & opinions
News & opinions
April 12, 2023
Immunisation Handbook v22 published! Summary of changes here.

Immunisation Handbook v22 published! Summary of changes.

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 24, 2023
Provisional Vaccinator Update Course ending on 16/06/2023

If you wish to become a fully authorised vaccinator after the closing of the Provisional Vaccinator Update Course or your Provisional Authorised Vaccinator certificate has expired, you can become part of the immunisation workforce via the Vaccinator Foundation Course pathway.

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 24, 2023
Vaccinator Bridging Course ended on 30/04/2023

This course was a temporary pathway for eligible and interested provisionally authorised vaccinators to become fully authorised vaccinators.

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 22, 2023
Booster changes from 1 May

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 15, 2023
Mpox Update 15/03/2023

The mpox vaccine continues to be available in New Zealand. Administration method has now changed to 'subcutaneous administration only'. People who are concerned they may have or are at risk of exposure to mpox, should complete an initial assessment on: https://www.burnettfoundation.org.nz or call the mpox Healthline: 0800 116 672 (between 8am and 8pm).

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 6, 2023
Research on resettled refugee children in NZ and MMR vaccination

Resettled refugee children in New Zealand are not fully immunised for measles, mumps and rubella for a variety of reasons. Study by Nadia A. Charania, Janine Paynter, and Nikki Turner published in the Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific 2023;33: 100709.

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 6, 2023
Role of vaccination in influenza control strategies

A review of literature by Mary Nowlan and Mika Hiroi for IMAC

News & opinions
News & opinions
March 1, 2023
MenB Bexsero key facts and resources

Quick answers to key questions

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 28, 2023
Comirnaty grey caps x2 from 1 March

Comirnaty grey cap vaccines start 1 March 2023

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 23, 2023
MenB (Bexsero) is funded from 1 March 2023

MenB (Bexsero) will be funded for immunisations from 1 March 2023.

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 17, 2023
Cyclone Gabrielle and your vaccine cold chain

Guidance on cold chain depending on access to vaccines.

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 16, 2023
Measles resources: quick access here

Measles is here so you'll need to access our resources.

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 15, 2023
Version 21 of Immunisation Handbook has been published

See the latest version of the Immunisation Handbook on the Manatu Ora website at https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/immunisation-handbook-2020.

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 14, 2023
Measles - ensure you and your whānau are vaccinated

Measles is highly infectious and causes severe illness but vaccination is easy and free.

News & opinions
News & opinions
February 10, 2023
At risk under 5y now have access to COVID-19 vaccination

Comirnaty (3mcg) 6m-4y maroon cap vaccine is now available for children at high risk of COVID.

News & opinions
News & opinions
January 24, 2023
Bexsero funded from 1 March 2023

Bexsero, MenB vaccine is to be funded from 1 March 2023

News & opinions
News & opinions
January 18, 2023
COVID Boosters and Bivalent research

Body of evidence shows bivalent COVID booster is better than mono.

News & opinions
News & opinions
January 18, 2023
Bexsero MenB Vaccine evidence review

A summary of IMAC's evidence review of Bexsero/MenB vaccine.

News & opinions
News & opinions
December 21, 2022
MenQuadfi and Menactra supply issue

News & opinions
News & opinions
December 21, 2022
Programme Finance Administrator role available

The Immunisation Advisory Centre is advertising a new role for a Programme Finance Administrator

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
How did we get COVID-19 vaccines so quickly?

Opinion: In less than a year, the world has a number of available licensed Covid-19 vaccines – this is incredible progress. Nikki Turner summarises how it was done.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Minister Verrall visits IMAC as COVID vaccine training begins

Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall checked out the University of Auckland’s Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC), operated by UniServices on the Grafton campus, which will train and support the nation’s vaccinators and health workforce for the COVID-19 immunisation programme.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
IMAC scales up to deliver NZ’s COVID-19 immunisation education programme

The Ministry of Health has contracted the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC), operated by UniServices and based at the University of Auckland, to provide education and support to all health professionals and allied workforces across New Zealand during the rollout of the COVID-19 immunisation programme.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Pfizer and BioNTech announce that Comirnaty™ is demonstrating excellent efficacy in teenagers

On 31 March 2021, Pfizer and BioNTech released top-line data from their phase 3 clinical trial showing 100% efficacy against COVID-19 in teenagers aged 12–15 years old following vaccination with Comirnaty™. A robust antibody response and tolerable side effects were consistent with those seen in adults aged 16–25.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Women can’t be excluded from vaccine trials

Women’s voices, women’s approach and women’s thinking should be visible in every level of our society. Too often they’re not and the results are frustrating.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Dr Nikki Turner's COVID-19 vaccination diary | Ministry of Health

GP and Director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre, Dr Nikki Turner, is taking us along on her COVID-19 vaccine journey. Over the next few weeks she will be capturing her experiences from her first vaccine through to her second dose for the Ministry of Health.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Vaccination alone will not provide full protection. When borders open, NZ will still be managing COVID-19

By Nikki Turner, Immunisation Advisory Centre Clinical Director

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Open access to online COVID-19 vaccine courses now available

We are pleased to share that access to our online COVID-19 vaccine courses is now open and free, without the need for a user to first enter a package code.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Immunisation Advisory Centre supporting Cook Islands COVID-19 vaccination roll out

Representatives from the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) are heading to the Cook Islands to support the nation’s roll out of their COVID-19 vaccination programme, as New Zealand and the Cook Islands prepare for a two-way travel bubble to launch on 17 May.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
COVID-19 vaccinator workforce ready for wider rollout in Whakatane

On Thursday 6 May Te Puna Ora o Mataatua and the Immunisation Advisory Centre came together for a bespoke education session in preparation for the wider COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Whakatane.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
In development: Vaccinator Assistant Education

This week the Ministry of Health announced it has commissioned the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC), to develop a new training and assurance programme to create a skilled pool of supervised Vaccinator Assistants who will work within a vaccination team in Covid-19 vaccination centres.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Clinical Advisory – extension of Comirnaty (COVID-19 mRNA vaccine) storage conditions

Following approval by Medsafe, the storage conditions have changed for all batches of Comirnaty (COVID-19 mRNA vaccine) available in New Zealand.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Bespoke education successful recipe for engaging Pasifika vaccinator workforce

The Immunisation Advisory Centre’s (IMAC) Pasifika Engagement Advisor Siufofoga Matagi is conscious of the need to support more Pasifika vaccinators into the COVID-19 vaccinator workforce.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
He waka eke noa - We’re all in this together

The Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) has been working alongside Māori Health Providers and DHBs in the North Island to prepare and educate the workforce for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Here we take a look at efforts by the Northern DHB to educate Kaimahi Māori workforce as well as Turanga Health’s model of vaccination delivery in Tairawhiti.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
What we’re hearing: 0800 IMMUNE FAQs

Dotted across the country are our knowledgeable 0800 advisors manning the phones from 8am – 8pm awaiting your clinical queries. Our advisors have a variety of expertise, ranging from technical writing and practice nursing backgrounds, as well as representing our core IMAC education team, and now our COVID-19 immunisation education facilitators.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
The possibility of vaccinating 12–15-year-olds in New Zealand for COVID-19

All New Zealanders can have confidence in the safety and efficacy of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and Medsafe’s provisional approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech for 12- to-15-year-olds adds weight to this confidence.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
IMAC quick take: International COVID-19 vaccine current events

What can we make of the latest COVID-19 data from the UK?

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Janssen COVID-19 vaccine receives Medsafe approval in New Zealand

The Janssen COVID-19 vaccine now joins the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine with provisional approval from Medsafe in New Zealand. This is welcome news for New Zealand in ensuring we have options for another effective vaccine that also comes with an international excellent safety profile.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Whitireia and IMAC forging new education pathways for future vaccinators

It started with a connection made between the Immunisation Advisory Centre’s (IMAC) Pasifika Engagement Advisor Siufofoga Matagi and Whitireia New Zealand’s Bachelor of Nursing Pacific Programme Manager Tania Mullane.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
COVID-19 education for Prescriber Health Professionals to combine with COVID-19 authorised vaccinator education course

As New Zealand’s COVID-19 vaccination programme ramps up, Primary Care will have an increasing role in vaccination roll out. It is anticipated more healthcare professionals with prescribing rights will now be likely to administer the vaccine.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Insider view: What it was like working at New Zealand’s first mass-vaccination event

Dealla Smith, COVID-19 Immunisation Education Facilitator for IMAC, has been clocking up her vaccination experience since the COVID-19 rollout began, working as both an educator and vaccinator.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
COVID-19 vaccination programme dosage spacing to increase

Today the Government announced the COVID-19 vaccination rollout will be adjusted to increase spacing first and second vaccine doses. Bookings will now be at least six weeks apart rather than starting from 21 days.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
COVID-19 vaccination programme extended to 12-15 year-olds

Following Medsafe’s approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for 12-15 year olds, the Government has now extended eligibility of the COVID-19 vaccination programme to include this age group.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Vaccination observation period changes to 15 minutes

The Government has today announced a change in post-vaccination observation period. It is now a minimum of 15 minutes instead of 20 minutes.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Childhood immunisation and wearing PPE in Alert Level 4

In Alert Level 4, it is important that general practices and outreach services across the country continue delivering essential health services, including on-time delivery of the childhood immunisation schedule vaccines.‍

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Q&A with Olivia Haslam, IMAC Midlands COVID-19 RIA

We had a chat with Midlands COVID-19 Regional Immunisation Advisor Olivia Haslam to learn more about her and the work she does in her region. She also shares some more details about her background as a pharmacist vaccinator.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
IMAC aids workforce readiness for vaccination success in the Pacific 

As part of the Polynesian Health Corridors programme, a five-year programme led by the Ministry of Health to strengthen existing linkages between the New Zealand and Polynesian health systems, the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) has been contracted to provide expert advice

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Insider View: What was it like working at Sky Stadium’s drive-thru vaccine clinic

Last month’s mass COVID-19 vaccine drive-thru clinic at Sky Stadium saw Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) staff work alongside the wider health workforce to vaccinate Wellington’s population.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Overcoming lockdowns and long distances for COVID-19 vaccinator education

As New Zealand went into COVID-19 lockdown in August 2021, the demand for COVID-19 vaccines and ongoing preparation of the workforce to deliver them soared.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
UPDATED: Assessing eligibility for COVID-19 vaccination at vaccine centres: Don’t delay

As more people are coming through the doors of vaccine centres, so too are the range of individual circumstances and the queries we are seeing at the Immunisation Advisory Centre to confirm eligibility.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Who can't have the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine?

There has been considerable confusion in the media, and also in some health professional circles, about which people cannot have COVID-19 vaccines.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Getting your COVID-19 vaccine: What if I don’t like needles?

With all the talk about COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, chances are you’ve also seen many images of needles going into arms – the classic visual representation of immunisation.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Tips to prepare for your COVID-19 vaccine appointment

There isn’t a dress code for COVID-19 vaccination clinics, but ask a vaccinator and chances are they will have stories about people who have turned up to get their dose and they’re not wearing ideal clothes. How can that be?

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
COVID-19 vaccination bookings shift to default three-week interval

Today the Government announced that new COVID-19 vaccination bookings will default to a three-week (21 day minimum) interval between doses. Those with existing bookings at an interval of six weeks can consider shifting their second dose to an earlier time.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
First national pilot of the face-to-face Immunisation support worker training

On Monday 4th of October, we had the first national pilot of the face-to-face Immunisation support worker training.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Provisional approval for Pfizer vaccine extended

Medsafe has now renewed the provisional approval for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 2 years, until 3 November 2023. Provisional Consent renewal is routine and has been applied previously to other medicines.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Vaccination of 5-11 year olds

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
New exemption process

A new COVID-19 vaccination exemptions process has now been announced by the Ministry of Health.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Pfizer booster gets Medsafe approval

Medsafe has approved booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine for people aged 18 and older. The booster will be a single dose at least six months after a person completed their primary course of two doses.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Helping unvaccinated staff decide to vaccinate in Aged Care Sector: Webinar

Helping people who are mandated to get vaccinated is important work.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Younger children and COVID vaccines: 5-11 year olds

Children do get COVID-19, and we have seen much higher rates of COVID infection in children in 2021 in Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ) than in 2020. However, less than two in one hundred children in the 5-11 year age group will have more than mild symptoms needing hospitalisation.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Supporting our migrant communities in Dunedin

Kate Marshall, a COVID Immunisation Education Facilitator for the Southern Region facilitated this kōrero, sharing her knowledge and answering questions in the safe and supportive environment that English Language Partners has grown.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Omicron preliminary study

Comment from Professor Nikki Turner, Medical Director, Immunisation Advisory Centre.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
COVID-19 Vaccine Independent Safety Monitoring Board report on myocarditis cases

This is a news story, not clinical advice. It relates to the delta period only. A 26 year old male in New Zealand has died with myocarditis following vaccination with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
IMAC Support Service Hours: 24 December 2021 to 7 January 2022

IMAC will have support services available during the holiday period (24th December to 7th January). Please view the attached resource for more information.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Long COVID - another strong reason to get vaccinated

We all know that getting vaccinated protects us against getting sick, especially from getting very sick. But what you may not know is quite how important it is in preventing us from getting Long COVID.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
8 weeks is a good interval for 5-11y old's second vaccine dose

We recommend that children have two doses of the vaccine 8 weeks apart because it offers:

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Vaccination rates: Digging into the data

The Ministry of Health has excellent data sets that are updated either daily or weekly and can be looked at by ethnicity, age and geography. You can see which areas and ages are getting vaccinated, have had boosters and which groups or areas may need assistance to lift their vaccination rates.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Nuvaxovid (Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine) approved for 18y and older.

Approved for 18y and olderNuvaxovid, the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, has now been approved to be used as a primary vaccination course for people aged 18 and older in Aotearoa. (Pfizer continues to be the preferred vaccine.)

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Inequities increase in vaccination of pregnant women

Recent research adds to alarm bells that pregnant people are not getting vaccinated in big enough numbers. Pregnancy puts you at greater risk of disease making vaccination even more important for both you and your baby.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
It's time to catch up on the measles vaccine

IMAC Medical Advisor Joan Ingram has written an article for GP Pulse on the importance of getting vaccinations up to date, especially for children born in the last 5 years and those who've missed out in the 18-32-year-old age group.

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Maintaining high immunisation coverage in the current COVID-19 disease circulating environment.

There has been much discussion about the fall in childhood immunisation coverage. It is clear that this has happened through COVID-19, but what many don’t realise is that a decline started in 2016.‍

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
Get boosted - it could save your life!

In Dr Ashley Bloomfield's final press conference yesterday he shared some critical information on vaccination versus deaths:

News & opinions
News & opinions
October 5, 2022
COVID vaccination from 6 months to <5 years in the news

Most tamariki are at much lower risk of severe COVID than older age groups, and it's more important to be fully up to date with MMR and all routine childhood immunisations.

News & opinions
News & opinions
September 29, 2022
Quick answers to frequent MMR questions

News & opinions
News & opinions
September 6, 2022
AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria is no longer available

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccince Vaxzevria is no longer be available in New Zealand. Supplies are now expired (as of 5 September).

News & opinions
News & opinions
September 6, 2022
Vaccinating Health Worker Stage 1 Training now available

The Vaccinating Health Worker Stage 1 Training is now available for enrolment. Please see here for more information.

News & opinions
News & opinions
August 22, 2022
Protecting our communities against respiratory illness this winter and next

A position paper from the Immunisation Advisory Centre: Professor (Hon) Nikki Turner, Professor Peter McIntyre, Dr Joan Ingram, Dr Emma Best, Dr Edwin Reynolds, Dr Liz Wilson.