Hi all.
We have now received formal information on how the roll out will look for all our patients.
We anticipate that we will be starting to contact groups of our patients, either by text, email, portal or phone call, in the next few weeks, to invite them to contact the designated contact centre to book their appointment. These invites will continue over the next few months.
We will not be doing the vaccines here at Queen Street Medical, as there are specialist clinics that have been set up in both Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt for our patients to attend.
Please refrain from calling or messaging our admin team and nurses requesting to be vaccinated earlier. We cannot get you in any earlier than the Ministry of Health are allowing in the roll out which is defined below.
Please read the information below which has been prepared for the entire Wellington region.
COVID-19 Vaccination
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is free, safe, and effective. Everyone in New Zealand aged 16 or older can get vaccinated before the end of 2021, regardless of residency or citizenship status.
Two doses of the vaccine, at least three weeks apart, will protect you. We have ordered enough doses for everyone in the country.
Hutt Valley and Capital & Coast District Health Boards, working with our Primary Health Organisations, Māori and Pacific providers and disability partners are organising the vaccine rollout.
Ma tini, ma mano, ka rapa te whai. By joining together, we will succeed
How the vaccine works
The vaccine works by teaching your immune system to recognize and fight off the virus. It doesn’t have the virus in it, or anything that can affect your DNA. The vaccine cannot give you the disease.
The vaccine is safe.
Medsafe are the Government organization that looks at all medicine before it used in New Zealand. They make sure medicine is safe to use by looking at all of the research and information from around the world. Medsafe have gone through this with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, and they have said that it is safe to use.
The vaccine is being rolled out in stages
Everyone in New Zealand aged 16 or older is in one of four groups. Which group you are in decides when it will be your turn to be vaccinated.
Groups 1 & 2 – started at the end of February.
The roll out started with those most at risk of catching COVID-19 including people working at the border, health workers and those living in aged residential care facilities.
Group 3 – starting at the end of May.
Our next group includes:
• Older Māori and Pacific people, and the people they live with;
• All disabled people aged 16 or older;
• All people aged 65 or older;
• Anyone who is hapū (pregnant), and
• Anybody aged between 16-65 with one of these long-term health conditions:
o serious and chronic respiratory conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
o chronic kidney/renal disease
o diabetes
o coronary heart conditions
o stroke
o hypertension (high blood pressure)
o cancer, excluding basal and squamous skin cancers if not invasive.
How to get the vaccine in Group 3
We will be vaccinating people in Group 3 over the next few months. You do not need to do anything now.
When it is your turn to book your appointment, we will let you know. This may be via text, your GP’s online system, by email, letter or phone call. This invitation might come from your GP, from the DHB, from a Māori or Pacific health provider, or from a disability organisation.
You will be able to get your vaccination at the clinic that is the most convenient to you – near your home or work.
Other vaccines and COVID-19
If you are having the flu vaccine, you need to either have it 2 weeks before your first dose, or 2 weeks after your second dose.
If you are having a MMR or any other live vaccine, you will need to have it either 4 weeks before your first dose, or 2 weeks after your second dose.
Group 4
From July onwards, everybody else in New Zealand aged 16 years or older will start being vaccinated. This will take until the end of the year.
There will be a range of places where you will be able to get your COVID-19 vaccinations.
The Vaccinate Greater Wellington website has the most up-to-date information on the local vaccine roll out.
www.VaccinateGreaterWellington.nz