COVID-19 vaccine to be available February 2023 for immunocompromised and high-risk under 5 year olds

Kia ora koutou colleagues,

Following advice from the COVID-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group, Ministers have approved use of the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged six months to four years who are at higher risk of severe disease if they were to catch COVID-19.

Read the full announcement here. 

Action:

Please find below the key messages which you can share with your networks.

Key messages

• Ministers have approved use of the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged six months to four years who are at higher risk of severe disease if they were to catch COVID-19.
• Eligibility is limited to children who are severely immunocompromised, or who have complex and/or multiple health conditions which increase the risk of severe disease from COVID-19 (following the Starship Child Health table of underlying comorbidities).
• The vaccine is anticipated to be available in February 2023. A further announcement will be made in early 2023 when timing of vaccine delivery is confirmed. When timing is confirmed, bookings for this vaccine will be available by calling Healthline on 0800 28 29 26 or visiting www.BookMyVaccine.nz

Supporting messages

• The vaccine for this age group is an adapted version of the vaccine used for five to 11 olds.
• The approval is for three doses of the adapted paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, with the second dose given three weeks after the first dose, followed by a third dose given at least 8 weeks after the second dose.
• Use of the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged six months to four years was provisionally approved by Medsafe, New Zealand’s regulatory authority, on 1 December 2022. Medsafe provides independent advice to the Ministry of Health. They follow a robust approval process to ensure vaccines meet acceptable standards for quality and that the benefits outweigh any risks. Medsafe only approves a vaccine or medicine for use in New Zealand once it is satisfied that it is of acceptable quality, efficacy and safety.
• Following Medsafe approval, the COVID-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group (CV-TAG) recommended to the Ministry of Health that the vaccine be approved children who are severely immunocompromised, or who have complex and/or multiple health conditions which increase the risk of severe disease from COVID-19.
• CV-TAG does not currently recommend vaccination for children aged 6 months to 4 years who are not in these risk categories for severe COVID-19.  These children have a very low likelihood of severe illness from COVID-19. 

Ngā mihi nui,

Sandy

Sandy Thambiah

Senior Adviser, Engagement

National Immunisation Programme

waea pūkoro: +64 21 248 1288| īmēra: sandy.thambiah@health.govt.nz

133 Molesworth Street, Te Whanganui-a-Tara

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