3 Dec 2020

GPs concerned Covid vaccine rollout could be botched in NZ

From Midday Report, 12:14 pm on 3 December 2020

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners has raised concerns about the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out, saying it is vital that the process is highly organised.

A health care worker holds an injection syringe of the phase 3 vaccine trial, developed against the novel coronavirus pandemic by the US Pfizer and German BioNTech company, at the Ankara University Ibni Sina Hospital in Ankara, Turkey on October 27, 2020.

Photo: AFP / Anadolu Agency

GPs faced frustrating waits for influenza vaccines earlier this year because of distribution problems, and the College says that sort of situation can't happen again.

This comes after news the United Kingdom start vaccinating people next week - after its regulator approved the Pfizer and BioNTech jab under emergency provisions.

Māni Dunlop spoke with vaccinologist and associate professor at the University of Auckland, Helen Petousis-Harris.