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Vaccine
Will I be able to be immunised against pandemic influenza?
Yes. Next year?s seasonal influenza vaccine will contain the pandemic (swine flu) strain and should be available from March.
This means that immunisation from pandemic influenza will be available as part of the seasonal influenza programme.
The annual influenza immunisation programme usually runs from March to June.
Who is able to get seasonal influenza immunisation?
Seasonal influenza immunisation is widely available to people through their GP practice or local health provider, although some people may have to pay for it.
Some employers pay for influenza vaccinations for their staff.
Seasonal influenza immunisation is free (paid for by the Government) for those aged 6 months to 64 years with certain pre-existing health conditions, and for all those over 65.
Who is eligible for free seasonal influenza immunisation?
The Government subsidises influenza immunisations for:
In 2010 the Government will also subsidise seasonal influenza immunisations for some extra groups who are at particular risk from the pandemic strain:
Will seasonal influenza immunisation be compulsory?
There are no plans to make seasonal influenza immunisation compulsory or to exclude un-immunised children from schools.
Are there risks from seasonal influenza immunisation?
Influenza vaccines have been used widely for many years now and their safety is well known. Like any vaccine side effects do occur, most are minor and temporary such as pain at the injection site, general discomfort, headache, raised temperature. In rare cases influenza vaccines can cause more serious adverse reactions (approximately 1-10 per million doses administered).
What level of protection does seasonal influenza immunisation offer?
Influenza vaccines typically provide protection from the types of influenza they target for at least six months to around 70% of people who receive them.
Who supplies New Zealand?s seasonal influenza vaccine?
The Ministry has contracts with two suppliers for seasonal influenza vaccine ? Sanofi Aventis and CSL Biotherapies.
Do the seasonal influenza vaccines used in New Zealand contain thiomersal or squalene?
The seasonal influenza vaccines used in New Zealand do not contain thiomersal or squalene. Neither of the seasonal vaccines used in New Zealand contain any adjuvants.
What if the pandemic worsens before the 2010 seasonal influenza immunisation programme starts?
If the pandemic becomes more severe before the seasonal influenza programme starts, the Government has a contingency plan to offer pandemic immunisation to front-line workers who would be most at risk or who provide critical emergency services.
The Government has purchased 300,000 doses of pandemic vaccine for this contingency. Not all of the vaccine has arrived yet and it has not yet been licensed for use in New Zealand.
If there is enough vaccine available, then pandemic immunisation may also be offered to people with who are at greater risk of severe outcomes from pandemic influenza.
Emergency pandemic immunisation would only be offered once a vaccine has been licensed for use in New Zealand.
Is a separate pandemic vaccine available in New Zealand now?
No pandemic influenza vaccine is currently approved for use in New Zealand.
See also:
Media releases from the Minister of Health:
* Free vaccine extended to swine flu at risk groups (3 November 2009 - beehive.govt.nz)
* Government secures strategic stock of swine flu vaccine (6 July 2009 - beehive.govt.nz)
Related cabinet paper:
* Pandemic influenza immunisation (PDF, 152 KB)
Will I be able to be immunised against pandemic influenza?
Yes. Next year?s seasonal influenza vaccine will contain the pandemic (swine flu) strain and should be available from March.
This means that immunisation from pandemic influenza will be available as part of the seasonal influenza programme.
The annual influenza immunisation programme usually runs from March to June.
Who is able to get seasonal influenza immunisation?
Seasonal influenza immunisation is widely available to people through their GP practice or local health provider, although some people may have to pay for it.
Some employers pay for influenza vaccinations for their staff.
Seasonal influenza immunisation is free (paid for by the Government) for those aged 6 months to 64 years with certain pre-existing health conditions, and for all those over 65.
Who is eligible for free seasonal influenza immunisation?
The Government subsidises influenza immunisations for:
- People aged 65 years or over
- People aged 6 months to 64 years with the following conditions:
- Cardiovascular disease - ischaemic heart disease, congestive heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, cerebrovascular disease.
- Chronic respiratory disease - asthma (if on regular preventive therapy), and other chronic respiratory disease with impaired lung function.
- Diabetes.
- Chronic renal disease.
- Cancer (patient currently has cancer), excluding basal and squamous skin cancer if not invasive.
- Other conditions - autoimmune disease, immune suppression, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), transplant recipients, neuromuscular and central nervous system diseases, haemoglobinopathies and children on long term aspirin.
- pregnant women
- people who are morbidly obese (for guidance, those people with a Body Mass Index 35 and greater)
- children aged 6 months to 4 years old who are enrolled in Access Primary Health Practices. These are GP practices in higher deprivation communities which generally have a high proportion of low income patients.
Will seasonal influenza immunisation be compulsory?
There are no plans to make seasonal influenza immunisation compulsory or to exclude un-immunised children from schools.
Are there risks from seasonal influenza immunisation?
Influenza vaccines have been used widely for many years now and their safety is well known. Like any vaccine side effects do occur, most are minor and temporary such as pain at the injection site, general discomfort, headache, raised temperature. In rare cases influenza vaccines can cause more serious adverse reactions (approximately 1-10 per million doses administered).
What level of protection does seasonal influenza immunisation offer?
Influenza vaccines typically provide protection from the types of influenza they target for at least six months to around 70% of people who receive them.
Who supplies New Zealand?s seasonal influenza vaccine?
The Ministry has contracts with two suppliers for seasonal influenza vaccine ? Sanofi Aventis and CSL Biotherapies.
Do the seasonal influenza vaccines used in New Zealand contain thiomersal or squalene?
The seasonal influenza vaccines used in New Zealand do not contain thiomersal or squalene. Neither of the seasonal vaccines used in New Zealand contain any adjuvants.
What if the pandemic worsens before the 2010 seasonal influenza immunisation programme starts?
If the pandemic becomes more severe before the seasonal influenza programme starts, the Government has a contingency plan to offer pandemic immunisation to front-line workers who would be most at risk or who provide critical emergency services.
The Government has purchased 300,000 doses of pandemic vaccine for this contingency. Not all of the vaccine has arrived yet and it has not yet been licensed for use in New Zealand.
If there is enough vaccine available, then pandemic immunisation may also be offered to people with who are at greater risk of severe outcomes from pandemic influenza.
Emergency pandemic immunisation would only be offered once a vaccine has been licensed for use in New Zealand.
Is a separate pandemic vaccine available in New Zealand now?
No pandemic influenza vaccine is currently approved for use in New Zealand.
See also:
Media releases from the Minister of Health:
* Free vaccine extended to swine flu at risk groups (3 November 2009 - beehive.govt.nz)
* Government secures strategic stock of swine flu vaccine (6 July 2009 - beehive.govt.nz)
Related cabinet paper:
* Pandemic influenza immunisation (PDF, 152 KB)
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