The Ministry of Health is preparing for the potential impact of COVID-19 on the health sector.

As part of this preparation, this year’s influenza immunisation programme will be starting early for eligible people (as they are at greatest risk of serious illness from influenza) and healthcare workers only. Funded vaccination can begin and claims will be accepted from Wednesday 18 March.

Eligible people include:

• people aged 65 and over
• pregnant women
• people with certain chronic conditions and young children with a history of severe respiratory illness.

For full details of eligibility criteria, see https://www.influenza.org.nz/eligibility-criteria.

Influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19, however it will help prevent a serious illness that causes hundreds of deaths and places significant pressure on healthcare services each winter in New Zealand. Improving protection against influenza for our healthcare workforce and for our most vulnerable populations will improve our ability to manage increased demand as a result of COVID-19.