How to Book
Everyone aged 5 and over can book online or by phone to get their free COVID-19 vaccination.
To book online, go to BookMyVaccine.nz and follow the simple steps to book both doses. It will take about 5 minutes to book your two appointments. Just choose the location, dates and times you prefer.
Call if you need to
You can also book for you and your whānau by calling the COVID Vaccination Healthline on 0800 28 29 26 from 8am – 8pm, 7 days a week.
If you need language assistance, please ask for an interpreter. They’re available to help you through the booking process and the team can answer any questions you may have.
Your booking reference and summary
After you’ve booked your appointments, a booking reference and a summary of the location, dates and times of your appointments will be sent to you by email or text.
The day before each appointment, you’ll also be sent a text or email reminder.
Whānau bookings
To make things easy, you can book yourself and your whānau in to be vaccinated at the same time. To do this, call the COVID Vaccination Healthline on 0800 28 29 26 from
8am to 8pm, 7 days a week, and we’ll sort the details for you. To find your nearest vaccination centre, go to covid19.govt.nz or Karawhiua.nz
Assistance during your appointment
When you book your vaccination, you’ll be asked if you require assistance during your appointment. Assistance can include:
- a NZ sign language interpreter
- support to make decisions
- assistance to move around
- a longer appointment time
- a quiet or low-sensory environment
- more space to move around
Someone else can book for you, and you can take a support person to your appointment.
If you book online, we may need to contact you to make sure we can meet your requirements at your chosen vaccination site.
If you have questions about accessibility or have specific or complex needs, please call the COVID Vaccination Healthline on 0800 28 29 26.
Can I get the vaccine?
Everyone in New Zealand aged 5 years and over can get the COVID-19 vaccination. You don’t have to be a New Zealand citizen or resident. As long as you’re in New Zealand, you can book yourself in. Please note that some people may not be able to get the vaccine due to having underlying health conditions. If in doubt, talk to your doctor or GP first, to make sure it is okay for you.
Anyone aged 18 or over can receive a booster shot three months after their second dose – this helps to maintain the level of protection vaccination gives you against the COVID-19 virus.
Does the COVID-19 vaccination protect me from all strains of the virus?
COVID-19 vaccine protects you against all strains of the virus, including Omicron.
What do we know about the vaccine’s safety?
Medsafe only grants consent for using a vaccine in Aotearoa once they’re satisfied it has met strict standards for safety, efficacy and quality. This is the same process used to assess
medicines and other vaccines, like the flu vaccine.
There have been no shortcuts taken in granting approval. The Pfizer vaccine has been used successfully by millions worldwide. Ongoing monitoring for safety continues.
Is the vaccine effective?
People who have both dose 1 and 2, and their booster shot (if eligible) have the best protection against all strains of the COVID-19 virus. This means that if you do contract the virus, your symptoms are likely to be mild and you are far less likely to need hospital care. It is also less likely you will transmit the virus to someone else. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your whānau and your wider community.
What’s in the vaccine?
There are currently three vaccines available; Pfizer (the main vaccine used in New Zealand), AstraZeneca and Novavax.
They all work by training your immune system to recognise and fight the COVID-19 virus, but in slightly diffrent ways;
- The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine contains a copy of the SARS-COV-2 spike protein to teach your body how to recognise and fight COVID-19. The vaccine also includes a saponin-based adjuvant, which is an ingredient that helps the vaccine to create a robust immune response. Protein subunit vaccine technology has been used since the mid-1980s, initially to fight against hepatitis B then later for other illnesses such as influenza, pertussis (whooping cough), cholera, diphtheria, human papillomavirus, malaria, and meningococcal disease.
- The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine uses messenger RNA (mRNA) that is wrapped in a tiny bubble of fat. The mRNA codes for the SARS-COV-2 spike protein, which prompts your body to make copies of the spike proteins like those on the outside of the SARS-COV-2 virus. These copies then teach your immune system to recognise and fight the virus. mRNA vaccine technology has been in development for several years, to fight against disease like rabies and ebola.
- AstraZeneca vaccine uses a harmless manufactured virus – called a viral vector – to deliver the spike protein into your body, which then teaches your body how to recognise and fight COVID-19. Viral vector vaccine technology has been used for many years, to fight against disease like ebola.
Where can I find good information on the vaccine?
You can find trusted information about the vaccine and COVID-19 at:
For more information
The Ministry of Health website has lots of information and resources about the COVID-19 virus, the national vaccination programme, answers to many questions about the vaccine itself, data and statistics of how the vaccination programme is looking nationally and more.
Check it out at COVID-19: Vaccines | Ministry of Health NZ
See some of the frequently asked questions here.