COVID-19 vaccines

Pharmac is responsible for the management of COVID-19 vaccines. This includes funding, procurement, and supply.

COVID-19 vaccines: Updated for JN.1 variant

A vaccine to combat the JN.1 variant of COVID-19 has been approved and will be available from early 2025.

More about the JN.1 Variant vaccine

COVID-19 vaccine access criteria

COVID-19 vaccines remain free and available to eligible people aged 6 months and over. You can find the criteria for first and additional doses of the vaccine on the Pharmaceutical Schedule. There will be public consultation before any change to these criteria.

Community Schedule: COVID-19 vaccines(external link)

Hospital Schedule: COVID-19 vaccines(external link)

Pharmac's role

Management of COVID-19 vaccines transferred to Pharmac from Ministry of Health (Manatū Hauora) on 1 July 2023. Pharmac's budget has been adjusted to cover the COVID-19 vaccines. These were funded separately before. 

Pharmac is managing the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines using the same process it does for other medicines and vaccines. 

To ensure New Zealanders can continue to access COVID-19 vaccines, we put out a request for proposals for supplying COVID-19 vaccines in October 2024. This is where we ask suppliers to bid on supplying a vaccine to New Zealand. We are currently evaluating the proposals we received.

Request for Proposals to supply a COVID-19 vaccine

More about requests for proposals

The roles of other health agencies

Ministry of Health

The Ministry maintains New Zealand's strategic framework for managing COVID-19. Vaccination is a key public health measure within the framework.  

The Ministry is also responsible for New Zealand's general pandemic preparedness.

COVID-19 on the Ministry of Health's website(external link)

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

Health New Zealand remains responsible for the vaccination programme for COVID-19. 

Book your vaccination today | Health NZ website(external link)

Medsafe 

Medsafe reviews all vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccines, to assess whether they meet New Zealand standards of safety, quality, and effectiveness before approving their use in New Zealand. Medsafe also monitors adverse reactions (negative side effects) from all medicines, including vaccines.

Medsafe website(external link)

Who to contact

If you have questions about the funding of COVID-19 vaccines, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz