International News

New Zealand to Buy Enough Pfizer Vaccine Doses for Entire Population

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced through a media conference that went live online earlier today (Monday), March 8, 2021, that the New Zealand Government will be buying enough Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for its entire population. Meaning, all New Zealanders will have access to the same vaccine.

“I previously called the year 2021 the year of the vaccine and we are making good progress with this enormous task,” said New Zealand Prime Ardern during the media conference.

The New Zealand Government’s original agreement with Pfizer was for about 1.5 million doses of vaccine which will be enough to vaccinate 750,000 people. Then the government has signed an advance purchase agreement for additional 8.5 million doses, enough to vaccinate 4.25 million people; bringing New Zealand’s total Pfizer order to 10 million doses, enough for 5 million people to get the 2 shots.

“I’m very pleased to announce that today, we have signed an advanced purchase agreement with Pfizer for an additional 8.5 million doses of the vaccine. The extra doses will be enough to vaccinate 4.25 million people. Our additional advanced purchase agreement was for approximately 1.5 million doses sufficient to vaccinate 750,000 people. The amendment to this deal means we’ll be buying enough for everyone in New Zealand to be fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine.”

– Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand Prime Minister

So why New Zealand has decided to make Pfizer the main vaccine provider? “The decision to make Pfizer New Zealand’s primary vaccine provider was based on the fact that the Pfizer vaccine has been shown to be about 95% effective at preventing symptomatic infection,” Ardern explained.

“While the Pfizer vaccine does need to be kept at ultra-cold temperatures, this challenge is offset by only having to deal with one vaccine, rather than multiple vaccines with multiple protocols,” she added. According to Ardern, it will simplify their vaccine rollout in New Zealand.

According to the New Zealand Government, the vaccines against COVID-19 are expected to arrive in their country in the second half of the year.

Watch the Media Conference with New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern

Here’s the media conference with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern that was streamed at RNZ Live News YouTube channel earlier today. Watch Ardern announce the news; start from the beginning or start at 6:00 of the video.

Related Articles:

Pfizer and BioNTech Vaccine Authorized for Use in UK

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Source: New Zealand Government| COVID-19, New Zealand Government| Media Conference, RNZ Live News| YouTube, New Zealand’s Unite against COVID-19| Official Twitter

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