HNZ: This week: Children's flu vaccine | A mother's immunisation story | COVID-19 campaign update | Our regular reminders

Kia ora health sector friends and colleagues,  

Hope this email finds you well and you are having a good day so far.   

Below is our update for this week, and as always we would be grateful if you could share this with your networks where relevant. Thank you 

FLU

Children's flu vaccine 

For 6 months – under 3-year-olds, flu vaccination rates have surpassed previous years with rates currently sitting at 10,842. The highest rate for flu vaccination rates for this group previously was 10,751 for the full 2020 flu season. We’d like to acknowledge our colleagues working in hospitals and primary care who helped us achieve this positive result. There are still more eligible children who would benefit from receiving this vaccine, so please keep up this good work. Ever vaccination makes a difference.

A mother’s immunisation story – lessons for us all

In this week’s RNZCGP newsletter there was a very moving story about a woman's experience with the health system while trying to get her child immunised. The message was aimed at GPs, urging them to prioritise childhood immunisations, but also in doing so, it reminded them to be aware of their patients’ circumstances.  You can read the story here: Proactive immunisation for Māori tamariki will save lives | GP Pulse (rnzcgp.org.nz)

This is a particularly busy time for our health workforce, but it’s stories like this that demonstrate how important it is for us to support our health workers, so they can better serve our communities. We want people to have positive, welcoming interactions with our health system. We each have a part to play in achieving this.

COVID-19

Update on COVID-19 medicines

The information for the public on COVID-19 antiviral medicines has been updated on the Ministry of Health website.

The update includes information on eligibility for the medicines, accessing of medicines from your GP or pharmacy, advance prescriptions, and the return of symptoms following treatment.

Te Whatu Ora has also developed an eligibility guide for COVID-19 antiviral medicines to assist. You can find it here: COVID-19 medicines

COVID-19 campaign update

The new vaccination campaign we had previously mentioned, will be primarily focused on boosters including “why get a booster”.  We are developing a suite of new content including animated video which will be used on TV and in other channels.  We will have a general version as well as versions developed by Māori and Pacific creative teams.   

The first phase of this campaign is in market with radio, print adverts and digital assets.  The campaign will appear in mainstream as well as CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) stations and publications.  TV and Out of Home (screens in GPs and health providers) will be live from the w/c 22nd August. In line with the animation, we will be developing new collateral including flyers, posters and online assets.  We are planning a mail drop to all householders to be distributed at the end of August.  

The second phase will use fresh market research and feedback from Districts, to inform our messaging. Thank you to our sector comms colleagues who have provided feedback on collateral and content this week. 

REGULAR REMINDERS

Weekly vaccination data

Our latest Māori and Pacific COVID-19 vaccination data is now available here.

This week’s flu vaccination data is available here. 

Update on collateral on Dropbox

Don’t forget we have a range of collateral you and your providers can use to promote vaccinations. Please feel free to share this link and the collateral widely: Dropbox NIP – vaccine resources.  Please feel free to share this link and the collateral widely: Dropbox: NIP – vaccine resources – Simplify your life. 

You may notice some changes in our dropbox link above. We have had a reshuffle and are now sharing the consent forms and policy statements for health professionals in a separate folder in the above link. Please note we have recently added te reo Maori translations for Flu, Covid-19 and MMR consent forms.

Kia pai to mutunga wiki!  

Ngā mihi nui,

Sandy 

Sandy Thambiah

Senior Adviser, Engagement

National Immunisation Programme

waea pūkoro: +64 21 248 1288| īmēra: sandy.thambiah@health.govt.nz

133 Molesworth Street, Te Whanganui-a-Tara

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