Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout

The team at Botany Junction Medical is very excited to announce that we are opening our COVID-19 vaccination clinic next week, for our registered patients by appointment only.

We are proud to be amongst the first GP clinics to start rolling out the vaccinations to East and South Auckland Primary Care patients. 

From next Monday 17th May, our team will start vaccinating,  by booked appointment only, the following people as per MoH guidelines:

• East and South Auckland people who are aged 65 and over
• Māori and Pacific people older than 55 years.

We’ll be keeping you updated as soon as we know more about when we can open vaccinations to the general populations. 

Please note that you may also receive a message from Counties Manukau DHB inviting you to attend one of the mass vaccination sites for your vaccine.

You can choose where you receive your vaccination, the most important thing is to get it done.

Please keep a lookout on the government Covid website for updated information

FAQs

What do I need to do to get a Covid vaccine? 

We will contact you to make an appointment when you are eligible for your Covid vaccine.

Do I need an appointment? 

Yes, you are required to have an appointment. You can contact one of our Customer Service team members on 09 265 1325 to book a time that is convenient for you.

Given the Ministry of Health Administration process required and after vaccine observation time necessary, we recommend that you allow up to an hour for this appointment to be completed.

How do I prepare for the vaccine?

If you have had another vaccination recently, such as the flu or a Tetanus vaccination please make sure you wait 2 weeks before getting the COVID-19 Vaccination.  If you have had the Zostavax (shingles) vaccine you will need to wait 4 weeks until you can have your Covid vaccine.

No other preparation is required but, as usual, only come into the clinic when you have no covid related symptoms.

Which Vaccine will I get?

In New Zealand, we have access to the Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine. The shot is given in the muscle of the upper arm. The clinical trials performed on the Pfizer vaccine show it’s approximately 95% effective against symptomatic COVID-19, seven days after receiving two doses.

When will I get my second dose?

The second dose must be at least 21 days following your first dose. We will discuss your vaccination schedule during your appointment and book another appointment.

What do I need to bring to my appointment?

We recommend that you bring a water bottle and something to read/do during your observation time.

What else should we be doing?

Vaccines are just one part of our strategy to keep COVID-19 out of New Zealand. We need to keep washing our hands, staying home if we’re unwell and using the COVID Tracer App or keeping a record of where we’ve been. Testing for Covid will be an important ongoing part of keeping Aotearoa safe.

Is the COVID-19 Vaccination Safe?

Medsafe have a great resource here about their vaccine assessment and approval process.

No vaccine will be made available for public use in New Zealand until Medsafe complete their assessment and it’s been approved.

Read more about the safety of the Vaccine at the MOH site.

Will there be side effects?

Like all medicines, the vaccine may cause side effects in some people. Most side effects are mild and don’t last long.  The shot may cause temporary pain, redness, and swelling at the site of the injection.

Find out more about side effects

What is New Zealand’s MOH Vaccination Plan?

• to put safety first with all COVID-19 vaccines
• secure enough safe and effective vaccines to protect Aotearoa and the Pacific
• protect Māori, Pacific peoples, and other groups at greater risk of COVID-19
• make it easy for people to get vaccinated
• ensure we are prepared for future outbreaks
• support New Zealand’s contribution to global wellbeing.

If you have further questions, or to book an appointment, please call us on 09 235 1325.

If you would like to find out more about becoming an enrolled patient at our clinic.