Focus on Immunisation; Our Practice Team; Patient Portal; Practice Nurse Appointments.
For the full MGP February Newsletter CLICK HERE

Phone reception for a vaccine appointment at a time to suit you on 09 5215128

Further booster dose in late 2023

COVID-19 has not yet become a seasonal infection in New Zealand. The risk continues all year.

Consider a further booster dose in late 2023 (regardless of the number of previous booster doses) if both of the following apply:

• It has been at least 6 months since the patient’s last COVID-19 booster, recovery from a COVID-19 infection, or positive COVID-19 test if asymptomatic
• The patient is at increased risk of severe disease or long-term consequences from COVID-19 infection:
• Aged 75 years or older
• Aged 16 years or older with severe immunocompromise. These people were eligible for a third primary dose.
• Māori or Pacific ethnicity and aged 65 years or older
• Aged 30 years or older with complex health needs that increase their risk of frailty (deterioration of their independence if they become mildly unwell). These people often live in residential care.

For Uni students aged 13-25yrs : Please make an appointment with the Nurse within 3 months of
leaving for Uni, this allows timing for the 2
nd dose 1 month after the 1st
.
Please see the vaccines below that are time sensitive for eligibility:
Meningococcal B vaccine
Until 31 August 2025

• Up to three doses of MenB (Bexsero) (dependent on age at first dose) are funded for a catchup programme for all children under 59 months of age (inclusive).
• Two doses for individuals aged 13-25 who are entering within the next three months, or in
  their first year of living in boarding school hostels, tertiary education halls of residence,
  military barracks, or prisons.
• Until 28 February 2024 – Two doses for individuals aged 13-25 who are currently in their
  second, third or more years of living in boarding school hostels, tertiary education halls of
  residence, military barracks, or prisons.
  Meningococcal A, C, Y, W vaccine
• Adolescents and young adults aged 13-25 years inclusively, who are entering within the next
  3 months, or are in their first year of living in a boarding school hostel, tertiary education
  halls of residence, military barrack, or prison

Measles is a serious viral disease that can make people very sick. It can spread very easily among people who have not had the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine or had measles before.

You are considered immune to measles if you:
• Were born before 1 Jan 1969
• Have had measles before
• Have had two MMR vaccinations, and the last dose was over a month ago.
• Babies under 15 months are considered immune if they have had one MMR dose after 12 months of age, given at least a month ago
• Have had a blood test showing you are immune

If you have measles symptoms, such as a fever and a rash, you should seek medical advice urgently. Call your doctor or ring Healthline for free anytime on 0800 611 116.

Please do not visit a medical centre or hospital without calling first as you may risk passing on the virus to others.

In an emergency call 111

Bexsero (meningococcal group B) is funded on the National Immunisation Schedule, and catchup programmes are available for all under 5-year-olds, adolescents, and young adults.

• catch up for 13 months to 59 months available until 31 August 2025 – for those tamariki who were aged under 5 years on 1 March 2023, but have since turned 5 years of age, are eligible for the catch-up programme.

* Individuals who are aged 13 – 25 years who are already in close-living, such as boarding school hostels and university halls of residence, only have until 28/2/24 to receive funded Bexsero as part of the catch-up program

For more info see: menb.co.nz

COLDS

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COLD/FLU/COVID

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VIRAL INFECTIONS

Covid Bivalent (Original/Omicron) boosters – Eligibility from 1 May 2023 – available from 6 months after your last COVID-19 vaccine dose or 6 months after having COVID-19 infection. 

An additional COVID-19 booster is available for:

· people aged 30 and over

· people at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 aged 16 to 29

· pregnant people aged 16 to 29 years

· severely immunocompromised young people aged 12 to 15

The 2023 flu vaccine is free for:

• tamariki aged 6 months to 12 years old
• pregnant people
• Māori and Pacific people aged 55 years and older
• everyone aged 65 years and older
• anyone with underlying health conditions including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and serious asthma
• anyone with mental illness such as schizophrenia or those currently accessing mental health services.

• The flu vaccine can be given at the same time or immediately before or after the COVID-19 vaccine. If given at the same time, you will receive the vaccines at separate places on your arms and with different syringes.
• If you have had COVID and are symptom-free and have completed at least 7-days of self-isolation, you can have the flu vaccine.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that can be life threatening. Measles is caused by a virus and is easily preventable with immunisation.

MMR vaccine is available free in New Zealand to people born on/after 1 January 1969.

Two documented doses of the MMR vaccine is 99% effective in preventing measles.

If you have only had one dose, and fit the criteria date, please make a Nurse appointment to have the 2^nd.

Vaccination is particularly important if you are planning to travel overseas – to protect yourself and to help prevent outbreaks in New Zealand.

Meningococcal B vaccine ‘Bexsero’, funded from 1 March 2023 protects against meningococcal B disease in children up to 12 months of age.

It is administered as part of the childhood immunisation programme. It will also be funded for people aged 13 to 25 years who are entering into or in their first year of specified close-living situations. Catch-up programmes will also be funded for these groups.

Please read the attached pdf (or download) for the latest info on Covid funding- for more information follow the link.

Changes to eligibility for free COVID-19 healthcare | Unite against COVID-19 (covid19.govt.nz)

We have been obliged to move our patient portal to Manage My Health, as Connectmed (our previous portal) have sold to the MMH team. 

As many are aware there have been some unforeseen issues with the transition. We are working with the MMH team to solve these, thank you for your patience.  

In the future MMH, will add in more features and ease of communication, as well as the current online bookings, repeat prescription requests and access to test results via your computer or mobile phone.

We have not been able to activate script payments by debit card, yet but this is being sorted. 

At this stage, the booking part does not align with our way of managing booking templates – when you do book – if you scroll down to ‘Other’ for reason for booking, you can write ‘phone’ or ‘video’. We are working with MMH to get this issue resolved. If you are having trouble enrolling, you can ask reception and they will send a message through to MMH.

Funded FLU vaccines available from Monday 3/4/23 – book a Nurse appointment for this (unless seeing your GP for an appointment, can be given same time).

Covid vaccine, and Covid boosters (bivalent) available for adults (12 years+) from1/03/23 – book a Nurse appointment NOTE must be 6 months after the last Covid booster, and 6 months after having had Covid19( see more below).

Bexsero meningococcal vaccine will be part of the routine National Immunisation Schedule at the 3 months and 5 months immunisation events (primary doses) followed by a (booster dose) at the 12 months event.

All children who are aged 5 years or younger on 1 March 2023, will also be eligible for funded Bexsero vaccine as part of a catch-up programme.

It will also be funded for people aged 13 to 25 years who are entering into or in their first year of specified close-living situations.

Covid vac. more info……

This is part of the Government’s plan to keep Kiwis safe and take pressure off our health system.

The new bivalent vaccine will replace the existing Pfizer booster and is considered likely to be more effective against Omicron subvariants. Bivalent vaccines work by combining 2 strains of a virus, which prompts the body to create antibodies against both strains, providing a greater level of protection.

People at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 will also be able to receive an additional booster, regardless of how many doses they have previously had.

As well as broadening the criteria from April, from 1 March, anyone currently eligible for a COVID-19 booster will be able to get the new bivalent vaccine.