Malaghan intends to begin human trials of its Covid-19 vaccine by the end of the year stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The entire country could be vaccinated by the end of the year. New Zealand has a pre-purchase agreement to vaccinate 3.8 million people with the AstraZeneca vaccine as part of the mass vaccination campaign due to start mid-year. It has also ordered enough Pfizer doses to vaccinate 750,000 people, with the first batch due by the end of March. Hipkins said the overseas shortage “highlights the global tension around vaccine supply” but he was optimistic Pfizer would meet its timeline. The entire population could be vaccinated by the end of the year. However it is not known how long the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine will provide protection for and people may need annual vaccinations, like the flu jab.