The AstraZeneca vaccine will soon be available for a small number of people who are aged 18 and over, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says.
Dr Bloomfield said Pfizer would continue to be the primary vaccine available in New Zealand.
For the "few hundred people" in New Zealand who could not have the Pfizer vaccine "for medical reasons" there was the option of AstraZeneca, he said.
"We are in a position to be able to make the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine available as a second option for people aged 18 and over, and like the Pfizer vaccine, this will be a two-dose course."
He said AstraZeneca availability was likely to be in late November, but more information would be shared next week.
"It won't be as widely available as the Pfizer vaccine."
He said further details on the Pfizer vaccine booster shot would be available next week.
"We're anticipating late November is when that programme will get underway."
He said the booster shot was different from the third dose being given to immunocompromised people.
Bloomfield said the AstraZeneca vaccine would also be an option for those who worked in sectors where vaccinations were mandatory but were not willing to have an mRNA vaccine like Pfizer.
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