COVID-19 immunisations for children

Protect your tamariki aged 5 to 11 against COVID-19 with a child (paediatric) formulation of the Pfizer vaccine.

  • Find a clinic below that is delivering COVID-19 immunisations for children. 
  • Tamariki need two doses of the vaccine to be fully protected, given at least 8 weeks apart. 
  • A parent, caregiver or legal guardian will need to accompany your child to their appointment(s) as the responsible adult and provide consent for them to be immunised.

Clinics for Canterbury

Go to BookMyVaccine.nz to make an appointment to avoid a potential wait or check if your usual health provider is listed below.

Clinic NamePhoneAddressLocationBooking Details
Akaroa Health Centre03 304 70042 Aylmers Valley RoadAkaroaVaccinating enrolled patients only
Amberley Medical Centre03 314 85046 Hilton Drive, Amberley 7410HurunuiPhone to book
Amuri Community Health Centre03 315 632840 Wilkin Street, RotherhamHurunuiVaccinating enrolled patients only
Bargain Chemist Tower Junction0800 28 29 26Tower Junction Shopping Complex, 66 Clarence Street, ChristchurchChristchurchBookMyVaccine.nz
Casebrook Surgery03 359 45491/118A Claridges Road, CasebrookChristchurchVaccinating enrolled patients only
Cashmere Health03 332 135191 Centaurus Road, CashmereChristchurchVaccinating enrolled patients only
Cheviot Community Health Centre03 319 86306 Robinson Street, CheviotHurunuiVaccinating enrolled patients only
Countdown Pharmacy Ferrymead03 384 1279999 Ferry RoadChristchurchPhone to book
Durham Health03 313 465915 Durham Street, RangioraWaimakaririVaccinating enrolled patients only. Phone to book
Eastfield Health03 308 1212135 Tancred Street, AshburtonAshburtonPhone to book
Hanmer Springs Health Centre03 315 750359 Jacks Pass Road, Hanmer SpringsHurunuiVaccinating enrolled patients only
Hardings Chemist and Post0800 28 29 26135 Colombo Street, SydenhamChristchurchBookMyVaccine.nz
Kaikōura Healthcare03 319 350125 Deal Street, KaikōuraKaikōuraPhone to book
Kendal Medical Centre03 358 826666 Kendal Avenue, BurnsideChristchurchVaccinating enrolled patients only
Kiwi Pharmacy Highsted03 244 03882/118A Claridges Road, CasebrookChristchurchWalk-ins welcome
Life Pharmacy Ashburton0800 28 29 26262 East Street, AshburtonAshburtonBookMyVaccine.nz
Life Pharmacy Rangiora0800 28 29 26172-176 High Street, RangioraWaimakaririBookMyVaccine.nz
Lyttelton Pharmacy & Post Centre0800 28 29 2619 London Street, LytteltonChristchurchBookMyVaccine.nz
Main North Road Medical03 352 6152102 Main North Road, PapanuiChristchurchVaccinating enrolled patients only
Ngā Hau e Whā Marae0800 28 29 26250 Pages Road, WainoniChristchurchBookMyVaccine.nz
Oxford Community Health Centre03 312 419539 Park Avenue, OxfordWaimakaririVaccinating enrolled patients only
Pharmacy Xtra 0800 28 29 26 Cnr Madras Street & Moorhouse Ave Christchurch BookMyVaccine.nz
Shirley Medical Centre03 385 314911 Marshland Road, ShirleyChristchurchVaccinating enrolled patients only. Phone to book
The Christchurch Doctors03 599 9120124 Hereford StreetChristchurchVaccinating enrolled patients only
Unichem Bealey Ave0800 28 29 26212 Bealey Ave, ChristchurchChristchurchBookMyVaccine.nz
Unichem Brighton Village Pharmacy0800 28 29 26183 Shaw Avenue, New BrightonChristchurchBookMyVaccine.nz
Unichem Crisps Pharmacy0800 28 29 26283 Wairakei Road, BryndwrChristchurchBookMyVaccine.nz
Unichem Medical Corner Pharmacy0800 28 29 26237 High Street, RangioraWaimakaririBookMyVaccine.nz
Unichem Rolleston Central Pharmacy0800 28 29 269 Masefield Drive, RollestonSelwynBookMyVaccine.nz
Unichem Wigram Pharmacy0800 28 29 26102 The Runway, WigramChristchurchBookMyVaccine.nz
Village Health Lincoln Road0800 28 29 2630 Lincoln Road, HillmortonChristchurchBookMyVaccine.nz
Waikari Health Centre03 314 4506100 Prince Street, WaikariHurunuiVaccinating enrolled patients only

Last updated: 11 January 2023

Clinics for West Coast

Check if your local Vaccinations clinic offers COVID-19 immunisations for children. 

Find a clinic on the West Coast delivering immunisations for children aged 5 to 11

FAQs

Why should tamariki aged 5-11 get vaccinated? 

Getting immunised against COVID-19 provides an extra layer of protection for tamariki.  

Immunisation is an important way we keep tamariki safe, like being sun smart or wearing a seatbelt. It protects your tamariki from many serious diseases and minimises disease spreading within your whānau and the community.

Is it safe for tamariki  to get the COVID-19 immunisation?   

The Pfizer vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds has been through clinical trials. In general, the side effects that were reported were mild, didn’t last long, and were similar to side effects from other routine vaccines.

The vaccine is recommended for tamariki with food allergies. Unlike some other vaccines, there is no food, gelatin or latex in the Pfizer vaccine.

The only reason that someone may not be able to have this vaccine due to allergy is if they have had a severe allergic response (anaphylaxis) to a previous dose of the Pfizer vaccine or an ingredient in the vaccine. The child (paediatric) Pfizer vaccine has gone through the same rigorous approval process as other routine childhood vaccines. No clinical trials were skipped and no corners were cut in the testing of its safety.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Medsafe has granted provisional approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years old. Medsafe only grants approval for a vaccine or medicine once it is satisfied that it has met internationally-agreed criteria for quality, safety and efficacy.

Cabinet has approved the decision to use the paediatric vaccine for this cohort following advice from the Ministry of Health with guidance from the COVID-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group (CV TAG).  A group of New Zealand paediatricians including leading Māori and Pacific clinicians were consulted by CV-TAG to prepare this guidance.

The FDA in the United States and the TGA in Australia have also granted provisional approval or emergency use authorisation for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5 to 11 year olds. 

Is there a difference in how the vaccine is administered for tamariki? 

The vaccine used for tamariki is a lower dose and smaller volume. Tamariki aged 5-11 will receive about a third of the dose offered to those 12 and older – 10 micrograms compared to the 30 micrograms that adults and teens receive. 

Tamariki need two doses of the vaccine to be fully protected. It is recommended that these are given at least 8 weeks apart. The interval can be shortened to a minimum of 21 days if needed, for example if your child is starting significant immunosuppression treatment.

The smaller dose is given with smaller needles to make it easier for vaccinators to administer the vaccine to younger kids. 

Preparing your tamariki for vaccination

  1. Provide encouragement to help your tamariki feel relaxed
  2. Make sure they have had something to eat and drink
  3. Check they’re wearing clothes that make it easy to see and access their upper arm.

If they’re a little nervous, they’re welcome to take something to the appointment that will distract them, like a soft toy.

If your tamariki have had previous reactions to immunisations, let your vaccinator know, speak to your whānau doctor prior to the appointment, or talk to a trained advisor on the COVID Vaccination Healthline – 0800 28 29 26.

Consent

A parent, caregiver or legal guardian will need to accompany your child to their appointment(s) as the responsible adult and provide consent for them to be immunised.

Side effects

As with any immunisation, your child is likely to have a sore arm and get redness, pain or swelling at the injection site. Other reactions that can occur, usually within one or two days, include:

  • headache
  • a fever (feeling hot)
  • nausea (feeling sick), vomiting, diarrhoea
  • fatigue
  • general discomfort (feeling unwell, aches and pains).

These are common and show that the vaccine is working. Encouraging rest and offering plenty of fluids will help.

Severe reactions to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are very rare and usually occur straight away after the vaccination. For this reason, you and your child will be put in an observation area for monitoring by clinical staff to ensure they receive any medical treatment if this occurs.

Signs of severe allergic reaction can include:

  • difficulty breathing 
  • swelling of the face and throat
  • a fast heartbeat 
  • a bad rash all over the body 
  • dizziness and weakness

If you notice your child experiencing any of these symptoms let clinical staff know immediately. If you are not at a vaccination site call 111.

Myocarditis and pericarditis are very rare but serious side effects of the Pfizer vaccine. In the clinical trials no cases were seen in children aged 5 to 11 years old, however it is important to be aware of the symptoms for all ages who are vaccinated. If your child has any of the following symptoms in the days or weeks after being vaccinated, get medical help right away. 

Symptoms of Myocarditis and Pericarditis:

  • discomfort, heaviness, tightness or pain in their chest
  • difficulty breathing
  • feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart
  • feeling faint, light-headed or dizzy

Tamariki with disabilities

The disability team is available Monday to Friday, from 8am to 8pm. They will support your whānau and can book an immunisation appointment for you. They can answer any questions you may have about your child’s needs including accessibility, free transport options, or any effects the vaccine may have on your child.

More information

For more information and links to research, visit health.govt.nz/CovidVaccineKids, Karawhiua, Ministry for Pacific Peoples and https://covid19.govt.nz/

Have questions about the vaccine? Talk to a trained advisor on the COVID Vaccination Healthline – 0800 28 29 26 – between 8am–8pm, 7 days a week.