NZ Vaccine Facts

Learn about the COVID-19 pandemic, getting vaccinated, and what the future holds for Aotearoa New Zealand.

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About the series

In early 2020, a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) spread quickly around the world. It caused a serious disease called COVID-19, which has since killed over 4 million people.
 
To protect those we love, Aotearoa New Zealand went into lockdown. We also introduced Alert Levels, managed borders, contact tracing and started sanitising our hands and wearing face coverings to stay safe.
 
Getting vaccinated is the next step to gain more protection against the virus, which will lead to more certainty for the future. Find out more with NZ Vaccine Facts.

Watch all available episodes (external link)
Episode 01 NZ vaccine facts

Episode 1: COVID-19 and why vaccinations are important

Learn more about how Aotearoa New Zealand responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, and why getting vaccinated is an important step towards protection from the virus.

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Episode 2: What is a virus and how do vaccines work?

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. But what is a virus? And how do vaccines prepare you to fight off these ‘invaders’, so you are less likely to get sick if you catch it?

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Episode 02 NZ vaccine facts
Episode 03 NZ vax facts

Episode 3: What is an mRNA vaccine?

Vaccines can be made in different ways. For COVID-19, Aotearoa New Zealand chose to use a type of vaccine known as an mRNA vaccine, produced by Pfizer. But what is an mRNA vaccine?

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Episode 4: Do vaccines work when a virus changes?

It is natural for a virus to change and produce variations of itself. These are known as 'variants' and are all slightly different to the original virus. But will vaccines still work against them?

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Episode 04 NZ vaccine facts
Episode 05 NZ vaccine facts

Episode 5: Are vaccines safe?

Development of vaccines for COVID-19 was based on decades of research. The vaccines were produced quickly because testing was able to be streamlined. Before getting consent for use in Aotearoa New Zealand, vaccines must meet our strict standards for quality and safety.

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New episodes coming soon...

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