Medical practice starts child Covid-19 vaccine roll-out with family

A general practice in Blenheim has started its child vaccine roll-out with its own whānau, while the region's walk-in clinic has also seen an influx of children getting their Covid jab.

Covid-19 vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11 opened on Monday, after the Government approved the paediatric version of the Pfizer vaccine in December.

In Blenheim, Civic Family Health Care started their roll-out to children with family members who worked at the practice.

Among them was Nina, 9, and Guy Marfell, 7, whose mum Dr Emily Marfell is a general practitioner at the centre.

Civic Family Health Care business manager Andrea Cunniffe says all of their practice nurses are accredited to vaccinate children.

“We were pretty proactive about getting that done so that we were ready for today,” Andrea says.

“We knew that we had some staff that wanted their children vaccinated, so it was a good start to prepare us.”

She says there are eight children that will be vaccinated on Monday, ahead of a roll-out to their enrolled population on Wednesday.

“For our staff it’s really important, because they’re all vaccinated, and they want kids to be vaccinated, especially if they’re vulnerable kids with any underlying conditions, it’s extremely important to get them vaccinated.

“Our kids are vulnerable now, especially before school goes back. Covid in the community is coming, I’m surprised we haven't got more in the community now, but I think we’ll see more cases after the holiday period.

“It's just a matter of time, so we are prepping for it, and vaccinating our children as part of that.”

For under 12-year-olds the vaccine is specially formulated with a lower dose and a smaller volume of the vaccine adults are given.

Two doses will be given to children, with at least an eight-week gap between the first and second dose.

The interval to receive the second dose can be shortened to three weeks (21 days) if needed.

Nina says the vaccine went well, and she was not worried about getting the second one.

“It was scary to think about, but once it’s done it was fine,” she says.

“It only took about three seconds.”

Dr Marfell says they are “right on board” with getting their children vaccinated.

“We’re keen to follow the advice we're given, the sooner the better,” she says.

She expected and hoped other parents would take up the opportunity and get their children vaccinated.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for people.”

Meanwhile, Marlborough’s main vaccination centre on Henry St was also busy vaccinating children on Monday morning, Marlborough Primary Health primary care manager Sue Allen says.

“First thing this morning there were families coming in, which is lovely because that's what we want to target,” Sue says.

“So, if mum and dad need the booster, bring the kids as well.”

She says there was a bit of pressure yesterday morning, because children and adults need different doses, but it was expected, and it went “really well”.

“There’s always the early adopters, I think we’ll have quite a steady period, and then it will drop away and people will consider it, and become more informed and perhaps chat with a health professional before they make that decision [to get children vaccinated],” she says.

She says they assumed a lot of people would go to their general practice to get their children vaccinated, although larger families would probably prefer the availability of walking in to Henry St.

“There’s a lot of pharmacies willing to vaccinate children as well, so I think there will be lots of availability, and lots of options for people too,” she says.