Once you have decided you want the COVID-19 vaccine, and wondering where you can get yourself and also your teenagers and tweens (aged 12 to 15 years old) vaccinated before you go back to work and they go back to school? Find out how to book on the governments Book My Vaccine website and which Pharmacies, Health Centres and GP Practices you can book with directly in Auckland. 

The first place of call should be the Book My Vaccine website where currently anyone aged 30+ and their children (12 to 15 years) can book a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination now.  We recommend you look at a few local options offered on the Book My Vaccine website as the wait time can vary by three or more weeks depending on which place you choose to book your vaccination.

We had the experience of having our Book My Vaccine appointment being cancelled the evening before we were scheduled to go to the Vaccination Centre. Rather than rebooking and starting the three week wait for an appointment all over again on the Book My Vaccine website, we decided to see if any other local chemists and health centres in Auckland were offering walk-in or appointments for the COVID-19 vaccination.

We were able to vaccinated on the same day at an Auckland Chemist that was offering a vaccination service for appointments and walk-ins. On the day we visited the people who had appointments were taken at their scheduled times, but if you were happy to wait an hour on the day we visited, then you were able to get vaccinated on the same day.  Given these appointments are not available on the Book My Vaccine website, and our booking had been cancelled it’s not jumping the queue and helps to ensure that more Aucklanders are vaccinated as soon as possible. It also means adults and their vaccinated children will have two weeks for the Pfizer vaccine to start offering some protection before they all head back to school and work.

Some of you will be lucky as your local Doctor’s Practice where you are an enrolled patient may also be offering COVID-19 vaccinations and send you an invitation to book. Unfortunately this vaccination service was not available at our local medical centre where we are enrolled so we did not have this as an option. 

We understand that not everyone is able to be vaccinated or wants to be vaccinated.

The COVID-19 vaccination is FREE for everyone in New Zealand aged 12 years and older. Remember to wear a mask and if you are trying to get a walk-in slot then also  take your NHI number with you.

Who is eligible to book a COVID-19 vaccine in New Zealand as at 25 August 2021?

• Anyone aged 30+, regardless of what group they fall into.

• Young people aged 12–15 years are eligible to book an appointment to be vaccinated when their parent or caregiver becomes eligible.

• Group 3 which includes people who are at risk of getting very sick from COVID. This includes but is not limited to: Disabled people and their carers, Pregnant women, People diagnosed with severely mental illness, People eligible for the publicly funded influenza vaccine. People who are severely obese and people with high blood pressure requiring 2 or more medications for control.

• Group 2 which now also includes essential workers who work in: Supermarkets, Dairies, Petrol Stations, Public Transport Services, Licensing Trusts, Pharmacies, Food Banks, Self-service laundries, Hardware and DIY stores, Halls of residence and boarding schools, Accommodation services where residents share facilities and Social and Community based services.

• Group 1 which includes border and managed isolation and quarantine MIQ workers and the people they live with.

People in Group 4 aged 16 to 29 years old are not be able to book a vaccine in New Zealand until Wednesday 1 September 2021.