Pharmac plans to extend funded flu vaccination to children aged 6 months to under 5 years from April 2027, incorporating new, more effective vaccine types and broadening protection ahead of the 2027 flu season.
Pharmac will extend funded flu vaccination to all children aged 6 months to under 5 years from April 2027, in a move expected to cover more than 260,000 children and broaden protection ahead of the 2027 flu season. The New Zealand medicines funder said the change is part of a wider overhaul of vaccine supply that will also bring in new brands for influenza, meningococcal ACWY and pneumococcal vaccines.
According to Pharmac, the new flu vaccines will include a cell-based product and an adjuvanted product, both intended to offer stronger protection than the egg-based vaccines currently funded. The agency said the change follows a competitive procurement process and public consultation held in May and June, with most feedback backing more effective vaccines and wider access for young children. Pharmac’s chief advisor, pharmaceuticals, Adrienne Martin, said the update would improve protection against serious illness for hundreds of thousands of people.
The current funded flu programme covers people aged 65 and over and people under 65 with health conditions that raise their risk of severe illness. Pharmac said the new arrangement will keep that access in place while adding young children to the schedule, and it will also widen access to a pneumococcal vaccine for people who have already had a serious infection. The agency said about 700 people a year are expected to qualify for that extra protection.
The Ministry of Health’s public health agency welcomed the move, saying immunisation remains one of the most effective ways to reduce severe illness, hospital admissions and the spread of infectious disease. Dr Andrew Old said New Zealanders should still consider vaccination this winter if they have not yet had a flu jab, as current cases remain high. Pharmac said the influenza changes take effect on 1 April 2027, while the other vaccine updates begin on 1 July 2027, and that it is working with Health New Zealand and the ministry on ways to lift vaccination rates in the meantime.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
