Mike Bain/cvnznews.com
New Zealand’s flu vaccination programme is set for a major expansion, with more than 260,000 children aged six months to five years becoming eligible for funded influenza vaccines from April 2027. The move follows Pharmac’s decision to widen access and update several of the country’s publicly funded vaccines.
Associate Minister of Health
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says the change is aimed at easing winter pressures on families, workplaces and the health system, which have faced increasingly severe flu seasons in recent years.
“Winter is a challenging period for many Kiwis,” Seymour said. “Strong flu strains have made it much more difficult. This decision will make next winter more manageable.”
Under the new settings, all children aged 6–59 months will be able to receive a funded flu vaccine — a significant shift from the current criteria, which limits funded access to older New Zealanders and those under 65 with specific health conditions.
Seymour says the expansion is a “practical investment in prevention” that will reduce illness, doctor visits and pressure on hospitals during peak winter months. Pharmac estimates 1.6 million New Zealanders will receive the newly funded vaccines in the first year.
The changes are part of a broader update to New Zealand’s immunisation schedule. From 2027, Pharmac will introduce newer influenza vaccines offering improved protection for older people, at‑risk groups, and now young children. Funded brands of the influenza, meningococcal ACWY and pneumococcal vaccines will also shift to updated versions.
Pharmac says public consultation showed strong support for widening access to innovative flu vaccines and strengthening protection against pneumococcal disease.
“These changes give more New Zealanders access to better protection against serious illness while ensuring public funding improves health outcomes,” Seymour said.
Zeroing in on the agency’s direction, Seymour added that the decision reflects “the culture we are building at Pharmac — funding the medicines Kiwis need, based on the feedback of Kiwis in need.”
The expanded flu vaccine programme will begin 1 April 2027.
