By getting a COVID-19 vaccine, you significantly reduce your risk of severe illness from COVID-19. The latest COVID-19 vaccination strain is now available at Life Pharmacy, and it is designed to protect against current variants.

Having a COVID-19 vaccine means you are not only protecting yourself against serious illness, but you also help protect your loved ones and other vulnerable people in your community.

Anyone aged 5 and over can get a free COVID-19 vaccine. If you are aged 16 - 29 years of age, you can get one COVID-19 additional dose to keep your protection up to date. Those that are 30 years and over are recommended to have additional doses every 6 months or 6 months after your last COVID-19 illness.

The COVID-19 vaccination stimulates your body to make the antibodies that will fight the virus. That way, if you are infected with COVID-19, your body already knows how to respond. An updated COVID-19 additional dose is released each season to protect against the latest variants of COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccines have been extremely well-studied and researched – read more about them at Health NZ. Hundreds of millions of people have received a COVID-19 vaccination.

The Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccines available in New Zealand do not use a live virus, so cannot cause infection with COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine does not contain any animal products.

It's normal to experience some mild side effects after getting your COVID-19 vaccine. This is a sign that your body is building protection against the virus. Side effects of COVID-19 vaccine injections usually start within a day or two of the administration and go away within a few days.

Common side effects of COVID-19 vaccine injections include:

• Pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site
• Feeling tired or fatigued
• Headache
• Muscle aches or joint pains
• Chills
• Dizziness
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Nausea
• Fever

These side effects should not stop you from getting additional doses or going about your daily life. If you’re unsure about symptoms or have a health condition, it’s a good idea to chat with your pharmacist or GP before getting vaccinated.

COVID-19 is a serious illness that can led to hospitalisation and even death. It has caused the deaths of more than 4,500 New Zealanders since its prevalence in 2020. People that are at most at risk of severe illness are those with a weakened immune system or have high-risk medical conditions.

A 6 monthly COVID-19 additional dose is especially recommended for:

• People aged 65-plus.
• Māori and Pacific people aged 50-plus.
• Severely immunocompromised individuals.
• People aged 12-plus with high-risk medical conditions.

Many New Zealanders have already had their initial COVID-19 vaccination. You might want to get an additional dose, which gives you added protection against the most recent variants of the virus.

Not sure which vaccines you’ve had? You find your COVID-19 vaccine certificate information at My Health Record, which shows COVID-19 test and COVID-19 vaccine records. Alternatively, check with your doctor about your vaccine records.

You can book a COVID-19 vaccine online at your local Life Pharmacy today, or feel free to call and make an appointment. You can also walk in and make an appointment in person. Sometimes an appointment may be available immediately.

Don’t delay – get your COVID-19 vaccination or additional dose sorted today, so you and your loved ones are protected.