Jan Tinetti Labour MP

So I'm getting ready to roll my sleeve up this Sunday to receive my first Covid vaccination, and I'm looking forward to it.

Why? Because I'm a proud New Zealander, proud of what we, the team of five million, have done so far to keep our country Covid free and proud to be able to contribute to keeping my family and fellow citizens safe now and in the future.

Vaccines will not only keep us safe, they will also provide an extra layer of protection against lockdowns, supporting our economy and local businesses. Our rollout is ramping up. More than two million doses have now been administered, and more than 800,000 people are fully vaccinated.

Everyone in New Zealand aged 16 and over will have the opportunity to book their vaccination by the end of the year.

Last week the government set out its plan to reconnect New Zealand to the world when it is safe to do so, to safely re-open our borders and drive our economy forward, while sticking with the stamp-it-out strategy that has led our strong Covid response so far.

Once everyone in New Zealand has had the opportunity to be vaccinated, and we are confident we have vaccine coverage across key populations and good regional spread, we will be able to start the next step: a phased approach to the reopening of the border.

So when you get the text that tells you it is your turn to get vaccinated, please do the right thing for yourself, your family and for New Zealand and ring the free phone line on: 0800 28 29 26 or book online using Book My Vaccine.