In Budget 2024, we were provided funding for the major spending decision, COVID-19 and Pandemic Preparedness – Maintaining Essential Health Services and Critical Surveillance Infrastructure.
On 20 December 2024, we announced our intention to report on this major spending decision through our Annual Report and on this website, with updates twice a year. We will post results here so you can track the progress on the decision.
Funding provided
$232.152 million over 4 years to support COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness activities
This initiative aims to:
- deliver COVID-19 vaccines, including contribution for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and processing services
- maintain critical surveillance infrastructure.
It supports a preventative approach to COVID-19 and ongoing critical surveillance infrastructure to support pandemic preparedness activities. The expected outcomes of the initiative are continued, timely access to COVID-19 vaccines, based on current eligibility criteria,* and the maintenance of critical surveillance infrastructure to respond to pandemic outbreaks.
* All people aged 30 years and over can receive additional doses. People aged 16 to 29 years can receive an additional dose, with further doses available for those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID 19. [See: COVID-19 vaccine additional doses - Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora]
What is being delivered
$232.152 million in total funding over 4 years
To support the ongoing delivery of COVID-19 vaccines as New Zealand continues to scale down its COVID-related activities, while also maintaining critical pandemic surveillance infrastructure to ensure the ability to identify a range of potential communicable disease outbreaks.
This breaks down to:
- $193.912 million over 4 years ($50.558 million this year)
To support the operational delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, including contribution for PCR testing and processing services, which are the responsibility of Health New Zealand. - $38.240 million over 4 years ($9.560 million this year)
To maintain critical surveillance infrastructure, including wastewater testing and whole genome sequencing, delivered by the Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science Limited (PHF Science), formerly known as the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR).
This includes- wastewater surveillance services,
- genomic sequencing services,
- microbiology laboratory services,
- epidemiological and public health surveillance services,
- data and intelligence services.
Progress on this initiative
COVID-19 vaccine administered
We will report here on the COVID-19 vaccine administered between specific dates as part of this decision.
Measure: Number of COVID-19 vaccination dose[s] (both primary and subsequent doses) delivered, in the relevant reporting period.
Result: Table 1 shows the COVID-19 vaccine delivery results.
Tables 1A & 1B: COVID-19 vaccine doses administered
| COVID-19 vaccine doses | Baseline 2023/24 | Year 1 progress – 6 months to 31 Dec 2024 | Year 1 progress – 12 months to 30 Jun 2025 | Year 2 progress – 6 months to 31 December 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doses administered | 741,629 | 181,348 | 581,742 | 134,283 |
The baseline data COVID-19 vaccine administered during FY 2023/24 is included in the Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Annual Report 2023/24.
| Number of people vaccinated | Coverage rate | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline 2023/24 | Year 1 progress – 6 months to 31 Dec 2024 | Year 1 progress – 12 months to 30 Jun 2025 | Year 2 progress – 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2025 | Baseline using people vaccinated 2023/24^ | Year 1 progress – using people vaccinated 6 months to 31 Dec 2024# | Year 1 progress – using people vaccinated 12 months to 30 Jun 2025 | Year 2 progress – using people vaccinated 6 months to 31 December 2025 | |
| Total | 627,821 | 180,841 | 484,577 | 133,882 | 12.16% | 3.46% | 9.16% | 2.51% |
^Coverage at baseline using people vaccinated 2023/24 = People vaccinated baseline 2023/24 x 100 ÷ Population baseline 30 June 2024
#Coverage using people vaccinated 2024/25 = People vaccinated 1 July to 31 December 2024 x 100 ÷ Population 31 December 2024
Health New Zealand data disclosures (COVID-19 vaccine data in Table 1 and Tables 4 and 5 (below))
Data is sourced from the Aotearoa Immunisation Register (AIR) and may be subject to any data quality issues still to be resolved in AIR, which includes, but is not limited to:
- incorrect vaccination event dates
- miscoding of vaccination given
- miscoding of person to vaccination event.
Note that these data quality issues are largely attributed to the fact that many fields within AIR are free text and are therefore prone to data entry errors.
- The ‘doses administered’ data includes only doses administered in New Zealand. In contrast, the 'person view' data includes all individuals who received a vaccination, regardless of whether it was administered in New Zealand or overseas.
- Duplicate immunisation events (multiple COVID-19 immunisations administered on the same day) have been removed.
- ‘People vaccinated’ is defined for this product as people who have received at least one vaccination in the relevant time period. This is not the standard way Health New Zealand reports COVID-19 coverage, which defines someone as fully vaccinated if they have completed their primary course of vaccination at any time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The coverage data (people vaccinated) is calculated from all completed COVID-19 immunisation events (ie, immunisations administered both in New Zealand and overseas). This means that it is possible for doses administered to be lower than people vaccinated. Coverage has been calculated by dividing the ‘number of people vaccinated’ by the population denominator (number of eligible people in the AIR).
- Data for children under five years of age are not included, as the vast majority are not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination.
- A person’s age is calculated as at the end of each respective time period.
- Prioritised Ethnicity (MPAO) is used.
- The population denominator has been forecasted by applying a linear regression model to the AIR population data from the start of March 2024 to the end of December 2025 (ie, by extrapolating the linear trend). Coverage has then been calculated by dividing the projected number of people vaccinated by the projected population denominator.
PCR tests for COVID-19
We report here on the number of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for COVID-19 taken and processed through Health New Zealand laboratory networks.
Baseline data: 338,886 PCR tests were taken and processed through Health New Zealand laboratory networks (1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024). Footnote 1
Measure: Number of PCR tests for COVID-19 taken and processed through Health New Zealand laboratory networks (in the relevant reporting period).
Result: Table 2 outlines the PCR tests undertaken.
| Baseline 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 | Year 1 progress – 6 months to 31 Dec 2024 | Year 1 progress – 12 months to 30 June 2025 | Year 2 progress – 6 months to 31 Dec 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of PCR tests | 338,886 | 120,957 | 179,858 | 89,977 |
Footnote 1. Baseline data is included in the Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Annual Report 2023/24 with caveats relating to changes in funding and policy settings, which will impact on expected delivery volumes and comparability year on year.
Value for money - deliver COVID-19 vaccines
COVID-19 vaccinations are highly effective at reducing the risk of hospitalisation and death. Recent data suggests that COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of hospitalisation by over 80% in the first month, and by 50–70% after 4–6 months, compared to not being vaccinated. They also reduce the risk of death by approximately 75%.
This effectiveness translates into considerable cost reduction for the health system and can substantially reduce hospital burden during the winter season or summer waves of COVID-19. In New Zealand, the cost of one night in hospital is about $1,200, with the average stay lasting 3–4 days. In contrast, a booster dose costs around $30-40.
Surveillance infrastructure in place to support pandemic preparedness efforts for future outbreaks
As part of maintaining basic surveillance infrastructure through funding to the New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science Limited (PHF Science), we report here on wastewater epidemiology services.
Wastewater Epidemiology services
Measure: PHF Science has sampled, analysed, and reported pathogen genome levels in a minimum of six wastewater sites each week
| Year 1 progress – 6 months to 31 Dec 2024 | Year 1 progress – 12 months to 30 June 2025 | Year 2 progress – 6 months to 31 Dec 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Achieved | Achieved | Achieved |
PHF Science analyses wastewater samples each week from 11 sites to check for COVID‑19 and detect any variants. The results, including virus levels and variant information, are published on a public dashboard. You can view the data on the Wastewater Surveillance dashboard – PHF Science NZ
Six sentinel sites are tested monthly for poliovirus. PHF Science has been able to confirm that there is no evidence of community transmission of poliovirus and continues to monitor.
From October to December 2025, a pilot study was run to see whether wastewater testing could help identify measles activity. Measles virus was detected in wastewater in areas only where cases were known.
Value for money – maintain critical surveillance infrastructure
Funding from Budget 2024 enables PHF Science to enhance its surveillance systems for New Zealand, which are critical components of the country’s public health infrastructure. This investment strengthens the country’s ability to detect and respond to infectious disease threats by:
- contributing to the ongoing improvement of data systems for New Zealand
- expanding the range of laboratory testing capabilities
- developing core surveillance infrastructure to ensure timely and accurate public health intelligence.
PHF Science’s surveillance system uses data from laboratories, public health teams, and environmental monitoring to detect and track disease trends in real time. This supports early identification of public health threats, enables appropriate public health responses, and provides evidence to inform public health policy and strategies.
This investment also supports a One Health approach, recognising the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. By advancing both clinical and pathogen surveillance systems, this strengthens essential foundations for cross‑sector surveillance of infectious diseases. PHF Science works closely with the Ministry for Primary Industries, contributing to animal disease surveillance and biosecurity efforts. This collaboration is critical for preparing and responding to zoonotic threats such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, where early detection in animal populations can prevent wider public health impacts.
Investments in modern laboratory technologies (such as wastewater testing and genomic sequencing) and population-level surveillance systems, allow outbreaks to be detected earlier, understood more clearly, and managed more effectively. These improvements support day-to-day public health decision-making and strengthen New Zealand’s preparedness for future pandemics, helping to protect communities and save lives.
End-of-year 2025 reporting update
During the 2025 measles outbreak, PHF Science supported the national response with public health intelligence, technical advice, and specialist laboratory and data services in partnership with other agencies. This included ongoing support for the Notifiable Disease Management System, a critical operational tool that enabled timely, proportionate, and effective case management during the outbreak and is being developed further to support responses to other infectious diseases of public health concern.
PHF Science has also continued to strengthen New Zealand’s pandemic preparedness by expanding wastewater surveillance for additional infectious diseases and piloted wastewater testing for measles in late 2025 to assess its value for public health surveillance and response. PHF Science has also broadened its genomic sequencing capability to include measles virus and rapid sequencing of influenza A, delivering high-quality, timely data to inform outbreak responses, detect emerging threats, and enhance national infectious disease surveillance.
Previous performance measures
We have streamlined our performance reporting for this major spending decision from Budget 2024 to align with the Public Benefit Entity Financial Reporting Standard (PBE FRS 48) issued by the External Reporting Board, ensuring reporting is meaningful and appropriate. The performance measures above reflect the major purpose of the investment.
For transparency, previous performance measures that we no longer report on are shown below.
COVID-19 vaccine administered
Tables 4A and 4B: COVID-19 vaccine administered, by age
| Age (years) | COVID-19 doses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline 2023/24 | Year 1 progress – 6 months to 31 Dec 2024 | Year 1 progress – 12 months to 30 Jun 2025 | |
| 5–11 | 2,399 | 346 | 658 |
| 12–17 | 2,510 | 649 | 1365 |
| 18–34 | 29,692 | 7,236 | 20,054 |
| 35–49 | 75,527 | 15,606 | 51,347 |
| 50–64 | 168,538 | 38,085 | 117,835 |
| 65+ | 462,963 | 119,426 | 390,483 |
| TOTAL | 741,629 | 181,348 | 581,742 |
The baseline data COVID-19 vaccine administered during FY 2023/24 is included in the Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Annual Report 2023/24.
| Age (years) | People vaccinated | Population | Coverage | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline 2023/24 | Year 1 progress – 6 months to 31 Dec 2024 | Year 1 progress – 12 months to 30 Jun 2025 | Baseline 30 Jun 2024 | Baseline 31 Dec 2024 | Baseline 30 Jun 2025 | Baseline using people vaccinated 2023/24^ | Year 1 progress – using people vaccinated 6 months to 31 Dec 2024# | Year 1 progress – using people vaccinated 12 months to 30 Jun 2025 | |
| 5–11 | 2,039 | 343 | 660 | 491,627 | 492,575 | 494,772 | 0.41% | 0.07% | 0.13% |
| 12–17 | 2,544 | 649 | 1,341 | 463,657 | 471,258 | 474,646 | 0.55% | 0.14% | 0.28% |
| 18–34 | 28,593 | 7,249 | 18,886 | 1,358,153 | 1,362,825 | 1,371,845 | 2.11% | 0.53% | 1.38% |
| 35–49 | 69,088 | 15,589 | 46,235 | 1,029,259 | 1,054,974 | 1,085,522 | 6.71% | 1.48% | 4.26% |
| 50–64 | 149,552 | 37,999 | 102,207 | 929,788 | 932,784 | 937,225 | 16.08% | 4.07% | 10.91% |
| 65+ | 376,005 | 119,012 | 315,248 | 889,704 | 906,495 | 925,429 | 42.26% | 13.13% | 34.07% |
| TOTAL | 627,821 | 180,841 | 484,577 | 5,162,188 | 5,220,911 | 5,289,439 | 12.16% | 3.46% | 9.16% |
^Coverage at baseline using people vaccinated 2023/24 = People vaccinated baseline 2023/24 x 100 ÷ Population baseline 30 June 2024
#Coverage using people vaccinated 2024/25 = People vaccinated 1 July to 31 December 2024 x 100 ÷ Population 31 December 2024
Table 5: COVID-19 vaccine administered, by ethnicity
Ethnicity | People vaccinated | Population | Coverage (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
Māori | 29,449 | 807,158 | 3.65% |
Pacific Peoples | 9,229 | 427,454 | 2.16% |
Asian | 30,438 | 958,268 | 3.18% |
Other | 415,461 | 3,096,559 | 13.42% |
Total | 484,577 | 5,289,439 | 9.16% |
Surveillance infrastructure in place to support pandemic preparedness efforts for future outbreaks
In addition to Wastewater Epidemiology services, we reported on four services for maintaining basic surveillance infrastructure through funding to the New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science Limited (PHF Science).
a. Genomic Sequencing services
PHF Science has performed and reported >100 genomic sequences per month, in accordance with pathogens of public health interest.
| Year 1 progress – 6 months to 31 December 2024 | Year 1 progress – 12 months to 30 June 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Result | Achieved | Achieved |
For the period July 2024 to June 2025, PHF Science sequenced an average of 799.5 microbial genomes per month. This included 490 bacterial genomics, 309 COVID-19 genomes, and 0.5 Candida auris genomes.
b. Microbiological services
Provide specialist microbiologist reference testing services as required by the wider laboratory network and public health system. We will report on the achievement of this capability.
| Year 1 progress – 6 months to 31 December 2024 | Year 1 progress – 12 months to 30 June 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Result | Achieved | Achieved |
PHF Science has provided support in a range of outbreak resistant pathogens in multiple regions and has identified a range of uncommon organisms through surveillance and monitoring, enabling notification of Microbiology and Public Health Units.
c. Epidemiological and Public health surveillance services
Provide specialist epidemiologist and public health surveillance services as required by the wider public health system. We will report on the achievement of this capability.
| Year 1 progress – 6 months to 31 December 2024 | Year 1 progress – 12 months to 30 June 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Result | Achieved | Achieved |
PHF Science has provided specialist epidemiological and public health surveillance services through delivery of surveillance reports, provision of technical leadership, advice and support for the sector including in relation to foodborne illness outbreaks, an investigation into locally acquired Hepatitis A cases, a national pertussis epidemic, the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza preparedness programme, updated rheumatic fever guidelines and mpox clade I preparedness.
d. Data and Intelligence services
Provide specialist data and intelligence services as required by the wider laboratory network and public health system. We will report on the achievement of this capability.
| Year 1 progress – 6 months to 31 December 2024 | Year 1 progress – 12 months to 30 June 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Result | Achieved | Achieved |
PHF Science supports the system to monitor communicable diseases, including outbreaks. PHF Science is also supporting health agencies on development and enhancement of surveillance and disease notification platforms, as well as modernising internal systems.
