School based immunisation programme (Year 8)

By Sara Quelch | Posted: Monday February 2, 2026
Rangatahi (young people) in Year 8 are being offered two free immunisations at school as per the National Immunisation Schedule:

• Boostrix – a booster vaccine to help protect them against infection from tetanus, diphtheria and  whooping cough (pertussis).  

• Gardasil9 – a vaccine to help protect them against cancers caused by human papillomavirus  (HPV). Rangatahi (young people) require two HPV vaccinations over six months to be fully  

immunised. 

The immunisation programme will be delivered by the Public Health Nursing team for your area.  Consent forms will be provided to your school in the coming weeks for students to take home. Please  complete the consent form and return it to the school whether you consent or do not consent to the  immunisations.  

No student will be vaccinated at school unless they have a consent form signed by a parent or  legal guardian. 

These immunisations are also available through your GP/practice nurse, at no cost. Please phone them  to make an appointment should you prefer your child to be vaccinated at your GP. 

Further details about these immunisations can be found on the consent form but for additional  information please visit

info.health.nz/school-aged-children (Immunisations for school-aged tamariki - Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora) or contact your Public Health Nurse.  

Yours sincerely, 

Tash Richards 

School-Based Immunisation Programme Coordinator  

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