9.3. Immunisation Te kano ārai mate
9.3. Immunisation | Te kano ārai mate
Figure 131 shows trends in infant immunisation coverage in New Zealand from 2010 to September 2025, measured at key 'milestone' ages in the National Immunisation Schedule. It shows how the proportion of children who are fully immunised on time has changed over this period: rising and then plateauing in the 2010s, falling across all milestone ages from 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and only beginning to recover again in 2025. Infant immunisation coverage across all milestones remains well below 2020 rates.
Figure 131: Immunisation coverage of infants at milestone ages in New Zealand
Percentage of infants fully immunised at milestone ages, January 2010 to September 2025
Source: October 2023 – September 2025: Health New Zealand I Te Whatu Ora, https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/health-services-and-programmes/vaccine-information/immunisation-coverage; January 2010 – September 2023, Immunisation Advisory Centre, https://www.immune.org.nz/immunisation/immunisation-coverage
Notes: Coverage at the 18-month milestone was affected by the MMR schedule change in 2020. It was recommended that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine doses be given at 12 and 15 months rather than 18 months and 4 years, to enable children to be protected as early as possible. This change meant that some children appeared to be overdue in practice management systems when they had not yet had an opportunity to be immunised, and that immunisation coverage became difficult to compare to other points in time.
Figure 132 shows trends in immunisation coverage at six months of age in New Zealand from 2010 to September 2025, broken down by ethnicity. It shows the overall decline since 2020 in on-time infant immunisation, with minor recovery in 2025. The Figure highlights persistent gaps in coverage between children of different ethnicities.
Figure 132: Immunisation coverage at six months of age in New Zealand, by ethnicity
Percentage of infants fully immunised at six months of age, January 2010 to September 2025
Source: October 2023 – September 2025: Health New Zealand I Te Whatu Ora, https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/health-services-and-programmes/vaccine-information/immunisation-coverage; January 2010 – September 2023: Immunisation Advisory Centre, https://www.immune.org.nz/immunisation/immunisation-coverage