WELLINGTON: Retired and overseas-trained health professionals and the wider health workforce can now join New Zealand's expanding vaccinator workforce, the country's Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said on Friday. The government has changed Medicines Regulations to allow more health workers to be trained to give vaccinations to lend a hand as the country moves to the next phase of the biggest vaccination campaign in its history, Hipkins said in a statement. The government is calling on retired nurses, people who have been trained overseas but are not registered here, and those who work in the health system already in roles such as health care assistants to join the vaccinator team, the minister said. New Zealand will likely need between 6,000 and 6,500 people vaccinating in part or full-time roles, Hipkins said.
