National Party leader Judith Collins says she's happy to receive her COVID-19 vaccine next to the Prime Minister, but she hasn't been invited yet.
Jacinda Ardern confirmed on Tuesday she will receive her first vaccine jab by the end of June. She also said the Government will lay out its plan for the vaccine's mass roll-out next week, with a shipment of one million doses of the Pfizer vaccine due to arrive in July.
Collins told Stuff she's eager to have the vaccine, given it's safe, and would be happy to receive it alongside Ardern - but she hasn't been invited to make an appointment.
"I have offered to take it. I have not been invited ... I'm happy to take any time anyone wants. Given that there is a certain concern that some people have about the vaccine, I'm very happy to show solidarity and to take the vaccine," she told the outlet.
"I'm happy to do it if [Ardern] wanted some company or she wants to make it a cross-party thing, that's fine ... happy to help in any way."
Ardern was asked on Tuesday if she would get her COVID-19 vaccine alongside Collins to show political unity, but she said while it should be offered to other political leaders at roughly the same time, she doesn't want to pressure other parties into "needing to sit alongside anyone else while being vaccinated".
After Pfizer delivers approximately one million doses of the vaccine in July, it will bring the total number New Zealand has received to more than 1.9 million - enough to fully vaccinate almost 1 million Kiwis. Ardern said the doses will likely arrive near the end of July, and DHBs won't run out before then.
Collins says with this latest delivery confirmed, she wants the Government to stick to its goals for the roll-out, but adds she "just can't see it happening".
"I want the Government to actually come up with a plan that they will stick to and that will have New Zealanders properly vaccinated by the start of next year."
COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said on Tuesday the country is on track to meet its vaccination targets.
"We have vaccinated more people than we had planned for at this point in time and more than 6800 vaccinators have completed the necessary training to administer the Pfizer vaccine," he said.
So far, 775,444 Pfizer vaccine doses have been administered - 498,670 first doses and 276,774 second doses.
