Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today received her first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.
"Go for it," Ardern said when asked if she was ready.
She looked straight ahead as the needle went in.
"It's really true when they say it's actually pretty pain-free."
"I never wanted to be amongst the first, for me we needed to get those frontline workers, but I also need to be a role model and this demonstrates it's safe, it's effective and that it's really important everyone is vaccinated when they have the opportunity."
A Mihi Whakatau was held to welcome Ardern at the Manurewa marae, before she was vaccinated with the first Pfizer dose at Auckland's Manurewa Vaccination Centre.
The Prime Minister is set to receive her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on Manurewa Marae today.
"I'm very excited," she said prior to the vaccine, telling media they were a "bunch of reassuring faces".
"I'm smiling under the mask."
She follows some of her ministers including Chris Hipkins, Peeni Henare, Ayesha Verrall and Andrew Little, as well as other MPs from across the House, many of whom are now fully vaccinated.
"To be a part of what is the biggest vaccination event and the biggest health rollout in our nation's history, it's a really important milestone for me,"Ardern said.
Last week, Ardern said she chose to be vaccinated at this point after weighing up the need for those who were at more risk to be prioritised, such as border workers, and "in order to play my role" showing the public that the vaccine is "absolutely safe".
The Government revealed yesterday the general Covid-19 vaccine rollout would be split up into age cohorts from July, but mass vaccination events would be held in some areas.
A large shipment of the Pfizer vaccine was confirmed to arrive in July.
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