Timaru doctors and medical centre
Our Timaru doctors and nurses can help you with all of your health care needs.
We provide modern, convenient and continuous care.
Regular
Checkups
Men’s
Health
Women’s
Health
Sexual
Health
Family
Planning
Pregnancy
Care
Minor
Surgery
Travel
Medicine
Prescriptions
Immunisations
Referrals
Specialists
8:30AM to 5PM, Monday to Friday — (03) 688 6267 or (03) 687 2680
COVID-19 vaccine
We are now taking appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations at the practice. Book yours by calling us on (03) 688 6267 or (03) 687 2680.
When can I get a COVID-19 vaccine?
The New Zealand government has a plan to provide a free COVID-19 vaccine to protect everyone in New Zealand. People at greater risk will get the vaccine first.
If you’re 16 or over, answer these questions to find out when you can get a vaccine. Your result will tell you which group you’re probably in — Group 1, 2, 3, or 4 — depending on your age and situation.
These dates are estimates — the actual start times will depend on when vaccines are delivered. Changes may also happen if we get new information that affects how the rollout will work.
Where will I get my COVID-19 vaccine?
The New Zealand government is committed to putting in place the right systems and services, so it’s easy and convenient to get a COVID-19 vaccine. They will offer different options to make getting a vaccine as easy as possible. These include:
- pop-up centres
- GPs
- Māori and Pacific providers
- mobile clinics
- community clinics.
At this stage, we are unsure of the logistics of providing the COVID-19 vaccine at our clinic and it is likely you will receive your two doses at a pop-up centre.
How long will the COVID-19 vaccine's protection last?
Clinical trial data from the pharmaceutical company indicates that Comirnaty has been up to 95% effective in trial participants.
As with any vaccine, Comirnaty may not fully protect everyone who gets it. We don’t yet know how long you’ll be protected for, or if it will stop you from catching and passing on the virus.
The Ministry of Health is looking at data from other countries about the impact new strains may have on how effective the vaccines are.
The Pfizer vaccine will not give you COVID-19. There is also no possibility it could affect your DNA/genes.
Why did the COVID-19 vaccine get approved so fast?
In New Zealand, applications for all new medicines (including vaccines) are assessed by the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority (Medsafe).
Medsafe is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in New Zealand. They are part of the Ministry of Health.
Medsafe will only approve a vaccine for use in New Zealand once they are confident it complies with international standards and local requirements for quality, safety and efficacy.
There is no ‘emergency use authorisation’ in New Zealand.
As data to support the longer-term safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines is not yet available, any approvals are likely to be provisional. This means there may be restrictions on how the vaccine can be used and who it can be offered to.
If a vaccine is granted provisional approval, pharmaceutical companies must provide more information (from clinical trials, for example) as it becomes available.
What is in the COVID-19 vaccine?
The Pfizer vaccine is a mRNA-based (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccine.
Active ingredient
30µg of a nucleoside modified messenger RNA encoding the viral spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2
Fats
These ingredients make up the lipid nanoparticle which is the transport mechanism for the active ingredient to make it inside a cell without being broken down.
- 0.43 mg (4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate)
- 0.05 mg 2[(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide
- 0.09 mg 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphocholine
- 0.2 mg cholesterol
Salts
These ingredients help make sure the vaccine pH is close to that of human cells.
- 0.01 mg potassium chloride
- 0.01 mg monobasic potassium phosphate
- 0.36 mg sodium chloride
- 0.07 mg dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate
Sugar
This ingredient protects the lipid nanoparticle at very cold temperatures (-80 degrees celcius that the vaccine is stored at).
6 mg sucrose
Talk to our clinical team first if you:
- are pregnant or breastfeeding
- are receiving cancer treatment
- have any other medical conditions or are taking other medicines.
While we may not have all the answers to your questions, we are committed to helping you make an informed decision for your unique health situation.
Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe?
The safety of all medicines approved for use in New Zealand is checked by the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority (Medsafe).
Medsafe will continually review any COVID-19 vaccines being used and take appropriate action if any risks are identified.
Medsafe uses information from many different sources to check vaccine safety including:
- clinical and epidemiological studies
- case reports
- published literature
- pharmaceutical companies
- other regulatory authorities.
What are the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine?
Like all medicines, COVID-19 vaccines may cause side effects in some people. This is the body’s normal response and shows the vaccine is working.
The most common reported reactions are:
- pain at the injection site
- a headache
- feeling tired or fatigued
- muscle aches
- feeling generally unwell
- chills
- fever
- joint pain
- nausea.
These are usually mild and won’t stop you from having the second dose or going about your daily life.
Flu shots are available now
Flu is not a mild illness. It can keep you in bed for a week or more, preventing you from caring for others, going to work, doing sport, attending church or just about anything that requires leaving the house.
General Practitioner
Dr Bruce Small
General Practitioner
Dr Lik Loh
General Practitioner
Dr Teh Arpah Zakaria
General Practitioner
Dr Rob Hepburn
General Practitioner
Dr Pardeep Virdi
General Practitioner
Dr Martijn Phaff
General Practitioner
Dr Chris Katoanga
Nurse
Ellie
Nurse
Chris
Nurse
Ann
Nurse
Allison
Nurse
Wendy
Nurse
Jessica
Nurse
Becky
Practice Manager
Chris
Practice Administrator
Tash
Receptionist
Karen
Receptionist
Christa
Receptionist
Karen S
Receptionist
Judith
Receptionist
Aimee
Receptionist
Jan
Appointment fees
Exceptional Timaru doctor and nursing services. Affordable prices.
Registered Patients
Casual Patients
Registered Patients
All Patients
We ask for payment on the day. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the fees stated on this website are correct, our practice provides a wide range of services and additional charges may apply. Extra fees will apply for extended or long consultations. Please advise if you require a longer appointment time.
"Dr Small was wonderful. He is polite, very knowledgeable and has a caring personality. There is no mistaking that the team at Dee Street Primary Care (Timaru Doctors & Medical Centre) genuinely care about your health and well-being."
Patient, Dee Street Primary Care (Timaru Doctors & Medical Centre)
Find Us On Facebook
Dee Street Primary Care is on Facebook. And we’re sharing useful health information.
Need to see a Timaru
doctor or nurse?
8:30AM to 5PM, Monday to Friday — (03) 688 6267 or (03) 687 2680
Dee Street Primary Care will use different approaches and resources to achieve equitable outcomes for the people we serve.
ADDRESS
4A-6A Dee Street,
Timaru Central,
Timaru 7910
CONTACT
P: (03) 688 6267 or (03) 687 2680
F: (03) 688 6266
reception@primarycare.co.nz
HOURS
8:30 AM — 5 PM
Monday to Friday
EDI: paulkeys