Northland's meningococcal B vaccine programme has kicked off without a hitch.
Northland's vaccination project started yesterday and aims to vaccinate about 11,000 Northland pre-schoolers by May next year.
Raumanga Medical Centre's Dr Ron Abraham said by mid morning 30 children had been vaccinated at his practice and he expected that number to
have doubled by the end of the day.
"These (parents) are the keen ones," he said.
However, some parents were putting off making their first appointment so the timing for the second injection would not interrupt their holidays.
Children need to receive three injections to gain protection from the disease and those vaccinated now will require their second injection over the Christmas/New Year period.
A new booking system and the appointment of an extra nurse meant demand for the vaccine had not caused too many problems.
"I'm very, very positive about the whole thing," Dr Abraham said.
Town Basin Medical Centre practice nurse Zoe Pothan said the launch of the vaccination campaign appeared to be running smoothly.
Six children were yesterday scheduled to get their first injection at the practice and a few tears had been shed. "They don't run away smiling (after the injection)."
Stickers and other resources given to the children helped ease the pain, she said.
Northland Health project manager Jacquie Westren spent the day visiting general practices in the region to ensure no major problems had arisen.
Community awareness programmes were in place to reach families that might not be aware that the vaccination programme was available, she said.
GPs would also contact parents before and after Christmas if they had not had their children vaccinated.
If the parents did not respond they would be placed in an out-reach programme where community health workers made contact with the families.
"I think it is going very well," Ms Westren said.
The preschoolers, aged from six months to five years, require three injections to get protection from the disease. There is a recommended six-week gap between each jab.
About 30,000 schoolchildren will be vaccinated in schools from the start of the second term in May next year.
