A vaccine to treat a gastric bug that hospitalises up to 1200 children a year is to be publicly funded from July.
It is one of several changes to the National Immunisation Schedule that have been confirmed on Tuesday
Pharmac says it will fund a new vaccine to treat rotavirus, which causes illness and diarrhoea that can hospitalise children and prove fatal.
A varicella or chickenpox vaccine will also be funded for the most at-risk patients, such as children with reduced immune systems, and for those in direct contact with them.
Improved versions of the current pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccines will also be funded and access by children with weakened immune systems to booster vaccines is to be expanded.
