The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has jumped its final approval hurdle and after being given the tick by ministers.

It's also been revealed it has only been approved for Kiwis over 16 and who aren't receiving other specific cancer treatments.

Pregnant women are advised to discuss the vaccines with their doctors but has been deemed suitable for lactating women.

And after getting the jab people will have to be observed for 30 minutes - like many other vaccines - and be aware there could be side effects like fever, muscle pain and fatigue.

Border workers like nurses, security staff, customs and border officials, airline staff and hotel workers and their households will be the first vaccinated when the first batch arrives by the end of March.

Hipkins will answer questions about which other -population groups will be prioritised at the 1pm press conference in the Beehive with health chief Ashley Bloomfield.

The Pfizer vaccine was approved by Medsafe last week and following that the Health Ministry gave relevant ministers "decision to use" advice.

Hipkins described the final government approval as a "crucial stage" and meant the Government could "start having a conversation with New Zealanders" about the vaccine roll-out.

Information campaigns will start next week which will address "natural questions".

All these steps can provide further assurances to the New Zealand public that this vaccine is safe to use," Hipkins said.

"While vaccination of our border and other frontline workers takes place, we will continue to receive advice from officials on the other vaccines in our portfolio. Medsafe is in regular conversations with AstraZeneca and Janssen and has begun engagement with Novavax. A similar rigorous approval process is being followed."

The vaccine has not been approved for children and rangatahi under 16-years-old because it wasn't trialled in that age group.

The Government said this decision could be reconsidered if more information became available.

And people receiving specific therapies should not receive the vaccine - those therapies are pembrolizumab (Keytruda), nivolumab (Opdivo), ipilimumab (Yervoy) and atezolizumab (Tecentriq).