News article
From today, anyone aged 18 and over who had their second vaccination at least four months ago can get their booster dose.
People can book an appointment with the COVID Vaccination Healthline team on 0800 28 29 26, or they can visit a walk-in vaccination site. More than 5,300 booster shots were administered yesterday (5,328).
From 17 January 2022, people can book boosters at BookMyVaccine.nz if it’s been four months since their second dose. Those who had their second dose at least 6 months ago, can book an appointment now through Book My Vaccine.
From January 17, children aged between 5-12 will be eligible for the vaccine, those aged 12 and over are already eligible.
Omicron update
We are today reporting 23 cases identified at the border. While whole genome sequencing of these cases is expected soon, the likelihood is that Omicron will continue to be the most prevalent variant at our borders.
This variant of COVID-19 continues to be having a significant impact globally, so it is not unexpected to see an increase of Omicron cases at the border.
COVID-19 vaccine update
- Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 3,975,922 first doses (94%); 3,858,117 second doses (92%); 29,250 third primary doses; 339,172 booster doses
- Vaccines administered yesterday: 403 first doses; 1,410 second doses; 20 third primary doses and 5,328 booster doses.
- Māori (percentage of eligible people): 500,775 first doses (88%); 462,658 second doses (81%)
- Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people): 271,497 first doses (95%); 259,634 second doses (91%)
Vaccination rates by DHB with active cases (percentage of eligible people)
- Northland DHB: First doses (89%); second doses (84%)
- Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)
- Waikato DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (90%)
- Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (90%)
- Lakes DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (88%)
- Taranaki DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (89%)
- Tairāwhiti DHB: First doses (91%); second doses (86%)
- Hawke’s Bay DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (91%)
- Canterbury DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (95%)
Hospitalisations
Cases in hospital: 44; North Shore: 8; Auckland: 14; Middlemore: 17, Tauranga: 4, Rotorua: 1
Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (18 cases / 39.1%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (9 cases / 19.6%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (10 cases / 21.7%); 9 unknown (19.6%).
Average age of current hospitalisations: 52
Cases in ICU or HDU: 5 (2 in Middlemore and 3 in Tauranga).
Cases
- Seven day rolling average of community cases: 36.6
- Number of new community cases: 17
- Number of new cases identified at the border: 23
- Location of new community cases: Auckland (5), Waikato (3), Bay of Plenty (9)
- Number of community cases (total): 11.003 (in current community outbreak)
- Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8285
- Number of active cases (total): 1,102 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
- Confirmed cases (total): 14,030
Contacts
- Number of active contacts being managed (total): 5,252
- Percentage who have received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 83%
- Percentage who have returned at least one result: 77%
Tests
- Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 10,450
- Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 11,387
- Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 4,396
Wastewater
No unexpected detections
NZ COVID Tracer
Poster scans in the 24 hours to midday yesterday: 1,964,255
Manual diary entries in the 24 hours to midday: 38,090
My Vaccine Pass
- My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,641,086
- My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 7,997
|
Arrival date |
From |
Via |
Positive test day/reason |
Managed isolation/quarantine location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3 January |
Malaysia |
United Arab Emirates |
Day 1 / routine |
Auckland |
|
22 December |
Australia |
Direct |
Day 12 / routine |
Auckland |
|
22 December |
Australia |
Direct |
Day 12 / routine |
Auckland |
|
26 December |
Australia |
Direct |
Day 8 / routine |
Auckland |
|
26 December |
Australia |
Direct |
Day 8 / routine |
Auckland |
|
26 December |
Australia |
Direct |
Day 8 / routine |
Auckland |
|
29 December |
Australia |
Direct |
Day 5 / routine |
Auckland |
|
29 December |
Australia |
Direct |
Day 5 / routine |
Auckland |
|
30 December |
India |
United Arab Emirates |
Day 3 / routine |
Auckland |
|
31 December |
United States of America |
Direct |
Day 3 / routine |
Auckland |
|
31 December |
United States of America |
Direct |
Day 3 / routine |
Auckland |
|
31 December |
United States of America |
Direct |
Day 3 / routine |
Christchurch |
|
31 December |
Australia |
Direct |
Day 3 / routine |
Auckland |
|
31 December |
India |
United Arab Emirates |
Day 3 / routine |
Auckland |
|
31 December |
United States of America |
Direct |
Day 3 / routine |
Christchurch |
|
1 January |
Saudi Arabia |
United Arab Emirates |
Day 1 / routine |
Christchurch |
|
1 January |
United States of America |
Direct |
Day 0 / routine |
Christchurch |
|
1 January |
Qatar |
Singapore |
Day 1 / routine |
Auckland |
|
2 January |
Australia |
Direct |
Day 1 / routine |
Auckland |
|
2 January |
Australia |
Direct |
Day 1 / routine |
Auckland |
|
2 January |
United States of America |
Direct |
Day 1 / routine |
Auckland |
|
2 January |
Australia |
Direct |
Day 1 / routine |
Auckland |
|
2 January |
United States of America |
Direct |
Day 2 / routine |
Auckland |
Today’s cases
Today, we are reporting 17 new community cases in Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
We are also reporting two cases in Taranaki, which were reported after our cut-off period – so these will be officially added to tomorrow’s tally.
Regional updates
We are continuing to ask anyone in New Zealand with symptoms – no matter how mild – to get tested, even if you’re vaccinated. Please stay at home until you return a negative test result. Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.
Auckland
There are five new cases being reported in Auckland today.
Health and welfare providers are now supporting 1,091people to isolate at home, including 303 cases.
Third Omicron case confirmed.
Public health staff are continuing to manage the third case of Omicron who has tested positive with the variant.
They were a household contact of a case and have been in isolation during their infectious period. At this stage there are no locations of interest or exposure events.
The risk to the community from this case has been determined as extremely low.
Waikato
There are three cases in the Waikato today and all are linked. Two of the cases are in Te Kuiti and one is in Hamilton.
Pop-up testing sites are operating in Waihi and Whitianga today. For details of all dedicated testing sites operating over the holiday period, please visit the DHB page or DHB Facebook page.
Public Health staff, primary care and manaaki providers in the region are supporting 51 cases to isolate at home.
Bay of Plenty
Today we are reporting nine new cases in Bay of Plenty. All are in the Tauranga area and all are linked to previously reported cases.
Taranaki
Today we are reporting two cases in Taranaki. They are household contacts of each other in Taranaki.
Public health staff are continuing to investigate to determine links to any previously reported cases in the region.
Public health staff are also working to identify any other locations of interest and these will be updated on the Ministry of Health webpage as soon as possible.
The Emergency Department at Taranaki Base Hospital has been identified as an exposure event. The DHB is working with those who may be affected.
At this stage, no staff have had to be stood down. Anyone at the Emegency Department between Saturday 1 January at 6.30pm and midnight on Sunday 2 January will be considered a casual contact.
Media releases over the Christmas break
Over the Christmas break there will be regular COVID-19 updates published and tweeted each day apart from:
- Saturday 8 January.