More than 21,000 boosters administered yesterday; 31 people in hospital; 2 in ICU

The vaccine remains our key defence against all variants of COVID-19, including Omicron. We continue to ask everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated, including people who are now eligible for a booster dose.

In the past 24 hours, 21,821 booster doses (previous day: 44,466 doses), 746 first doses (previous day: 1,284 doses) and 2,333 second doses (previous day: 3921) were administered.

COVID-19 vaccine update

• Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 3,980,481 first doses (95%); 3,873,275 second doses (92%); 31,795 third primary doses; 490,107 booster doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 746 first doses; 2,333 second doses; 194 third primary doses and 21,821 booster doses.
• Māori (percentage of eligible people): 502,069 first doses (88%); 466,598 second doses (82%)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people): 270,269 first doses (94%); 260,070 second doses (91%)

Paediatric Pfizer vaccine doses arrive

More than half a million doses of Pfizer vaccine for 5-11 year old children arrived in New Zealand this weekend. Immunisation of children aged 5 – 11 years old starts on Monday 17 January. Children need two doses of the vaccine to be fully protected and it is recommended that these are given at least eight weeks apart, although the interval can be safely shortened to a minimum of 21 days if needed. The vaccine is free. A parent, caregiver or legal guardian will need to accompany the child to their immunisation appointment and provide consent for them to be vaccinated.

Vaccination rates by DHB with active cases (percentage of eligible people)

• Northland DHB: First doses (89%); second doses (85%)
• Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (98%); second doses (97%)
• Waikato DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (91%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (90%)
• Lakes DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (88%)
• Taranaki DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (90%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: First doses (91%); second doses (87%)
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (91%)
• Canterbury DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (96%)
• Capital and Coast DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (96%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (93%)

Hospitalisations

Cases in hospital: 31; Northland 1; North Shore: 5; Auckland: 11; Middlemore: 12, Tauranga: 2.

Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (8 cases / 30%); partially immunised

Average age of current hospitalisations: 58

Cases in ICU or HDU: 2 (both in Middlemore).

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 30
• Number of new community cases: 85 over past two days
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 64 over past two days
• Location of new community cases over past two days: Auckland (57), Waikato (7), Taranaki (1), Bay of Plenty (16), Lakes (2), Wellington (2)
• Number of community cases (total): 11,142 (in current community outbreak)
• Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8,387
• Number of active cases (total): 1,087 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 14,298

Contacts

• Number of active contacts being managed (total): 5,176
• Percentage who have received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 82%
• Percentage who have returned at least one result: 81%

Tests

• Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 11,845
• Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 11,942
• Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 6,201

Wastewater

There were no unexpected wastewater detections.

NZ COVID Tracer

• Poster scans in the 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,431,664
• Manual diary entries in the 24 hours to midday: 37,650

My Vaccine Pass

• My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,702,725
• My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 10,628

*historical case

Today’s cases

We are reporting new community cases over the past two days in Auckland, Taranaki, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Wellington.

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. We are also asking people to regularly check the locations of interest as these are regularly updated and to follow the advice provided.

Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.

Auckland

There are 57 new cases in the Auckland region over the past two days.

Waikato

There are seven cases to report over the past two days.

Three of the cases are in Te Kūiti and have all been linked to previous cases, two cases are in Te Awamutu, one has a Taupō residential address (and is linked to a previous case), and one case where the location is under investigation. Three cases are currently unlinked.

Pop-up testing sites are operating in Whangamatā and Waihi and testing is available at the Whangamatā Medical Centre and Whitianga general practices. For details of all dedicated testing sites operating over the holiday period, please visit Healthpoint, the DHB webpage or DHB Facebook page.

In the Waikato, Public Health, primary care and manaaki providers are supporting 34 cases to isolate at home.

Bay of Plenty

There are 16 cases to report in the Bay of Plenty over the past two days. Thirteen of these cases are in Tauranga, and three are in the Western Bay of Plenty District. All cases are linked to previously notified cases.

Lakes

There are two cases to report in Lakes, both in Rotorua, over the past two days. One is linked to a previously notified case and the other is being investigated.

Taranaki

There is one previously reported case for Taranaki which is being added to our tally today.

The case is a household contact of a previous case and linked to the Eltham cluster. They have been in isolation across the festive period. This is currently the only active case in Taranaki.

Details for both testing and vaccinations in Taranaki are provided on the Taranaki DHB website.

Wellington

There are no other cases to report other than the two announced yesterday and which are being added to our case tally today.

The Ministry encourages anyone who has visited any of the locations of interest in the Wellington and Otaki areas who have symptoms – no matter how mild – to get tested, even if you’re vaccinated and to please stay at home until they return a negative test result.