The Big Boost continues today, promoting the booster dose to anyone over 18 who has had their second dose more than 3 months ago. Many vaccination centres will be open extended hours over the weekend to encourage people to get their booster.

It is great to see that 43% of children in the 5 - 11 age group have already had their first dose. We want as many children as possible to be protected through vaccination.

Yesterday more than 50,000 booster doses were given, bringing the total so far to 1,772,914.

The most important step you can take to prepare for Omicron is getting your booster dose as soon as it is due. Boosters lower your chances of getting very sick and being hospitalised,

Book your vaccine now, whether it’s your first, second or booster. Every dose counts.

The increase in cases today is a reminder that, as expected, the Omicron variant is spreading in our communities as we have seen in other countries.

The number of cases will continue to fluctuate from day to day, but our expectation is that cases will continue to increase in the coming weeks.

All of us can all play our part to slow the spread of the virus, help protect our most vulnerable people from being infected, and ensure our health system is able to manage extra demand for services.

This means continuing to do the basics well – staying home if unwell, and wearing a mask, physical distancing and scanning in using the NZ COVID Tracer app when you’re out and about.

Masks are most effective when worn properly – fitted snug and close to the face.

Anyone with any cold or flu symptoms that could be COVID-19 is asked to get a test and isolate at home until a negative result is returned.

The most common early symptoms of the Omicron variant are a sore or scratchy throat, and a runny nose. Even if you develop a small sniffle, please get a test.

COVID-19 vaccine update   

• Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 4,050,994 first doses (96%); 3,979,470 second doses (95%); 1,773,996 booster doses (56%). 
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 695 first doses; 1,519 second doses; 2,041  paediatric doses; 50,427  booster doses. 
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 515,614  first doses (90%); 491,451 second doses (86%). 
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 278,741 first doses (97%); 271,547 second doses (95%). 
• Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 206,782 first doses (43%) 
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 28,685 first doses (25%) 
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 16,714 first doses (34%) 

Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +) 

• Northland DHB: First doses (90%); second doses (87%) 
• Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (97%); second doses (96%) 
• Waikato DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%) 
• Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%) 
• Lakes DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (91%) 
• MidCentral DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%) 
• Tairāwhiti DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (89.9%) 
• Whanganui DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (89.9%) 
• Hawke’s Bay: First doses (97%); second doses (94%) 
• Taranaki DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%) 
• Wairarapa DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%) 
• Capital and Coast DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (97%) 
• Hutt Valley DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%) 
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%) 
• West Coast DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (91%) 
• Canterbury DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (98%) 
• South Canterbury DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (94%) 
• Southern DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (96%) 

Hospitalisations 

• Cases in hospital: (Total Number 23); North Shore: 2; Middlemore: 10; Auckland: 8; Rotorua: 2, Christchurch: 1  
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 49 
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 0
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (2 cases / 12%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (1 case / 6%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (9 cases / 53%); Unknown (5 / 29%)  

Cases 

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 244
• Seven day rolling average of border cases: 33
• Number of new community cases: 446
• Location of new community cases: Northland (16), Auckland (340), Waikato (48), Bay of Plenty (14), Lakes (13), Taranaki (1), Hutt Valley (7), Capital and Coast (4), Southern (3)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 32 
• Location of origin of border cases: US (5), UAE (5), India (12), Pakistan (4), Qatar (1), Singapore (1), Sri Lanka (1), Full travel history not yet obtained (3)
• Number of active cases (total): 2,874 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 18,936

* Please note, the Ministry of Health’s daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO.

Tests 

• Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 23,146
• Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 18,817
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests in New Zealand: 6.8 million