Nearly 370,000 booster doses were administered over a successful Big Boost week, pushing the total number of boosted people past 2 million.

The Ministry of Health would like to thank everyone who has gone out to get a booster dose, and staff at vaccine clinics who have worked tirelessly to help protect New Zealand against COVID-19.

We’re continuing to see tens of thousands of people going to get their booster each day. Yesterday, 35,903 booster doses were administered across the motu.

The booster dose is critical in our fight against the Omicron variant, which is spreading around the country.

Getting the booster dose greatly reduces your chances of getting severely ill and requiring hospital care if you test positive for COVID-19, so if it’s been three months since your last dose, please book your booster today.

To continue to encourage booster uptake, we are now reporting the percentage of the eligible population who have received a booster by DHB region.

It’s also fantastic news that more than 90% of Māori aged 12 years and over in the MidCentral DHB region have now been full vaccinated, becoming the fifth DHB area in Aotearoa to achieve this milestone.

Testing reminder

We are continuing to experience high demand at COVID-19 testing sites, including from asymptomatic people who are seeking tests for their own reassurance. It’s very important that you only get tested if you have cold or flu symptoms, have been identified as a close contact of a case, or have been asked to get tested by a health official. 

Unnecessary testing is resulting in long waits at testing centres and could also delay results for those who urgently need them.

Some COVID-19 test results are taking longer to process at laboratories due to an increase in demand at Community Testing Centres, particularly across the Auckland region.

Some results are being returned within 48 hours, but others are taking longer. People are required to stay home until they receive a negative result.

Aucklanders are being advised to expect these delays and not to call Healthline to check the status of a test result. Healthline is not able to provide this information.

For a full list of testing sites nationwide, visit the Healthpoint website.

Scanning matters

We would like remind everyone that every scan on the NZ Covid Tracer App counts.

The App is a vital part of our Omicron response as we move to Phase 2.

Keeping a record of where you have been will enable you to quickly identify if you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and quickly contact your contacts if you become a case – this will help to minimise the spread of Omicron.

Keeping Bluetooth enabled also helps to anonymously protect people you’ve been near.

Anyone who needs to make a QR code poster for a place, private event or business, can do so here.

If you test positive for COVID-19

If you test positive, you will get a text with a link to the digital contact tracing form to complete your case investigation as well as information regarding self-isolation and general advice for cases. It is important if you are a case that you complete the contact tracing form as soon as possible.

Most cases can safely isolate at home, and complete the digital contact tracing form to notify the close contacts, without having to talk to health staff.

In Phase 2 of the Omicron response, we are using digital tools to ensure that health resources focus on managing vulnerable cases and high-risk exposure events. 

In most instances you will not receive a phone call unless public health need further information.

We are asking people to please be patient as contact tracing teams may not be in contact immediately, and it could take a few days before they are able to speak with you.

In the meantime, you should follow the advice provided in the text message.

COVID-19 vaccine update 

• Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people aged 12 and over): 4,056,892 first doses (96%); 3,989,873 second doses (95%); 2,081,556 booster doses (62%). 
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 2,274 first doses; 1,396 second doses; 1,791 paediatric doses; 35,903 booster doses. 
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 517,278 first doses (91%); 494,800 second doses (87%). 
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 279,657 first doses (98%); 273,000 second doses (95%). 
• Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 221,462 first doses (46%) 
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 31,493 first doses (27%) 
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 18,454 first doses (37%) 

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

• Northland DHB: first doses (90%); second doses (88%), booster doses (65%)
• Auckland Metro DHBs: first doses (97%); second doses (96%), booster doses (61%)
• Waikato DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (93%), booster doses (62%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (93%), booster doses (63%)
• Lakes DHB: first doses (93%); second doses (91%), booster doses (64%)
• MidCentral DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (68%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first doses (93%); second doses (90%), booster doses (65%)
• Whanganui DHB: first doses (92%); second doses (90%), booster doses (69%)
• Hawke’s Bay: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (66%)
• Taranaki DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (93%), booster doses (62%)
• Wairarapa DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (71%)
• Capital and Coast DHB: first doses (99%); second doses (98%), booster doses (70%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (68%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (72%)
• West Coast DHB: first doses (93%); second doses (91%), booster doses (69%)
• Canterbury DHB: first doses (99%); second doses (98%), booster doses (65%)
• South Canterbury DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (94%), booster doses (70%)
• Southern DHB: first doses (98%); second doses (96%), booster doses (70%)  

Hospitalisations 

• Cases in hospital: total number 73: North Shore: 3; Middlemore: 28; Auckland: 28; Rotorua: 2; Tauranga: 2; Waikato: 7; Wellington: 1, Tairawhiti: 1; MidCentral: 1 
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 57
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 1
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (8 cases / 14.9%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (2 cases / 3.7%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (42 cases / 77.8%); unknown (2 cases / 3.7%). 

Cases 

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 1,051
• Seven day rolling average of border cases: 12
• Number of new community cases: 1,929
• Location of new community cases*: Northland (13), Auckland (1,384), Waikato (155), Bay of Plenty (58), Lakes (9), Hawke’s Bay (17), MidCentral (3), Whanganui (11), Taranaki (9), Tairāwhiti (8), Wairarapa (5), Capital and Coast (28), Hutt Valley (50), Nelson Marlborough (60), Canterbury (35), South Canterbury (7), Southern (77).
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 18 
• Location of origin of border cases: India (2), Malaysia (2), Pakistan (1), Qatar (1), Full travel history not obtained (12).
• Number of active community cases (total): 9,874 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 26,544 

* 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): 32,894
• Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 25,567
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests stock available in New Zealand: 7.5 million