Nationwide, 90% of eligible Pacific peoples have now are now fully vaccinated, with a total of 258,713 having had their second dose.

Meanwhile, Hawke’s Bay DHB has also reached the milestone of 90% of the eligible population being fully vaccinated.

In addition, more than 300,000 people have received a booster, about 70% of those eligible to get their booster (after six months since second dose) in 2021.

Our vaccine rollout remains our key defence against all variants of COVID-19, including Omicron. With 90% of the eligible population now double-dosed, and the booster programme underway, New Zealanders are well protected. We want vaccinations to continue increasing and ask everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated. This is also a timely reminder for people over the age of 18 to get their booster shot if it has been six months since their last vaccine dose.

From 5 January, people only need to wait four months since their last dose and will be able to access a booster through walk in clinics. For a full list of vaccination centres see the Healthpoint website.

Omicron update

There are 10 Omicron cases to report among recent arrivals at the border, taking the total at the border, to date to 88.  

There are no community Omicron cases to report. 

Border-related case of Omicron with community exposures

Regarding the Omicron border case announced on Wednesday, microbiologists have advised that the risk of transmission from this case is low.

We can now confirm that the six close contacts who attended the Hidden Lakes festival have all tested negative for COVID-19. This means there was no public health risk associated with this event.

Contact tracing has now identified 88 close contacts for this case. This includes close contacts identified via case interviews and from locations of interest. 80 of these contacts have been reached, all are isolating and have been tested. All results received to date have been negative. Contact tracers are working urgently to contact the eight close contacts who are yet to be reached.

Air New Zealand flight attendant

All eight close contacts of the border-related Omicron case in the Air New Zealand flight crew member have returned negative tests.

There are no locations of interest associated with this case and therefore the risk to the public has been determined to be low.

Whole Genome Sequencing

With the evolving international data on Omicron and two border-related cases with community exposures, we have amended the prioritisation for undertaking whole genome sequencing on positive cases of COVID-19 in international arrivals and border workers.

Previously we prioritised whole genome sequencing for cases of COVID-19 in international arrivals, in particular where individuals were undertaking three days in self-isolation. However, now that all international arrivals are required to complete a full 10 days in a managed isolation facility and return a negative day nine test before release, the risk of community transmission of the Omicron variant from these cases is deemed to be low. Samples from international arrivals will still be dealt with in a timely manner and tested no later than 48 hours of a sample being received

Furthermore, as we are now assuming all recent arrivals who test positive have the Omicron variant, we will now prioritise whole genome sequencing for any positive cases of COVID-19 in border-related workers and their families. This is where there is the greatest risk of Omicron entering the community. This new approach will help to ensure the risk of any community transmission of Omicron remains low. These samples will be treated as urgent and tested within 12 hours of being received by the laboratory.

As always, it is important to stay at home if you are sick, get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19 and isolate until you return a negative test.

COVID-19 vaccine update

• Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 3,974,357 first doses (94%); 3,850,822 second doses (91%); 28,890 third primary doses; 312,821 booster doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 963 first doses; 4,916 second doses; 390 third primary doses and 17,116 booster doses.
• Māori (percentage of eligible people): 500,204 first doses (88%); 460,296 second doses (81%)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people): 271,232 first doses (95%); 258,713 second doses (90%)

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

• Northland DHB: First doses (88%); 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 (89%)
• Lakes DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (87%)
• Taranaki DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (89%)
• Tairawhiti DHB: First doses (91%); second doses (86%)
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (90%)
• Canterbury DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (95%)

Hospitalisations

• Cases in hospital: 46; North Shore: 10; Auckland: 14; Middlemore: 18; Tauranga: 2; Lakes: 2
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (11 cases / 29.7%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (9 cases / 24.3%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (15 cases / 40.5%); unknown 2 (5.4%)
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 57
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 8 (3 in Auckland; 3 in Middlemore, 2 in Tauranga)

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 44.7
• Number of new community cases: 49
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 13
• Location of new community cases: Auckland (22), Waikato (3), Bay of Plenty (19), Lakes (4), Hawke’s Bay (1)
• Number of community cases (total): 10,825 (in current community outbreak)
• Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8118
• Number of active cases (total): 1,090 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classed as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 13748

Contacts

• Number of active contacts being managed (total): 6040
• Percentage who have received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 84%
• Percentage who have returned at least one result: 79%

Tests

• Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 15,449
• Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 11,299
• Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 7,674

Wastewater

• No unexpected detections

NZ COVID Tracer

• Poster scans in 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,593,981
• Manual diary entries in 24 hours to midday: 51,092

My Vaccine Pass

• My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,599,204
• My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 17,403