Every time you catch COVID-19, your risk of other severe issues starts to rise.

I ia wā ka pāngia koe e te KOWHEORI-19, ka piki haere te mōrearea ka pā mai ētahi atu mate kino. Dr Natalie Netzler (a virologist at the University of Auckland) is here to talk to us about the latest research in other countries where they’ve had COVID-19 in the community for much longer.

People are encouraged to respect those who continue to keep wearing face masks for the protection they offer against COVID & other viruses.

E akiakitia ana te tangata kia ngākau whakaute ki te hunga e mau tonu ana i ngā maruhā e ārai tonu nei i te KOWHEORI me ētahi atu huaketo. There are many reasons someone may choose to, and need to, wear a face mask. This might be because they or a family member are immune-compromised or disabled, they want to protect themselves from infection, or work with at-risk people.

Yesterday, 26,450 vaccine doses were administered to those aged 12 and over. This includes 24,632 booster doses. This means 68% of those eligible and due for their booster have now received it. There were also 1,535 child (paediatric) vaccine doses, which were administered to 5 to 11 year olds throughout New Zealand yesterday.

More than 10.25 million doses have been administered to date.

Changes to self-isolation and testing requirements come into effect from 11.59pm tonight, 24 February. These changes mean that:
➡️ Cases will be identified via a positive PCR or rapid antigen test (RAT) and will need to isolate for 10 days.

As daily case numbers and hospitalisations rise, it’s time to move on to the next phase of our Omicron response. We will be changing our approach to testing and isolation, helping to slow the spread while also protecting our most vulnerable, ensuring critical services and supply chains keep running, and easing pressure on our health system.

Yesterday, 27,350 vaccine doses were administered to those aged 12 and over. This includes 25,367 booster doses. This means 68% of those eligible and due for their booster have now received it. There were also 1,486 child (paediatric) vaccine doses, which were administered to 5 to 11 year olds throughout New Zealand yesterday.

More than 10.23 million doses have been administered to date.

Yesterday, 29,286 vaccine doses were administered to those aged 12 and over. This includes 27,769 booster doses. This means 67% of those eligible and due for their booster have now received it. There were also 1,273 child (paediatric) vaccine doses, which were administered to 5 to 11 year olds throughout New Zealand yesterday.

More than 10.20 million doses have been administered to date.

All of New Zealand will move to Red at 11.59pm tonight, 23 January. At Red there are more mask requirements, and reduced gathering limits to lower the risk of picking up the virus and super spreader events. Red is not lockdown. Our goal at Red is to slow the spread of Omicron. Businesses stay open and you can do most of things that you normally do, including visiting family and friends and travelling around the country. There are no regional boundaries.

All of New Zealand will move to Red at 11.59pm tonight, 23 January, in order to slow down and manage the spread of Omicron in the community. Red is not lockdown. At Red businesses stay open and you can do most of the things that you normally do, if you are vaccinated. There are no regional boundaries at Red, and you can shop normally as all supermarkets and retail remain open.

Yesterday, 58,481 vaccine doses were administered. This includes 42,319 booster doses, which is 55% of those who are now due their booster. 12,388 child (paediatric) vaccine first doses were also administered to 5 to 11 year olds throughout New Zealand. More than 8.8 million doses have been administered to date.

There are 41 new active cases at the border. We continue to see many border cases arriving from overseas, reflecting the growing number of Omicron cases globally.

Yesterday, 41,994 vaccine doses were administered. This includes 37,967 booster doses, which is 54% of those who are now due their booster. 11,762 child (paediatric) vaccine first doses were also administered to 5 to 11 year olds throughout New Zealand. More than 8.8 million doses have been administered to date.

Omicron remains at the border for now, but it is likely to be in our communities soon. We know from other countries that it can take as little as 14 days for Omicron case numbers to grow from the hundreds into the thousands. Once Omicron is spreading in the community, we will have higher case numbers than we have ever experienced before.

While many people who become infected with Omicron will not get critically unwell, others will. That's why it's important we prepare now.

Yesterday, 40,420 vaccine doses were administered. This includes 36,226 booster doses, which is 52% of those who are now due their booster.

12,057 child (paediatric) vaccine first doses were also administered to 5 to 11 year olds throughout New Zealand. More than 8.7 million doses have been administered to date.

There are 46 new active cases at the border. We continue to see many border cases arriving from overseas, reflecting the growing number of Omicron cases globally.

Children aged 5-11 are now eligible for their COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s a few tips to help get your tamariki prepared.

✅ Talk to them about vaccination now
Explain that it might hurt for a short time, just like their other childhood immunisations. Tell them there will be a small needle and that they will feel a sharp scratch or sting briefly but then it will be over. They may have a sore arm, fever, headache or feel tired afterwards. A key thing is to tell them why they are going to be vaccinated.

I tēnei wā tonu, kua 3,901,726 te tokomaha o ngā tāngata i werohia katoatia ki te kano āraimate.

3,901,726 people have now received their second dose. Yesterday, 42,725 doses were administered. This includes 38,606 booster doses. More than 8.7 million doses have been administered to date.

Kua 56 te nama o ngā kēhi hou kua ara ake i te ripa whenua. Kua 24 te nama o ngā kēhi KOWHEORI-19 ā-hapori i ara ake i te rangi nei.

I tēnei wā tonu, kua 3,899,343 te tokomaha o ngā tāngata i werohia katoatia ki te kano āraimate.

3,899,343 people have now received their second dose. Yesterday, 41,169 adult doses were administered. This includes 36,953 booster doses. More than 8.7 million adult doses have been administered to date.

I tēnei wā tonu, kua 2,439,100 te tokomaha o ngā tāngata i werohia katoatia ki te kano āraimate.

2,439,100 people are now fully vaccinated.

Yesterday, 69,118 doses were administered. Of these 15,107 were first doses and 54,011 were second doses. More than 5.9 million doses have been administered to date. Of these, over 3.4 million are first doses and over 2.4 million are second doses.

58% of eligible people in New Zealand are now fully vaccinated, and 82% have had their first dose.

Kua 43 te nama o ngā kēhi KOWHEORI-19 ā-hapori i ara ake i te rangi nei. Kua 2 te nama o ngā kēhi hou kua ara ake i te ripa whenua. Kua 494 te nama o ngā kēhi hohe katoa i Aotearoa nei. There are 43 new community cases of COVID-19 to report today, 40 of these are in Auckland & 3 are in Waikato.

This takes our total number of cases associated with the current outbreak to 1,664.

Of these, 1,186 cases have recovered, taking our total active community cases to 476

Auckland, Northland and parts of the Waikato remain at Alert Level 3. The rest of New Zealand remains at Alert Level 2. Waikato
Parts of Waikato will remain at Alert Level 3 until 11.59pm on Thursday 14 October, to be reviewed on Wednesday.

Since the first cases were reported in the region on the 3rd of October, more than 23,000 tests have been done– that is 4% of the population of Waikato.

Kua 35 te nama o ngā kēhi KOWHEORI-19 ā-hapori i ara ake i te rangi nei. Kua 0 te nama o ngā kēhi hou kua ara ake i te ripa whenua. Kua 469 te nama o ngā kēhi hohe katoa i Aotearoa nei. There are 35 new community cases of COVID-19 to report today, these are all in Auckland. This takes our total number of cases associated with the current outbreak to 1,622.

Of these, 1,170 cases have recovered, taking our total active community cases to 452.

Kua 60 te nama o ngā kēhi KOWHEORI-19 ā-hapori i ara ake i te rangi nei. Kua 1 te nama o ngā kēhi hou kua ara ake i te ripa whenua. Kua 456 te nama o ngā kēhi hohe katoa i Aotearoa nei. There are 60 new community cases of COVID-19 to report today. There are 56 in Auckland, three in Waikato, and one in the Bay of Plenty. This takes our total number of cases associated with the current outbreak to 1,587.