Ninety percent of Pacific people in New Zealand have had their first Covid-19 vaccine, while 11 district health boards (DHBs) have reached 80 percent first doses for Māori, Ministry of Health says.
Nurses in the Far North Vaccinating during the lockdown Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
There were a total of 17,899 doses administered yesterday, including 5679 first doses and 12,222 second doses.
To date, 92 percent of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose and 85 percent are fully vaccinated.
The ministry said the country’s Pacific communities had reached “some key vaccination milestones”, with 90 percent having officially received their first dose, and 80 percent fully vaccinated.
Eleven of the 21 DHBs had reached 80 percent first doses for Māori, it said in a statement.
The ministry also highlighted how Capital & Coast DHB is just 1131 doses shy of reaching the 90 percent fully vaccinated milestone.
More than 2.1 million My Vaccine Passes have been issued.
Events held in Auckland to encourage vaccine uptake
This weekend is the last chance New Zealanders have to be fully vaccinated with both injections in time for Christmas.
More than 20 vaccination events are being held in Tāmaki Makaurau this weekend, ahead of the Auckland border restrictions easing on 15 December.
Tāmaki Makaurau vaccination programme director Matt Hannant said there will be live music, free food and spot prizes on offer at events across the city.
People can also now pre-book to get the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is available from Monday, he said.
Scientists are working quickly to establish whether the “concerning” new Omicron variant of Covid-19 is already in Sydney after two arrivals from southern Africa tested positive to the virus.
Sydney Kingsford Smith airport. (Source: istock.com)
Urgent genomic sequencing was under way, NSW Health confirmed early on Sunday.
Fourteen passengers who’d been in the nine southern African countries subject to elevated restrictions arrived on a flight from Doha to Sydney on Saturday evening.
Two of them tested positive on arrival.
Scientists are looking into whether they’ve been infected by the new Omicron B.1.1.529 variant of concern.
All 14 travellers were transferred to special health accommodation for 14 days of quarantine, under new federal government rules.
Passengers who hadn’t been in southern Africa may be considered close contacts and be forced to isolate for 14 days.
Under rules announced by federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on Saturday to address the risk posed by Omicron, all travellers who have recently been in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, Malawi, and the Seychelles must quarantine for two weeks.
NSW has imposed extra measures, with all overseas arrivals ordered to quarantine at home for 72 hours.
Flight crews who have been overseas must isolate for two weeks.
Anyone already in NSW who has been in the nine southern African countries within the previous 14 days must immediately be tested, isolate for 14 days and contact NSW Health.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said precautionary steps were needed to protect against the Omicron variant while experts investigate the risk.
Omicron looked as if it could be even more transmissible than the Delta variant, Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Saturday.
He said it was concerning for public health officials, though experts were still trying to understand the variant.
Perrottet and Hazzard will address the media on Sunday about the new variant.
Meanwhile, the state added 235 new infections to its caseload on Saturday, and no further deaths.
NSW’s hospitals continue to treat 174 patients, 26 of them in intensive care units and 10 requiring ventilation
Testers processed more than 62,000 results in the 24 hours to 8pm (10pm NZT) on Friday.
NSW is 94.5 per cent single-dosed for everyone 16 and over, while 92.3 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Of 12- to 15-year-olds, 81.2 per cent have received one jab and 76.2 per cent both.
Should NSW reach its goal of 95 per cent full coverage by December 15 an early easing of restrictions will trigger, according to the state’s roadmap out of lockdown.
People who cannot get their vaccine pass online, can now visit a pharmacy to have a hard copy printed out.
It is one of the new channels offered by the Ministry of Health to help people access their Covid-19 vaccine passes.
More than 300 pharmacies are listed on Healthpoint as offering vaccinations and many of those will also print out or email vaccine passes to people.
Some are yet to implement the service so people are being advised to call ahead to check.
Liv from Unichem Wellington Central Pharmacy said since it began printing passes yesterday, around 50 people had come in and used the service.
“We’ve had quite a few people come in, not so much that we can’t keep up and we can still stay on top of our other pharmacy practices but it’s been a pretty constant flow in the last few days.”
Many of those people were having trouble with using technology to download their own pass or had international forms of ID that could not be used to access their My Health account online, she said.
In Auckland, Unichem Broadway Pharmacy also began offering the My Vaccine Pass service yesterday and had a busy Saturday morning issuing passes.
Further south, Life Pharmacy Papakura was yet to implement the service but said it would be offering it from the end of next week.
People need their National Health Index (NHI) number in order to get the vaccine pass, which the pharmacy can then print out or email.
Alongside the My COVID Record website, people can also call 0800 222 478 to request a physical copy of their pass.
Ministry of Health national digital services group manager Michael Dreyer said call centres had faced “unprecedented demand” with more than 70,000 calls to the 0800 number on Thursday alone.
There are now three call centres operating with extended hours to help people wanting to set up their My Covid Record, check their NHI number, or generate their My Vaccine Pass – which can be saved digitally or posted or emailed out to them.
The Ministry of Health has issued more than 2 million passes to more than 50 percent of fully vaccinated people in New Zealand.
My Vaccine Pass, which is an official record of a person’s Covid-19 vaccination status, will help people access places within New Zealand that require proof of vaccination under the new Covid Protection Framework which will be implemented at 11.59 on 2 December.
By Russell Gould, NCA NewsWire, www.perthnow.com.au
Former Wallabies and NRL star Israel Folau is set to resume his international career with Tonga after a rule change opened the door for a comeback and coach Toutai Kefu he will “come straight in”.
World Rugby has made a change to eligibility rules that means from January 2022, a player will now be able to represent another country after a stand-down period of three years.
A player can move to a nation of their birth, or that of their parents’ or grandparents’ but can only switch allegiance once.
Folau, who played the last of his 73 Tests for the Wallabies against England at Twickenham in 2018, has Tongan heritage and Wallabies great Toutai Kefu, the Tongan coach, confirmed the 32-year-old would be part of his team in 2022.
“We’ve been talking to a lot of players over the lats 12-18 months … Israel Folau is ready to jump on board, he’ll come straight in to the team or in the squad next year,” Kefu told the ABC.
“I’m sure there will be some controversy but we’ll cross that bridge when it comes.
“That’s always been our goal is to get those players playing for us.
“The biggest change we can make in terms of getting wins it to change the class of player we have and changing this rule does that straight away.”
Folau has struggled to find a foothold anywhere after being sacked by Rugby Australia for a series of homophobic tweets.
He joined French rugby league side Catalans Dragons in the UK Super League but left them in acrimonious circumstances.
After a brief stint with Gold Coast rugby league club the Southport Tigers earlier this year, Folau will return to rugby in 2022 with Japanese side Shining Arcs.
World Rugby said the amendment to its eligibility regulations passed by its ruling council would “benefit players and the global competitiveness of rugby”.
“We have listened to our membership and players and sought to update the regulation recognising the modern professional rugby environment without compromising the integrity of the international game,” said World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont, a former England captain.
The move has also been backed by the global players’ union.
“Many players across the world will now benefit from the chance to represent the country of their or their ancestors’ birth, serving as a real boost to the competitiveness of emerging nations, which, in turn, will benefit the game as a whole,” International Players’ Union chief executive Omar Hassanein said.
Folau could be among a number of beneficiaries from the rule change, which could be a game changer for the Pacific Islands with the amendment meaning that the likes of New Zealand stars like Charles Piutau, who has 17 All Blacks caps, George Moala and Vaea Fifita could play for Samoa.
New Zealand, Australia and other nations in the Pacific need to do more to combat rampant vaccine misinformation in Pacific Island countries, which poses a threat to the whole region, a researcher says.
Papua New Guinea’s capital Port Moresby. Photo: Supplied/ MSchlauch – public domain
The Sydney-based Lowy Institute think tank has released projections for when Pacific countries are likely to have vaccinated most of their populations against Covid-19.
Lowy researcher Alexandre Dayant said while some Pacific countries have been world-leading in vaccine coverage, others are coming last, and parts of the region now face a humanitarian crisis.
Smaller countries like the Cook Islands, Palau, Nauru and Niue have already achieved majority vaccination thresholds, but other countries lag far behind.
The forecasting shows that even by the start of 2023 there will likely still be a vast chunk of the population unvaccinated in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.
Samoa is not expected to have vaccinated everyone 12 years and older until June next year, and Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Kiribati are not expected to achieve full vaccination for those over 18 years old until part-way through 2022.
In Papua New Guinea, only 1.7 percent of the eligible population have been vaccinated so far, and the Lowy report said it could take until 2026 for just one third to be vaccinated.
Dayant said one of the main issues in PNG and elsewhere in the Pacific is misinformation.
He said that as well as continuing to support the health system in Pacific countries, New Zealand and the international community should help counter the rampant misinformation about vaccines.
Alexandre Dayant, development economics project director for Asia Pacific at Australian think tank, the Lowy Institute. Photo: Supplied/ Lowy Institute
“New Zealand and Australia could help in some ways – dealing with Facebook, seeing what can be done to better control the spread of misinformation on Facebook. I think this is an issue that Facebook has had to deal with for many years.
“Development partners must continue to partner with local government on their targeted counter-misinformation campaigns and develop a media messaging plan to ensure consistency of messaging about vaccines.”
The report said vaccine supply to Pacific nations was also still an issue, but lack of healthcare workers and difficulties getting to those who need to be vaccinated has created bigger logistical challenges, with many remote and diverse areas.
“How well vaccines are distributed and administered will have significant health, social and economic ramifications in the Pacific,” it said.
The New Zealand Council for International Development’s humanitarian network chair Quenelda Clegg told RNZ that in PNG vaccine hesitancy has become vaccine phobia.
“The situation is dire, people are genuinely afraid of this vaccine … and a critical reason why people are afraid of the vaccine is because of misinformation.
“Misinformation is being spread around the country, and it really is preventing people from going and getting help, and going to the health centres and getting that very crucial vaccine.”
Clegg said before the arrival of Covid-19 previous campaigns to reduce vaccine hesitancy have been successful in the Pacific, and she’s hopeful the same can be done again.
Quenelda Clegg, of ChildFund NZ, and chair of the New Zealand Council for International Development’s humanitarian network. Photo: Supplied/ ChildFund.org.nz
“We’ve seen it done in Samoa, which went from a very low vaccine rate with the measles, and now today there’s around 100 percent vaccine take-up in the country – so that’s really positive.
“We also know from a recent study done by the World Bank that when people are receiving accurate messages, and are receiving up-to-date information about the safety of vaccines
that actually the general intention to get vaccines goes up by around 50 percent.”
Access to the vaccine in geographically isolated areas, and cultural, economic and educational factors were all contributing to many people missing out in PNG, Clegg said.
New Zealand recently sent a health team to PNG, but if more is not done to help the country, Clegg said “we could see the death rate spiral, the country’s health systems collapse, and even the spread of Covid-19 beyond PNG.”
The Council for International Development said New Zealand should donate its spare vaccines to PNG, help provide reliable cell phone coverage so health workers and community leaders there can pass on vaccine information, and fund mobile clinics to provide vaccinations in remote areas.
By Leilani Momoisea of RNZ.co.nz. Republished with permission
A church that has been considered anti-vax is hosting a vaccination event to encourage remaining unvaccinated members to get their first dose – and reframe anti-vax perceptions of the church.
Church leaders and members of the Tokaikolo ‘Ia Kalaisi church in Māngere Bridge line the entrance way to the church, waving the Tongan flag as cars beep and people wave while driving past.
A speaker is set up on the front lawn of a house nearby, blasting music out to the neighbourhood.
The Niuean, Fiji and Cook Islands flags are being waved too.
“I’m not even Cook Island,” laughs the flag bearer as more cars beep, and others drive in to wait in line for their vaccination.
Frank Koloi the marketing and communications manager for The Fono. Photo: PeninaJoy
The large majority of church members have already been vaccinated, says Frank Koloi, marketing and communications manager for The Fono.
“This church has been perceived in mainstream New Zealand as well as the Tongan community as not supportive, or anti-vaxxers.
“That’s one of the things the church leadership wanted to take place today – is to dismiss some of that belief.
“Like many other churches there are members in different churches that are vocal against vaccination, but the bulk, and the large majority of this church’s members have already been vaccinated.”
Fiji, Cook Islands, Niue and Tongan flags waved to passersby Photo: PeninaJoy
The Fono was approached by the church to be the clinical lead for the event today after the Auckland congregation surveyed its 700-1000 members to find out who had yet to be vaccinated.
Most of the 200 members who had not yet received their first dose said they would like to be vaccinated.
“When it was suggested if they would come to a vaccination event here at the church grounds, they all were excited to join in.”
The survey took place a month ago and Koloi, who is also a member of the church, says today is the culmination of a lot of work from the church leadership. Just a few minutes past 9am, when the event began, cars steadily streamed through behind him.
It is an emotional and humbling moment for Koloi.
“I’m not just a member of the church, my father was the founder of this church 40 years ago. The work that we do at The Fono in vaccinating everybody else and every other church, I’ve always had it in my heart that I would hope one day, we’ll be here.”
Cars queue up at the vaccination event at the Tokaikolo ‘Ia Kalaisi church in Māngere Bridge. Photo: PeninaJoy
Senior church minister Viliami Mapapalangi is on MC duties for the day, his voice booming through the mic and over the sound system, thanking church members as they wave and drive past once their observation period is over.
There are tears as he speaks of the support shown today, and pride when speaking of a senior member of the church who got their first vaccine dose.
“How I’m feeling, I know God is here. It’s a great blessing, it’s a great privilege for all of us to be here to be support.
“It’s very emotional for us, I’m really happy seeing how the Tongan people come to support what the government needs for everyone here. It’s a blessing for us.”
Senior church minister Viliami Mapapalangi Photo: PeninaJoy
Just this afternoon, the Ministry of Health reported that 90 percent of Pacific people have had their first dose and 80 percent are fully vaccinated.
Fisiinaua Taufa is parked up after getting his second shot. It was not a difficult decision to get vaccinated, he said: “I think it’s cool.”
Mele Mavae waits in her car after getting her second shot. She said she did it to protect herself and her family.
It was a difficult decision, she said, but she prayed and the church leaders’ example helped.
A young Marcellin College student plays rugby league for Māngere East, and says he got vaccinated so he can compete in the U16 Shaun Johnson Shield.
The chief executive of The Fono, Tevita Funaki, said seeing the turn-out is heart-warming.
“These are the real hard to reach … and to get such an opportunity is actually quite significant. It sends a strong signal, that it’s actually safe, and you get vaccinated to keep you safe, and your family, but also our village as well.”
Koloi said there are many factors which have helped those hesitant to get vaccines come forward, including seeing the effects of the virus first-hand, as well as seeing a lot of people they know get vaccinated safely.
But first and foremost he said, it’s the church leadership driving this.
“The president himself came out and said that he’s been vaccinated and all members should be vaccinated.”
Early on, he said some members of the church had been very vocal particularly in using the scripture to dismiss and discredit the work of the vaccinations.
Today, leaders and church members wear shirts with the scripture ‘Aisea 1: 19-20’ and the word ‘Talangofua’ printed in bold.
“When the church leadership decided on a name for the programme, they came up with the name ‘Talangofua’ which literally means obedience. The verse … talks about being obedient to your leadership.”
The Tongan flag is waved out the front of the Tokaikolo ‘Ia Kalaisi church in Māngere Bridge. Photo: PeninaJoy
In the prayer this morning, they emphasised that again.
“We’re here in NZ as a society, and this society needs us all to be vaccinated and we should be obedient as members of this society.”
He said they made it clear that those that will be waving their flags out in the front will be church ministers.
“To make it clear to everybody that we are obedient to the law but first and foremost it’s still within our belief and value and within the scripture that we follow.”
New Zealand has no plans to evacuate its citizens from the troubles in the Solomon Islands, Honiara.
A protest on Wednesday calling for the Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare to stand down lapsed into major unrest which local police were unable to contain.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Friday evening, the High Commission in Honiara is providing Safe Travel advice to New Zealanders in the Solomon Islands.
This includes following the instructions of the local authorities.
The spokesperson said any New Zealanders in the Solomons who have not registered with Safe Travel are advised to do so as soon as possible.
There are 43 New Zealanders registered on SafeTravel, all believed to be in Honiara.
New Zealanders in Solomon Islands are also urged to exercise care and remain where they are if it is safe to do so, a MFAT spokesperson said in a statement.
“Since 19 March 2020 we have advised all New Zealanders do not travel overseas,” the spokesperson said.
No request for help from Solomons govt – NZ
Earlier, New Zealand’s Trade Minister David Parker issued a statement as acting foreign affairs minister, with Nanaia Mahuta overseas on her first official trip.
Parker said New Zealand had not received any requests for assistance from the Solomons government.
“New Zealand is a long-standing partner of Solomon Islands, and there are deep and enduring connections between our two countries,” Parker said.
Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Georgina Kekea
“Our engagement in Solomon Islands is guided by the principle of tātou tātou, or all of us acting together for the common good.
“We stand with the government and people of Solomon Islands through this difficult time,” Parker said.
Australia has deployed police and defence force personnel following a request from the Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare.
Community step in to help police
RNZ Pacific correspondent in Honiara Georgina Kekea said police had been able to contain the crowd from going into the main CBD area in Honiara.
She said most of the rioting and looting has been taking place in Chinatown and not so much in the West side of Honiara.
Kekea said members of the community in West Honiara came forward to help the police and make sure people do not damage shops or buildings along the CBD.
“Friday afternoon, some of the mothers and people in the Henderson community marched along the main CBD asking those participating in the riots to just stay back.
“It’s the Eastern part of Honiara that is still not under control,” Kekea said.
She also said people were looking for food on Friday and that will be an issue for those in Honiara in the coming days.
Chinatown in Honiara, where some buildings still are burning Photo: Georgina Kekea
Curfew
The overnight curfew declared by the Solomon Islands Governor General in the capital Honiara has ended.
Sir David Vunagi said the 7pm to 6am curfew would be repeated everyday until revoked.
Sir David had said it was a necessary measure for the preservation of public security.
Only authorised officers were allowed to move within the city during the curfew hours and anyone found breaching the restrictions would be prosecuted.
————–FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA NOUNOU —————-
Ko e fakahā loto ‘i Solomone’ ‘oku hoko ia ‘i he motu lahi taha pea toe tokolahi taha ko Malaita. Ko e tupu’anga ‘o e fakahā loto mo e fakamoveuveu fakalilifu ko ‘eni’ ko e ta’efiemālie ki he palani ngāue ‘a e fonua’ ki muli’ pe foreign policy. Ko Solomone ko e taha pe ia ‘o ha ngaahi fonua si’i ‘i mamani kuo kei ‘i ai ha’anau vā fengāue’aki fakatipilōmetika mo Taiuani kae ‘ikai ko Siaina. Ka ‘i Sepitema 2019 ne hanga ai ‘e he Palēmia lolotonga ia Manasseh Sogavare ‘o tali ke nau fetu’utaki fakatipilomētika mo Siaina. ‘I he taimi ko ‘eni na’e lipooti ai ‘o pehē kuo palōmesi ‘e Siaina ki Solomone ha tokoni fakapa’anga fe’unga mo e $500 miliona ‘Amelika kae fakapapau’i ‘ena kāinga fakatipilometika’. Na’e hoko ‘eni ia ke mamahi ai ‘a Taiuani ‘o motuki hona vā kuo ta’u ‘e 36 mo Solomone’. Na’e tu’u mai leva ‘a e taki fakavāhenga ia ‘o Malaita’ ko Daniel Suidani ‘o fakaanga’i lahi ‘a e Palēmia ‘o e fonua’ he fo’i tu’utu’uni ko ia ke nau fetu’utaki fakatipilomētika mo Siaina’. Taimi tatau pe foki ne kei ‘i ai pe fetu’utaki ia ‘a Solomone tautefito ki Malaita mo Taiuani hangē ko ‘ene kei tokoni hake fakame’angāue ki he Koviti’. Na’e toe folau foki ‘a Suidani ia ki Taiuani ‘i Mē, 2021 o fai e kole tokoni ai. Na’e toe kau mai mo e kau politiki kehe ‘o Solomone’ hono fakafepaki’i lahi ‘o e palēmia’ he’ene vilitaki ke nau fetu’utaki mo Siaina’ Ne nau ‘ohake ‘a e ngaahi palopalema kehe kuo fihia ai ‘a e fonua kehe’ hangē ko ‘enau pehē ‘e uesia lahi ‘enau founga pule fakatemokalati’ he ko Siaina oku ‘ikai ko ha fonua temokalati pea ko Taiuani pe ‘a e fonua temokalati ne hoa mo ‘enau politiki fakafonua’. Kuo nau siomata he faingata’a’ia ‘a e ngaahi ‘otu motu kehe he tā mo’ua ki Siaina koe’uhi pe ko e tauhele ‘ulu fakapa’anga ‘a Siaina ‘o naut ō ai. ‘Oku nau toe manavasi’i ki he hū mai ‘a e kakai Siaina’ mo ‘enau founga ‘e ala uesia ai ‘enau lao kelekele, pule ‘a e lao’ mo honau anga fakafonua’. Na’e ‘ikai toe fakavaivai ‘a Suidani ia taki ko ‘eni Malaita ‘i hono fakafepaki’i ‘a e palēmia’ pea ne iku ai ki ha poupou lahi meiate ia mei hono kakai’ ‘o kamata ha’anau fakahā loto ‘a ha kakai ne toko 1000 pe nai. Kae ‘ikai taimi kuo maliu ia mei he fakahā loto melino ki ha fakamoveuveu kuo iku ‘ikai toe lava’i ‘e he kau polisi’ pea kuo hū atu ai ‘a ‘Aositelēlia ke tokoni ‘i hono feinga’i ke pukepuke melino. Ko e faka’auha lahi ‘eni kuo fai ki he loto kolo’ tautefito ki he ngaahi pisnisi lahi ‘a e kau Siaina’.
A fake tradie who destroyed a man’s house and drained his life savings in one of the worst cases seen on A Current Affair has been exposed as a father who regularly attends church with his family.
Tevita Ungounga and his wife Siosiana. (A Current Affair)
Tevita Ungounga is well known to Fair Trading and New South Wales Police, but despite multiple public warnings and convictions, the 55-year-old from Moorebank has continued to work and left some homeowners in financial ruin.
One of his victims, Ian O’Connor from Illawong, gave Ungounga $235,000 to build a seawall and renovate his quaint home.
The 68-year-old was left with holes in his walls, unfinished rooms, and two years on still has no running water.
“He’s a pig, a disgusting pig,” Mr O’Connor said.
“He seemed quite nice, very friendly, but I guess you could say most conmen are.”
Mr O’Connor not only lost his life savings but has had to put off retirement, and work to pay for a rebuild of his home.
A Current Affair confronted Ungounga outside a police station, where he was arrested and charged for more building offences.
He’s now accused of fraudulently obtaining more than $220,000 from homeowners for unfinished and defective work to their homes.
Those allegations are currently before the court.
Complaints about Ungounga date back to 1998 when he lived in Hawaii.
The country’s taxation department got involved and estimated his work income at over $1.4 million in four years, and he was jailed for 60 days after failing to declare it.
In a civil case, media reports have quoted the Regulatory Industries Complaints Office as saying: “He’s just very, very good at what he does”.
Ungounga and his wife Siosiana, under the company name T & T Sandstone Construction Pty Ltd, were fined a combined total of $90,000 for engaging in significant residential building work without the required license in Australia in 2015.
He was later sentenced to a 14-month Intensive corrections order this year for what he did to Mr O’Connor.
NSW Police have now charged Ungounga with 36 offences.
Fair Trading has issued three public warnings (on October 24, August 11, 2020, and March 1, 2021) about the unlicensed and uninsured tradie and has urged consumers to do their checks before engaging with Ungounga.
Ungounga, who regularly attends the Church of Latter-Day Saints with his family, told A Current Affair: “I never take the money and go, I do the job”.
Mr O’Connor’s family and friends are trying to raise money so Mr O’Connor can rebuild his home.
Homeowners can safeguard against becoming a victim by following a number of simple tips:
Never let anyone inside you house or unit if you don’t know them
Always ask for identification — a business card is not enough
Never keep large amounts of money around the house
If you are uncertain about the credibility of tradespeople, obtain their details and contact the Department of Fair Trading
Contact your local police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
There are 173 new community cases of Covid-19 today; with 78 in hospital including seven in ICU.
File photo. Photo: RNZ / Nita Blake-Persen
Speaking at today’s media update, Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay said there was also one Canterbury case not included in today’s figures.
Of today’s cases, 154 are in Auckland, 15 in Waikato, one in Northland, two in bay of Plenty and one in Lakes DHB, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
There are also four new cases at the border.
There are a total of 7832 community cases in the current outbreak and 81 of today’s new cases are yet to be epidemiologically linked.
The ministry said it was now supporting 4058 people to isolate at home around Auckland, including 1070 active cases. In Waikato there were 129 cases isolating at home.
On wastewater detections, Covid-19 was detected in a sample collected from Kaiwaka on 18 November.
“Processing of the sample began on 22 November, however, the result was delayed due to a technical issue. Testing is currently in progress for a further sample collected on 22 November,” the ministry said.
It said Covid-19 was also detected in a sample collected from Opononi on 23 November, believed to be linked to active cases in Hokianga.
“Anyone with symptoms – no matter how mild – is encouraged to get a test.”
There were 18,092 first and second vaccine doses administered in the country yesterday – 6319 first doses and 11,773 second doses.
To date, 92 percent of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose and 85 percent are fully vaccinated.
McElnay said the surge of Covid cases in Europe, with reports of 2.2m cases in the last week, reinforced the importance of vaccination.
More than half of all vaccinated New Zealanders now have their My Vaccine Pass, with more than 2 million passes issued by the ministry, she said.
Expect demand for the pass to keep increasing, you can now receive pass through the post or request them from specified pharmacies, she said.
Call centre capacity for passes has also been increased to meet demand, she said.
Earlier today it was revealed that there is the option for people to receive their pass through the post or they’ll be able to go to pharmacies to request their pass.
“Almost 400 pharmacies around the country currently providing Covid-19 vaccinations will now also be able to help people get their vaccine pass. Those 400 pharmacies can be found on the Healthpoint website.”
The government’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate has been extended to all sworn members, recruits and authorised officers of the police and Defence Force.
First doses of the vaccine for these workers are required by 17 January and second doses by 1 March.
Britain is temporarily banning flights from South Africa, and Israel is restricting travel from the region.
And Portugal, which has one of the world’s highest rates of vaccination against Covid-19, announced it would reimpose some restrictions to stop a surge in cases.
Robertson and Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay have held today’s media briefing.
Speaking about the new variant, Robertson said he had confirmed with ESR that no variant of that nature had come into New Zealand.
“But it’s a good example of why we need to be cautious. There’s no need at this point to be alarmed about it from New Zealand’s perspective, but it does point out that the global pandemic is still ongoing and New Zealand’s response needs to be careful, methodical and cautious.”
He noted that the World Health Organisation was meeting overnight and there was still some debate about transmissibility of this variant.
Dr McElnay said New Zealand was watching the situation closely, and genome sequencing on each case that came in across the border would be picked up.
Robertson said they have not had any advice to consider a travel ban on South Africa, but New Zealand does have a high risk country list and will take advice on it.
Robertson also said the eighth round of wage subsidy opened this morning, including some of the time period for when the country is no longer in the alert level system, but payments will still go out.
By midday today 13 DHBs had hit the 90 percent first dose milestone, he said. New Zealand’s overall first dose rate now sits at 92 percent, he said.
Today bookings open for booster shots of Pfizer for those who completed their courses at least six months ago, he said. From today bookings are also available for the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Asked about the health system’s preparedness for Delta, Robertson said it has been continually developing its ability to cope with Delta.
Robertson said it was obvious we were prepared because we have managed to slow and minimise the spread of Delta and no country has managed to eliminate Delta.
“I maintain the health system has done well in managing an outbreak of Delta, I acknowledge things will not be 100 percent perfect.”
Robertson said he was not expecting push back from the mandatory vaccination from police.
Asked why it’s taken so long to mandate vaccination for police, Robertson said there was a process to work through with the workforce, the end point is if they aren’t vaccinated then they won’t be able to undertake the duties of frontline police officers.
“We do not want to issue mandates where we don’t believe that there is a very pressing need to do so, but we’re simply taking it step by step.”
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World Rugby has made a change to eligibility rules that means from January 2022, a player will now be able to represent another country after a stand-down period of three years.
