Child vaccine available from today

The child (paediatric) Pfizer vaccine is now available for 5-11 year-olds at centres throughout New Zealand, including walk-ins, drive-throughs, hauora providers, community pharmacies, and general practices.

More than 120,000 doses of the child vaccine have been delivered to around 500 vaccination sites around New Zealand, and these health care providers are well prepared for the start of the vaccine rollout to tamariki.

With reports of strong demand for child vaccinations today, particularly in Auckland, we want to thank those who have been waiting at vaccination centres or holding for the 0800 number, for their patience.

“It’s encouraging to see this strong start to the rollout and extra resources are being deployed to the busiest sites to reduce queues as much as possible,” says Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

Parents are advised to check BookMyVaccine.nz or call the Covid-19 Vaccination Healthline on 0800 28 29 26 to find a walk-in or drive-through near them or to make an appointment. Many general practices are offering child vaccinations for their enrolled patients so contact your local doctor to find out more or visit Healthpoint.nz

For a list of all the vaccination sites offering 5 to 11-year-olds vaccines in each district this week, visit the Unite Against Covid-19 website.

The number of centres where the child vaccine is available will also increase over the coming weeks, as health providers who have been taking a well-deserved summer break reopen.

Update on the MIQ worker in Auckland

As previously reported, all seven household contacts of this Omicron case have already returned one negative test result. All these contacts remain in isolation and will receive further tests.

Of the case’s 67 close contacts identified, 43 have already returned negative test results.

The five close contacts previously identified in Taupō, who have all returned negative day five test results, have now been transferred to an MIQ facility in Waikato.

Auckland Regional Public Health is continuing to work with MIQ staff to look for any possible routes of transmission between returnees at the Stamford Plaza and the MIQ worker. Additional testing is being arranged for MIQ staff at this facility.

Additional whole genome sequencing of other positive returnee cases at the Stamford Plaza is also being completed to provide further information for the source investigation.

As we have done previously, our objective is to stamp out and prevent any onward transmission.

New Zealand’s vaccine rollout remains our key defence against all variants of Covid-19, including Omicron. With 93% of the eligible population now double-dosed and the booster programme underway, New Zealanders are well protected. We want vaccinations to continue to increase and ask everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated.

From today, people over the age of 18 are able to book online to have their booster shot four months since their last vaccine dose.

We’re reiterating our call for anyone who lives in Auckland with symptoms – no matter how mild – to get a test, even if you’re vaccinated and to please stay at home until you return a negative test result.

Covid-19 vaccine update

• Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 3,989,422 first doses (95%); 3,896,820 second doses (93%); 35,552 third primary doses; 751,839 booster doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 563 first doses; 1088 second doses; 71 third primary doses and 9,635 booster doses.
• Māori (percentage of eligible people): 506,403 first doses (89%); 475,726 second doses (83%).
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people): 274,434 first doses (96%); 265,102 second doses (92%).

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

• Northland DHB: First doses (89%); second doses (86%)
• Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (97%); second doses (95%)
• Waikato DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (92%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (91%)
• Lakes DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (89%)
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (92%)
• Wairarapa DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (93%)
• Capital and Coast DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (97%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)
• Canterbury DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (97%)

Hospitalisations

• Cases in hospital: 30; North Shore: 6; Auckland: 13; Middlemore: 10; Tauranga: 1.
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (11 cases / 41%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (6 case / 22%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (8 cases / 30%); unknown (2 case / 7%).
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 48
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 2; Middlemore: 1; Tauranga: 1

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 22
• Seven day rolling average of border cases: 34
• Number of new community cases: 16
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 42
• Location of new community cases: Auckland (7), Lakes (6), Hawke’s Bay (1)*, Wairarapa (1), West Coast (1)*
• Number of community cases (total): 11,322 (in current community outbreak)
• Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8616
• Number of active cases (total): 545 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 14,752

Contacts

• Number of active contacts being managed (total): 4780
• Percentage who has received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 80%
• Percentage who has returned at least one result: 79%

Tests

• Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 8165
• Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 14,864
• Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 3902

Wastewater

No unexpected results.

NZ Covid Tracer

• Poster scans in the 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,090,682
• Manual diary entries in the 24 hours to midday: 32,116

My Vaccine Pass

• My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,803,808
• My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 7175

Today’s cases

*We are reporting new community cases in Auckland, Lakes, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa and West Coast.

We first reported the Hawke’s Bay case in yesterday’s statement. It has officially been added to our case tally today.

Today we are reporting a case on the West Coast. Upon investigation this case has been deemed historical.

Regional updates

We are continuing to ask anyone in New Zealand with symptoms – no matter how mild – to get tested, even if you’re vaccinated. Please stay at home until you return a negative test result.

Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.

Please also continue to check for any updated Locations of Interest and appropriate health advice, updated regularly at Contact tracing locations of interest.

Auckland

There are seven cases to report in Auckland today.

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 841 people in the region to isolate at home, including 190 cases.

Lakes

There are six new cases to report in the Lakes DHB region today.

All of these cases are in the Rotorua District.

Three of today’s cases are linked to previously reported cases, with the remaining still being investigated for potential links.

All cases are isolating at home or in managed accommodation.

Wairarapa

There is one case to report in South Wairarapa today.

The case is a contact of previously reported cases and was already isolating when they tested positive.

The Greater Wellington region has 13 active cases, including five in Wellington, three in the Hutt Valley and five in Wairarapa.