COVID-19 Response

Cabinet has agreed a suite of precautionary measures to keep Omicron out of the community for as long as possible, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. 

Give yourselves a pat on the back, New Zealand.

Nine southern African countries are being added to the very high risk countries list following public health advice around the newly discovered COVID-19 variant Omicron, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said.

Fully vaccinated New Zealanders will find it easier to come home from January 2022, with foreign nationals to follow from April onwards, as the Government removes the requirement for MIQ for most travellers, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today.

Businesses and events will be set for summer, with the free NZ Pass Verifier app to scan and verify My Vaccine Passes now available to download.

After a tough year, the Education Minister Chris Hipkins is wishing students well for their upcoming NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams.

New Zealanders will soon be able to access a second type of COVID-19 vaccine, Minister for COVID-19 Response Chris Hipkins said.

For the more than 3.4 million eligible people already fully vaccinated, now is the time to get ready for a Kiwi summer by getting their My Vaccine Pass.

Booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine will start being administered from 29 November, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today.

Counties Manukau DHB has reached 90 percent first doses today, meaning all three Auckland DHBs have now crossed the 90 percent threshold for first doses, a key milestone on the path to Auckland opening up.

The government has signed a purchase agreement with Pfizer for 4.7 million additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for delivery in 2022.

Following two unlinked community cases reported in the Far North, the north of the region will move to Alert Level 3 from 11:59 tonight.

The Government is starting a phased easing of border restrictions that will see the time spent in an MIQ facility halved for fully vaccinated overseas arrivals from 14 November and home isolation introduced in the first quarter of 2022 at the latest, Chris Hipkins said today.

Restrictions in the Waikato will be eased slightly from midnight tonight, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today.

A newly-signed Order means most people working in three key sectors will very soon need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the sake of themselves, their workmates and their communities.

The parts of Waikato that have been in Alert Level 3 will remain at that alert level till Wednesday, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today.

The parts of Waikato that have been in Alert Level 3 and Northland will remain in Alert Level 3 for a few more days, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today.

Large parts of two workforces critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19 will be required to be vaccinated, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today.

Northland will move to Alert Level 3 restrictions from 11:59pm tonight following recent information on the risk presented by the positive case initially tested in Whangarei earlier this week and confirmed in Auckland yesterday, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said.

Following public health advice, the Government has agreed to extend the Waikato Alert Level 3 boundary to the south, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said.

A new team has been mobilised to support disabled people to access transport and get vaccinated in a way that suits their needs, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Disability Issues Minister Carmel Sepuloni said. 

With over half the eligible population now fully vaccinated and more than 80% with at least one dose, we’ve all got to do our bit reach the remaining 20%, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says

More than 2 million people have now received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, marking a significant milestone for the largest vaccination programme in Aotearoa New Zealand’s history, Minister for COVID-19 Response Chris Hipkins says.

As of 11:59pm last night (Sunday 3 October), north west Waikato moved into Alert Level 3 for five days, a move COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says will help limit possible further community transmission of the virus.