COVID-19 Response

Further advice is being sought from public health officials following seven new positive cases of COVID-19 in Victoria today, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

All frontline border workers who are required to be regularly tested for COVID-19 will soon be able to choose regular saliva testing as a full replacement for nasopharyngeal testing, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has announced.

The Government is further strengthening the border against COVID-19 by making it mandatory for more of the workforce to be vaccinated, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced today.

Rising case numbers in New South Wales and people there not isolating has changed public health advice and means flights back from NSW will not start from midnight tonight as was intended, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said.

The Government welcomes the release of papers from the Independent Continuous Review, Improvement and Advice Group into the Auckland February cluster, COVID-19 Response minister Chris Hipkins said today.

New Zealand’s regulatory authority Medsafe has granted provisional approval of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 18 years of age and older, COVID-19 Minister Chris Hipkins announced today.

Schools affected by the February 2021 regional Alert Level 3 restrictions will now be able to claim a reimbursement for unforeseen costs, says Education Minister Chris Hipkins.

The Government has today carefully considered health advice and will further ease Australia travel bubble restrictions at 11.59pm (NZT) Friday, 9 July, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

The largest shipment of Pfizer vaccines yet has arrived two days ahead of schedule, thanks to a joint effort by the Ministry of Health, Pfizer and logistics company DHL, says COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins.

Retired and overseas-trained health professionals and the wider health workforce can now join New Zealand’s expanding vaccinator workforce, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. 

The Government is building on the successes of the Performance-Based Research Fund to ensure a stronger, fairer, more diverse tertiary education system, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says.

As Wellington prepares to return to Alert Level 1 tonight, people in the region are urged to remain vigilant and should get tested if they are felling unwell or were at a location of interest, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today.

Alert Level 2 measures for Wellington, Wairarapa and Kāpiti Coast to the north of Ōtaki have been extended by 48 hours to 11.59pm on Tuesday 29 June, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

Quarantine Free Travel from all Australian states and territories will be paused from 10.30pm (NZT) tonight until 11.59pm (NZT) on Tuesday 29 June, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has announced.

The pause on Quarantine Free Travel from New South Wales to New Zealand will continue for a further 12 days, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says. 

Alert Level 2 measures are now in place for Wellington, Wairarapa and Kāpiti Coast to the north of Ōtaki, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

New Zealand’s Quarantine Free Travel from New South Wales to New Zealand will be paused while the source of infection of new cases announced in Sydney is investigated, says COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins.

Following a further public health assessment of the COVID-19 outbreak in greater Melbourne, New Zealand’s Quarantine Free Travel pause with Victoria has been extended to 11.59pm on Tuesday 22 June, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

Following an assessment of the COVID-19 outbreak in greater Melbourne, New Zealand’s Quarantine Free Travel pause with Victoria will continue for a further seven days, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

A South Island hub and 17 new ultra-low temperature freezers will help further prepare New Zealand for the ramp up of the vaccination programme in the second half of this year, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

Pfizer has scheduled delivery of an estimated 1 million doses of vaccine to New Zealand during July, COVID1-9 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today.

Following the Victorian Government’s decision to extend their lockdown restrictions, New Zealand’s Quarantine Free Travel pause with Victoria will also be extended for a further six days, with a further review due on Wednesday 9 June, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

The Government is introducing pre-departure testing as an additional precautionary step for anyone who was in Victoria in the days leading up to the Victoria travel bubble pause, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

The pause in New Zealand’s Quarantine Free Travel with Victoria will be extended until 7.59pm on Friday 4 June after today’s announcement in Melbourne of a growing number of cases, more exposure events and the high risk nature of some of these events, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.