The All of Government COVID-19 National Response will provide an update at 1.00 pm today.

Speakers:
Dr Ashley Bloomfield, Director-General of Health.
A livestream of the update will be available on this page later today.

Live Updates:

  • There are no new cases of Covid-19 today, but one probable case has been confirmed.
  • The total number of cases remains 1487.
  • As it was Sunday yesterday, less tests were carried out at 2473, 152,696 tests have been taken to date.
  • There have been no further deaths.
  • As it was Sunday yesterday, less tests were carried out at 2473, 152,696 tests have been taken to date.
  • 7 people are in hospital and none are in ICU
  • These are encouraging figures, but it is one moment in time, Bloomfield says.
  • 16 remains the number of clusters in NZ, three of them have now been closed as there have been no cases of community transmission in the past few days
  • Students and staff at Marist College will be able to have free Covid-19 tests.
  • Later this week, we will have an indication if there are new cases coming through due to our shift to level three, Bloomfield says.
  • “Clearly these are encouraging figures today, but it is just one moment in time. The real test is later this week when we factor in the incubation period for the virus and the time it takes for people to display symptoms which is generally five to six days after exposure.”“That’s when we will have an indication if there are any new cases coming through that might be emerging in the community as a result of our shift from level four to level three.”
  • It has been a record year for flu vaccines. 1.3 million vaccines have been distributed around the country.
  • There is a very low level of influenza in our community, a direct response to our period of lockdown.
  • Over 451,000 people over 65 have been vaccinated already this year.
  • “We cannot afford to squander all the hard work and effort of the past weeks. We did see at the weekend that it can be easy to start slackening off and we need to maintain discipline and keep pushing on and sustain the advantage that we have fought so hard for.”
  • Three important messages: If you have cold/flu symptoms, no matter how mild, get tested. Make sure your phone details are up to date with your GP. Bloomfield also thanks the media for its important role in keeping the public informed and asking the important and hard questions.
  • The last time there were no new cases of Covid-19 was March 16.
  • 1.35 million flu vaccines have been distributed to general practices, pharmacies and workplaces so far this year. A record year for NZ, Bloomfield says.
  • Today’s result is symbolic of the effort everyone has put in, but we must remain vigilant, Dr Bloomfield says.
  • There were 191 breaches of the Level 3 restrictions over the weekend, bringing the total number of breaches since the country came out of lockdown last Tuesday to nearly 600.
  • Dr Bloomfield on flu vaccine stock shortages challenges: “Any GP or pharmacy that has run out of stock at his point and still has at risk people requiring vaccination should get in touch with their local immunisation coordinator who’ve been coordinating the process of redistribution and/or priorisiting access to the next shipment of vaccines when it arrives.”
  • Dr Bloomfield on whether he has been in contact with Australia’s Public Health department on how a trans-Tasman bubble would work and ensuring both nations have the same and robust processes:”There is an agreement, at the highest level, to have a trans-Tasman bubble that we are working very closely with our Australian counterparts on what those key public health pillars would need to be around how we are testing for and identifying isolating cases and contacts and also our position around contact tracing and our ability to exchange information smoothly to ensure any contacts or potential contacts could be followed up if they had travelled in either direction.”
  • Dr Bloomfield on whether he has been in contact with Australia’s Public Health department on how a trans-Tasman bubble would work and ensuring both nations have the same and robust processes:”There is an agreement, at the highest level, to have a trans-Tasman bubble that we are working very closely with our Australian counterparts on what those key public health pillars would need to be around how we are testing for and identifying isolating cases and contacts and also our position around contact tracing and our ability to exchange information smoothly to ensure any contacts or potential contacts could be followed up if they had travelled in either direction.”
  • Dr Bloomfield on whether he has been in contact with Australia’s Public Health department on how a trans-Tasman bubble would work and ensuring both nations have the same and robust processes: “There is an agreement, at the highest level, to have a trans-Tasman bubble that we are working very closely with our Australian counterparts on what those key public health pillars would need to be around how we are testing for and identifying isolating cases and contacts and also our position around contact tracing and our ability to exchange information smoothly to ensure any contacts or potential contacts could be followed up if they had travelled in either direction.”

https://youtu.be/POlDiC_j-iE

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