October 22, 2021
Red lights flashing with 129 new Covid cases
There are 129 new community cases of Covid-19 today, casting shade on the Government’s announcement of a new traffic light protection framework.
120 of the cases are in Auckland and nine are in the Waikato.
The new protection framework will kick in once vaccination levels top 90 percent.
Overall the figure is standing at 86 percent for first doses and 69 percent fully vaccinated.
In Auckland, first doses are at 89 percent and 74 percent have had their second shot.
For Māori, first doses are now at 68 percent and second doses 47 percent.
A third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is now available for severely immunocompromised individuals aged 12 and older.
Jo Gibbs, the national director of the COVID-19 Vaccination and Immunisation Programme, says the third dose can be administered eight weeks after the second dose.
Individuals who meet the complex eligibility criteria will need to be prescribed the third dose by their GP or other specialist.