December 21, 2021
Border opening delayed as Omnicron surges
The roll out for paediatric doses of Covid-19 for five to 11 year olds will start from January 17, before children return to school.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says there will be a focus on more hesitant and remote communities.
Māori claimants are pushing for greater resourcing and involvement in the roll out, in light of today’s Waitangi Tribunal report which found treaty breaches in the way the Crown ignored advice to factor in the unique circumstances of Māori in its Covid planning.
Cabinet has decided to push back the self-isolation date for travellers from Australia from January 17 to the end of February.
Mr Hipkins says the speed Omicron is becoming the dominant variant means it will soon account for all new cases coming over the border.
More time is needed to roll out boosters as a way to check its spread here.
The gap between the second shot and the booster will be reduced from six to four months.
That means the bulk of the Māori population, who were vaccinated relatively later in the process, will be eligible for a booster before next winter.