Supplied Content
Wellington, November 8, 2021
This update shares key information about the government’s response to Covid-19.
It is intended to provide consistent information across central government, local government, Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) and our key partners.
Key things to note
There are 81 people in hospital with Covid-19 in New Zealand (North Shore: 26; Waitakere: 1; Middlemore: 26; Auckland: 27; Whangarei: 1). There are 190 new cases in the community (Auckland 182; Waikato 7; Northland 1), and three cases at the border
Auckland will move to Alert Level 3, Step 2 at 11.59 pm on November 9, 2021.
Upper Northland will move to Alert Level 2 at 11.59 pm on Thursday, November 11, 2021.
More than 3.3 million New Zealanders are now fully vaccinated.
Medsafe has approved booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine for those 18 and over, and to be given at least six months after the second dose.
Six DHBS have now hit the 90% first dose mark – Auckland, Waitemata, Counties Manukau, Capital and Coast, Canterbury and Southern.
Two deaths have been reported, 1 in MIQ and one at Auckland City Hospital. The coroner is investigating the causes of both deaths.
Twenty residents and four staff members of Edmonton Meadows Care Home in Henderson, Auckland have returned positive Covid-19 tests.
Auckland Step 2 Facts
Auckland will move to Alert Level 3, Step 2 at 11.59 pm on November 9, 2021.
Following are the effects: Retail will open, with customers required to maintain 2 metres physical distance and wear masks. Public facilities like museums and libraries can also open, again with physical distancing and masking.
Gyms, recreation centres, movie theatres and swimming pools remain closed.
For outdoor gatherings, the upper limit on numbers will go up to 25 people, and 2-metre physical distancing is strongly encouraged.
Face coverings and physical distancing remain vital measures for stopping the spread of the virus, along with scanning in and keeping up handwashing and hygiene measures.
Find out more about Alert Level 3, Step 2 here
Upper Northland Alert Level 2
At 11.59 pm on Thursday, November. 11, 2021
Information about Alert Level 2 can be found here
Cabinet will review all alert levels, across the country, on November 15, 2021.
Two deaths have been reported: A returnee in a MIQ facility in Auckland has passed away.
The returnee arrived on 3 November and tested positive during a routine day three test. The Ministry of Health has also confirmed a patient with Covid-19 has died at Auckland City Hospital. The patient, in their late 60s, was admitted to the hospital on October 23, 2021 for a trauma-related incident and tested positive for Covid-19 on admission. The coroner is investigating the causes of both deaths, including whether they are Covid-related.
Covid Numbers and treatment
Edmonton Meadows Care home: Twenty residents and four staff members of Edmonton Meadows Care Home in the Auckland suburb of Henderson have returned positive Covid-19 tests, seven of who are being cared for at Auckland hospitals.
More Covid-19 cases are being treated in their homes in their communities
As case numbers increase, more Covid-19 cases are isolating in their homes with support from health authorities. Supported isolation at home allows New Zealand to protect its health system and maintain capacity in MIQ facilities.
The community model of care also reflects the likelihood that, if vaccination rates are high, most New Zealanders who get Covid-19 will not need hospital-level care and will safely be able to be cared for at home.
Medsafe approves Pfizer booster
Medsafe has approved booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine for those 18 and over, and to be given at least six months after the second dose.
This is the first step in the approval and rollout process. The Covid-19 Technical Advisory Group and Ministry of Health will be providing advice to the Cabinet.
Vaccination progress
Six DHBS have now hit the 90% first dose mark – Auckland, Waitemata, Counties Manukau, Capital and Coast, Canterbury and Southern.
All three Auckland DHBs have now reached 90% of first vaccine doses.
Auckland needs 90% of eligible people in each of its three DHBs to be fully vaccinated (two doses) to move to the new COVID-19 Protection Framework.
As of Monday 8th November: Waitemata DHB: 84% fully vaccinated; Auckland DHB: 87% fully vaccinated; Counties Manukau DHB: 80% fully vaccinated; Nationally there are only 33,316 doses required across the remaining 14 DHBs to get them all up to 90%. 14,280 doses were provided across New Zealand (including Auckland) yesterday (November 7, 2021); 78% of eligible people in New Zealand are fully vaccinated. 74% of the total eligible Maori population have received at least 1 dose; 87% of the total eligible Pacific population have received at least 1 dose.
For more information, please visit the Ministry of Health website.
Source: Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Wellington
