This week, we were given an update on how the pandemic is tracking in New Zealand. You could say results are mixed.
When asked whether New Zealand would reopen to the world at the start of next year at the June 2 Covid update, Dr Ashley Bloomfield warned “this pandemic is probably not even halfway through”.
With Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall, he also went through the latest vaccination numbers.
So far, more than 650,000 vaccine doses have been administered. At least 100,000 of these happened in the past week.
Dr Verrall said the past week had been the biggest for vaccinations.
New Zealand was also on track with its rollout, with latest figures showing it’s actually nine percent ahead of where it anticipated to be at this point, she said.
"Friday was our biggest day of vaccinations to date, with 20,015 vaccine doses administered. Within that, more than 235,600 people have received their second dose."
Despite this, the OECD said in its latest Economic Outlook Forecast New Zealand needed to speed up our vaccination rollout so the risk of new outbreaks was reduced and the border could reopen next year.
Meanwhile, results of a review into MIQ facilities following Covid-19 transmission at the Grand Millennium and Grand Mercure found significant shortfalls in practices.
Released on Thursday, the internal review by the Ministry of Health and MIQ made six recommendations including improving staff testing and vaccination. Joint head of MIQ Brigadier Jim Bliss also said action to improve systems was “well-underway”.
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