Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Director-General Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced today that the vaccination interval between the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and a booster dose has now been reduced to three months.
This means booster doses, originally having a four-month wait time after a second dose, are now available to a million more eligible New Zealanders.
The shortened booster interval to three months only applies to the Pfizer vaccine. The Covid-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group will have separate advice on the AstraZeneca vaccine later this month.
The move comes into effect on Friday, February 4.
New Covid cases
Meanwhile, case numbers continue to climb, with 142 Covid community cases being reported by the Ministry of Health today.
The outbreak total is now at 12,274 and active cases are at 994.
Of the new community cases, 103 are in Auckland, 12 in Waikato, 11 in Northland, five in Bay of Plenty, one in Hawke's Bay, two each in Nelson Marlborough and Lakes, and three each in Taranaki (announced yesterday) and Canterbury.
Some 54 cases have been detected at the border, all of which are in managed isolation.
Of the new Northland cases, 10 are linked to previously reported cases and investigations are underway to determine a link for the remaining one. Nine cases are in Kerikeri, one in Whangārei and the other in Kaikohe.
Both Lakes cases are in Rotorua. One case is linked with the remaining case still being investigated.
All of the five Bay of Plenty cases are in Tauranga. Three are linked and investigations continue for the remaining two.
Both of Nelson Marlborough's new cases are linked to existing cases.
Two of Canterbury's three new cases were announced yesterday and officially recorded in today's tally.
Health and welfare providers are now supporting 1284 people in Auckland to isolate at home, including 515 cases.
Hospitalisations are at six. There are three in Middlemore and one each in Auckland, North Shore and Waikato hospitals. None of these is in intensive care.
There were 38,332 booster doses administered yesterday, taking the total to date to 1,362,811, which accounts for 69% of those eligible to get a booster.. Also, 8,636 paediatric doses were given yesterday, bringing the total to 177,964.
Yesterday 1,218 first doses and 2,248 second doses were given out.