Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed today the government is close to securing extra vaccines, as businesses and organisations outside Auckland prepare for level 2.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield Photo: Hagen Hopkins - Pool/Getty Images
Twenty-one new community cases were announced today. They are all in Auckland and there is one additional case yet to be determined a border or community case.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the outbreak now totals 841 cases, of which 147 have recovered.
The total number of unlinked cases has fallen from 33 yesterday to 24 today, he said.
Some 7255 tests were processed in labs yesterday, with about 5800 of those in metropolitan Auckland.
Government 'finalising arrangements' for extra vaccines
Ardern told the nation at the 1pm press conference that the government was in the final stages of arranging extra supplies of the Pfizer vaccine.
They would supplement the current stock of 682,000. Officials had planned to deliver 350,000 doses each week but a recent surge in vaccinations has seen demand peak to "well over" one million.
"These rapid negotiations have been taking place behind the scenes for the past few weeks," she said.
"As a result of these efforts we are now finalising arrangements that secure additional supply in September. This will enable us to maintain our extraordinary vaccination rates throughout September until our bulk deliveries land in October."
There would be enough to support our Pacific neighbours, Ardern said.
The government is hopeful of soon securing more Pfizer vaccines Photo: AFP
Meanwhile, Covid-19 researcher Rāwiri Taonui said clinics which are supposed to prioritise Māori and Pasifika are being "swamped" by Pākehā.
Saliva testing accelerated
Bloomfield said saliva testing is being ramped up, with a contract with an additional provider being finalised.
"It's a drool into a cup, rather than a nasopharingeal swab ... there are no capacity constraints with our current provider who's providing it across the border [workforce], however we are just finalising a contract with an additional provider ... for people who will be going across the Auckland boundary and also to support some of the other focused surveillance testing if needed across some of those employers across the Auckland region in the next two weeks."
More than 830 border workers have now signed up for saliva testing, he said, and it will become available to more people over time.
Ardern rejected the notion Ministry of Health had dragged its feet on bringing in saliva testing, when questioned by Morning Report.
However, a top US-based epidemiologist said Ardern had been poorly advised on the matter.
Yale researcher Dr Anne Wyllie, who is a New Zealander, has criticised the government over months' long delays in using saliva testing to get on top of Covid-19 outbreaks.
The quicker and less invasive tests have been widely used overseas for over a year.
But the Ministry of Health has persisted with PCR nasal swabs which take much longer to yield a result and therefore slow down the detection of outbreaks.
Saliva testing should be ramped up in coming weeks, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says Photo: 123RF
Frustration with Auckland border testing
All essential workers crossing Auckland's boundary must now have a Covid-19 test every seven days.
Road Transport Forum chief executive Nick Leggett told Morning Report the move will take essential workers off the road and may mean crucial freight is not delivered.
"Many truck drivers work through the night," he said, adding that they may need to get tested at a time they are tired and should be sleeping.
Ardern defended the policy, saying while it put an extra requirement on workers who already have passes to move through the border, "this is the price of us having the country with more freedoms".
They were working with the industry to make it as easy as possible, she said.
Some companies were already using saliva testing for surveillance of staff, but Ardern said the government was looking at whether to contract specific providers to aid that flow of testing.
Testing every seven days was one move that will help confidence that cases are not moving out of the city to other regions, she said.
Regions outside Auckland prepare for new level 2
Regions outside Auckland are preparing for 'delta 2' and the new rules that come with it. All of New Zealand except it's largest city move to level 2 at 11.59pm tonight.
The National Party says the Government has blindsided business with its new level 2 rules and the government had plenty of time to signal changes.
Businesses have scrambled to adapt the way they do things.
An Air New Zealand spokesperson said there will be a 50-person limit in Koru lounges, and passengers will be asked to wear masks in the terminal.
Leanne Geraghty said passengers will still be able to transit through Auckland.
Staff will also need to wear masks throughout the terminal as well.
National leader Judith Collins says the new level 2 rules have blindsided businesses Photo: NZME / Mark Mitchell / Pool
Monterey Cinemas owner Kelly Rogers said there will be a maximum of 50 people in cinemas, and staff and patrons will need to wear their masks.
There will be contactless ticket sales, compulsory scanning and extra staff on duty to ensure everyone keeps to the rules - including staying in their allocated seats.
NZSki chief executive Paul Anderson said a scanning gateway will be on the access road to each ski field where guests will be asked to sign in using the tracer app on their way up.
Anderson said the restrictions will limit capacity in their cafes and restaurants to 50 people per indoor area.
Meanwhile, Wellington on a Plate festival is coming back for a second serving tomorrow.
It was disrupted halfway through when the country moved to level 4 and then replaced with a directory of businesses doing takeaways at level 3.
School leaders have expressed confusion at the new rules.
The Principals' Federation is calling for clarity on why masks are required indoors in public places but are optional in schools, while Secondary Principals' Association Vaughan Couillault said he was relieved it is a recommendation rather than a requirement.
While both staff and students often use masks in the first days or weeks it quickly falls away, he said. Guidelines would be issued, but questions remained, he said.
Wage subsidy still available for all of NZ
Ardern clarified today that all New Zealand businesses remain eligible for the wage subsidy so long as any part of the country remains in level 4.
This, for example, meant businesses in Queenstown could apply while Auckland is in lockdown.
Businesses in level 2 will still qualify if they can show their turnover is down by 40 percent, she said.