Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Text, email booster alerts for 1 million NZers

A million people due to get their booster shots will begin receiving text message or email alerts from today, as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern promises $400,000 to rural communities to deal with disruption from Covid.

The PM, who arrived at the press conference with Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins, said the Omicron outbreak was likely to accelerate quickly.

“Cases are growing but this is not unexpected.”

She added: “We were able to essentially stamp out Delta. With Omicron, we won’t be able to do that.”

Today was the start of the “big boost week” she said, with more than 150 sites open in Auckland.

From today, the extra million people who became eligible on Friday would begin receiving text message or email alerts.

“Boosters are the most important determinant of how we will weather the Omicron storm.”

On economic issues, Ardern praised exporters and said $400,000 would be allocated to rural support agencies and similar groups.

The PM said the initiative would help any farmers facing disruption from the outbreak.

“It’s an opening that’s very deliberate, planned and staged,” Ardern said of the Government plan to loosen international border restrictions.

“I think they want us to make evidence-based decisions,” Ardern said about what she thought New Zealanders wanted.

“That booster is making a difference,” Ardern said of third vaccine doses.

Hipkins said the evidence showed Governments should do whatever possible to keep public health systems from being overwhelmed.

He said booster shots helped, but referred to the pandemic response, and added: “The additional public health measures we have at our red setting also make a difference.”

He said people working in intensive care units were nervous, and it was important to ensure they were not overwhelmed.

“And they are anticipating they are going to come under increased pressure,” Hipkins said.

Ardern said Omicron would certainly present challenges but New Zealanders still had the power to make wise choices.

Hipkins said schools wanted to help with vaccine drives but did not want to be targeted.
He said in some cases, schools were the victims of some “”pretty aggressive and in some cases, nasty anti-vax sentiment”.

Ardern and Hipkins were asked about the director-general of health and reports Whānau Ora was again denied vaccination data.

“I absolutely have confidence in Dr Bloomfield,” Ardern said.

Hipkins said he’d met with many Māori health providers and took direct feedback about issues providers were concerned about.

“There is some concern around some communities that if data is used too assertively, it can increase the level of hesitancy around vaccinations.”

Ardern was asked about a possible influenza outbreak this winter and said officials were working with schools on how to improve ventilation, and on filtration systems for congested areas.

Hipkins was asked what would happen if an Omicron outbreak hit Parliament.
Much of Parliament operated in ways similar to many other workplaces, he said.

“The short answer: It’s going to be a case-by-case thing. It’s a matter of when, not if, a Member of Parliament is going to find themselves testing positive.”

Ardern said any decision to alter the country’s traffic light pandemic response settings would depend on the projected impact on health systems.

It was too soon to know how more cases might impact hospitals, the PM said.

On protesters gathered outside Parliament, she said: “The majority of New Zealanders have done everything possible to keep themselves and others safe.”

Ardern thanked people who had been vaccinated.

Asked what she said to the majority of people who were vaccinated and might be frustrated at disruptive protests, she said: “This too will pass.”

Earlier this afternoon Ardern said the Covid-19 pandemic had tested New Zealanders in ways not seen for decades.

The PM said the Government aimed to save as many lives as possible, protect jobs and cushion the blow to the economy.

“In a pandemic that moves swiftly, where new variants emerge quickly, no country has perfected the playbook.”

She said the Omicron variant presented a new, difficult phase of the pandemic.

But she added: “We face the challenges ahead in a better position than many other countries we compare ourselves to.”

She urged people to get Covid-19 vaccine booster shots to bolster immunity and alleviate pressure on health workers.

Today, 202 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in the community, and 63 cases recorded at the border.

Meanwhile, protesters arrived in Wellington to demonstrate over issues including vaccine mandates and ongoing Covid restrictions.

Hundreds of cars, trucks and motorbikes arrived at Parliament, causing backlogs on main roads around and into Wellington.

Ardern and National Party leader Christopher Luxon both voiced no intention to engage with protesters.

Act Party leader David Seymour this afternoon offered a similar view but said Government policies had caused social division.

“It could have been as simple as saying: If you don’t want to get vaccinated, you have to be frequently tested.”

He said it was antisocial for demonstrators to block roads for people trying to get to work.

“It’s a shame they’ve chosen to be that way, but it’s also a shame that we’ve had policies that are inevitably divisive.”

Seymour attacked the director general of health over the rapid antigen tests controversy, saying the Government had taken test kits intended for the private sector.

“The level of spin and cover-up from Ashley Bloomfield is breathtaking, even for him.”

Seymour said the Government should never have banned the importation of rapid tests.

“A simple rule for life is: Don’t steal people’s stuff.”

Public officials have offered a meandering set of explanations in recent days to explain what happened with rapid tests which businesses had ordered.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health backtracked on Bloomfield’s claim that tests requisitioned from private businesses were not already in New Zealand.

Apart from arguments over how to tackle Omicron, the Government has faced pressure in recent days over high petrol prices.

The National Party earlier today called for the Auckland regional fuel tax to be scrapped.