Coronavirus: Latest on COVID-19 community outbreak - Friday, December 10

The Government's new rapid antigen testing (RAT) policy has been slammed by one of the world's leading experts on the technology as "ridiculously backwards".

On Thursday, the Ministry of Health said unvaccinated Kiwis could use a negative RAT result in order to leave Auckland this summer. The ministry specifically said the tests, administered free of charge in pharmacies, are for asymptomatic people - but Dr Anne Wyllie, one of the brains behind the SalivaDirect PCR test used by the NBA, said the tests are designed to be used on those who are symptomatic. 

"This is ridiculously backwards guidance," Dr Wyllie, a Kiwi expat at the Yale School of Public Health, told Newshub. "They're not effective at detecting low viral loads, which asymptomatic people generally are.

"Giving these tests to people to take once before going on holiday is going to change their behaviours, send them out thinking they're negative, when really in as little as six hours they could turn positive and infectious and thereby spreading the virus further."

What you need to know:

• There are 95 new cases of COVID-19 to report on Friday - 75 in Auckland, 11 in Waikato, five in Bay of Plenty, one in Lakes, one in Nelson-Tasman and two in Canterbury - one of which was first reported on Thursday.
• A case has also been detected in Taranaki but will be recorded in Saturday's tally.
• Two people with COVID-19 have died overnight at Middlemore and Auckland City Hospital.
• Fifty-six people are in hospital, four of whom are in intensive care or high dependency units.     
• Auckland's border will open on Dec 15, allowing fully vaccinated Kiwis to travel to and from the region. People can also present a negative test received within 72 hours prior to departure.
• Workers covered by the My Vaccine Pass mandate - staff working at businesses that are required to use jab certificates to fully operate - must be fully vaccinated by Jan 17.
• The Government announced on Monday that Pharmac had purchased 60,000 doses of the new drug molnupiravir, an antiviral pill that can help with treating COVID-19.
• Keep up-to-date with the latest locations of interest here.
  

Follow Newshub's live updates below - app users, click here

These live updates are now closed. 

4:49pm - After two High Court judicial reviews, the Director-General of Health is releasing data of unvaccinated Māori in the North Island - but with clear conditions RNZ reports. 

The Ministry of Health had 72 hours to review its decision of not releasing the data to the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency (WOCA) who went to the High Court twice.

In a letter sent to WOCA late last night, Dr Ashley Bloomfield laid out what data they will release - as well as the iwi who opposed the release - so there are a number of conditions applied by the ministry in releasing the information.

Read the full story here.

4:10pm - Police say the trainee cops with no power to arrest people will be among those manning the Northland border over the summer. 

In a statement Police said 46 recruits, as well as 46 Constabulary staff who have just graduated from Police College, will be deployed on the border. 

"Forty-six recruits will be deployed to assist on the checkpoint for one week, while the following week, another 46 constabulary staff who will have just graduated from Police College will also be deployed for one week.

These recruits will be working alongside other experienced constabulary staff at the checkpoints. 

"The recruits will be sworn in as Authorised Officers, which means they will not have powers of arrest, however if there are any issues or incidents which need to be escalated there will be experienced officers on hand at the checkpoints at all times to deal with any issues which may arise.

"We are not aware of any issues with staff refusing to work on the checkpoints. Our staff around the country have been amazing in supporting the ongoing work at the checkpoints and significant numbers of staff have volunteered to be deployed for the Auckland checkpoints over the past months.

"The recruits and constabulary officers are being deployed to best utilise Police resources over what is expected to be a very busy period over the holiday season, as we need to ensure we also have sufficient Police resource to effectively carry out other general Policing duties endeavouring to keep our communities safe.

"As mentioned, these recruits and constabulary staff will be working alongside experienced frontline staff on every shift at the checkpoints, while Police will also be working alongside representatives from Tai Tokerau Border Control and other community base groups."

3:27pm - The Department of Conservation has reminded tourists that everyone over the age of 12 visiting their facilities must be fully vaccinated. They also asked visitors to be safe over the summer. 

"DOC’s campsites are a mainstay of summer holidays for many Kiwis and we are working hard to keep these open and safe for people over the coming months.

"To protect yourself and others against COVID-19, it is even more vital to plan and prepare well for your trip – including assessing any risks for you and your group."

From 15 December 2021, eligible people aged 12 years and above staying in DOC accommodation – including all huts, lodges and campsites – must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"This policy prevents closures for the majority of these facilities under Red or Orange traffic light settings which would have caused disruptions for holiday plans across the country. It offers greater protection to all those who visit and work in these places, and allows people to plan their visit with more certainty."

"Other DOC facilities including tracks, carparks and most toilets remain open for everyone."

3:07pm - Three supermarkets in Tauranga along with Bayfair shopping centre are among the new locations of interest in the Bay of Plenty. There were five new cases in the region on Friday. 

Read the updated locations of interest here. 

2:35pm - Speaking at a media briefing earlier on Friday, the Director-General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, was asked for his opinion on the Government often going against public health advice regarding the COVID-19 response.

The leading official fronted the briefing to provide more information on therapeutic treatments for COVID-19, including an update on New Zealand's progress in securing these medicines.

Earlier on Friday, it was revealed that the Government had ignored public health advice recommending that vaccination certificates, or the My Vaccine Pass system, only be used at high-risk events to avoid jeopardising "social cohesion". Instead, the Government opted for a wider application of vaccination certificates, making the passes compulsory to enter most businesses who choose to implement the system. Businesses can opt not to make My Vaccine Passes mandatory for customers, but will sacrifice their ability to operate as normal - hospitality venues must only provide contactless service and gatherings without the passes have strict caps on attendees. 

When asked what his thoughts are on the Government going against public health advice, Dr Bloomfield said the Government is not "doing the opposite" of the recommendations, but is heeding the advice and "taking it further".

"They're perhaps acting even more cautiously than our advice would be," he said.

"Ministers make decisions, we provide advice, other parts of Government provide advice... it's the role of Government and Cabinet ministers to look at all of that advice and make decisions. That's how the system is supposed to work."

2:20pm - Here's a recap of today's key developments:

• Whanganui and Tairāwhiti DHBs are close to partially vaccinating 90 percent of their eligible populations. As of this morning, Tairāwhiti has just 266 more people to get their first vaccination before reaching this important milestone and Whanganui has 325.
• There were 21,744 total vaccine doses administered on Thursday, including 3374 first doses and 9225 second doses. To date, 94 percent of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose and 89 percent are fully vaccinated.
• There are 95 new cases of COVID-19 - 75 in Auckland, 11 in Waikato, five in Bay of Plenty, one in Lakes, one in Nelson-Tasman and two in Canterbury, one of which was first reported on Thursday.
• A person has also tested positive for COVID-19 in Waitara, Taranaki - the case was first reported on Thursday night and is linked to two active cases in New Plymouth. 
• Anyone in Waitara or the wider Taranaki region with symptoms – no matter how mild – are urged to get tested, even if fully vaccinated.
• Two people with COVID-19 have died in Auckland hospitals overnight.
• Fifty-six people are in hospital with COVID-19, five of whom are in intensive care or high dependency units.
• Of the 56 patients, 30 are unvaccinated or not eligible; 12 are partially immunised with one dose or are less than seven days from receiving their second; nine cases are fully vaccinated and received their second dose at least seven days before being reported as a case; and the vaccination status of two cases is unknown. 
• Of the five new cases in Bay of Plenty, four are in Tauranga and one is in the west of the region. Four are linked to previously reported cases and one is still being investigated.
• The new case in Lakes lives in Rotorua and is a household contact of a known case. They are isolating at home.
• The one new case in Nelson-Tasman has been linked to the larger cluster in the region. Anyone in the region presenting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 is urged to get a test, even if they are vaccinated.
• The new case in Christchurch today is directly linked to a case reported at the weekend. There are now six active cases in the region. An investigation into the case is ongoing and the person has been transferred to an MIQ facility.

2:05pm - Here are the latest locations of interest as of 2pm:

• Logo City, Bayfair Shopping Centre, Mount Maunganui
• Westpac Bayfair, Mount Maunganui
• Carnie Garden Centre & Waterworld, Tauranga
• Life Pharmacy, Bayfair Shopping Centre, Mount Maunganui
• Mecca Maxima, Bayfair Shopping Centre
• Bayfair Shopping Centre, Tauranga.

For the relevant dates, times and public health advice, click here.

1:50pm - In case you missed it, police have confirmed an investigation has now been launched into the actions of Dr Jonie Girouard, a Christchurch-based GP Newshub filmed issuing exemption certificates for the COVID-19 vaccine.

It comes after the New Zealand Medical Association laid an official complaint against Dr Girouard on Thursday.

Newshub can now reveal the doctor has been frequently issuing unofficial medical exemptions - and others around the country are doing it too.

Read more here.

1:35pm - Here are the regional updates for today's cases from the Ministry of Health:

Today's cases

Today, we are reporting new community cases in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Taranaki, Nelson-Tasman and Canterbury.

The case detected in Taranaki will be added to Saturday's case numbers.

A case previously under investigation in the Southern region has been classified as historical.

Regional updates

We are continuing to ask anyone in New Zealand with symptoms – no matter how mild – to get tested, even if you're vaccinated. Please remain isolated until you return a negative result.

If you are not vaccinated, now is the time, as vaccination is your number one defence against COVID-19. Your DHB or local health provider will have plenty of opportunities to make this happen.

Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found via Healthpoint.

Auckland

Today, there are 75 new cases to report in Auckland. Health and welfare providers are now supporting 3014 people to isolate at home, including 802 cases. 

Waikato

There are 11 new cases to report in Waikato today. Three new locations of interest were confirmed in Te Kūiti and Hamilton on Thursday.

In the Waikato, health and welfare providers are supporting 101 people to isolate at home.

Bay of Plenty

Today we are reporting five new cases in Bay of Plenty: four in the Tauranga area and one in western Bay of Plenty.

Four are linked to previously reported cases and one is still under investigation.

Contacts are being identified and will be provided with advice on testing and isolation.

Lakes

There is one new case to report in the Lakes DHB region today. The case is in Rotorua and is a household contact of a previously reported case. They are isolating at home.

Taranaki

There is one new case to report in Waitara today. The case was reported on Thursday night and is linked to two active cases in New Plymouth.

Taranaki's Public Health Unit has started an investigation into the case, however, early indications suggest that  locations of interest associated with the case are unlikely.

We urge anyone in Waitara or the wider Taranaki region with symptoms – no matter how mild – to get tested, even if you're vaccinated.

Pop-up testing will be available at the Waitara War Memorial Hall on Memorial Place today. Hours will be extended at Taranaki Base Hospital's testing centre from 8am to 4pm.

Unvaccinated whānau are also encouraged to get vaccinated promptly. For locations and times in Taranaki please visit TDHB - COVID-19 vaccine.

Nelson-Tasman update

There is one case to report today in Nelson-Tasman. They are linked to the larger Nelson cluster.

Anyone in the region with any symptoms that could be COVID-19 is urged to get a test, even if they are vaccinated.

Locations of interest are regularly added to the ministry's website, so we ask people living in Nelson-Tasman to check these daily.

Testing and vaccination centres open today and this weekend are available from the Nelson Marlborough DHB website.

Canterbury

There is one new case to report in Christchurch today, bringing the total of active cases in the region to six. They are directly linked to a case reported over the weekend.

The investigation is ongoing and this person is being transferred to an MIQ facility.

Testing locations and opening hours are available via Healthpoint.

1:33pm - Two patients with COVID-19 have died at Auckland City Hospital and Middlemore Hospital overnight.

The family of the individual who died at Middlemore Hospital has requested that no information be publicly provided and out of respect, the ministry will not be providing any further details.

The second patient was hospitalised due to COVID-19 and the case has been referred to the Coroner.

"The ministry would like to express its heartfelt condolences and sends its sympathies to the families of both of these people at this sad time."

1:32pm - There are 95 new cases of COVID-19 to report on Friday and two deaths.

Here's the full statement from the Ministry of Health:

89 pct of eligible people now fully vaccinated; 95 community cases; 2 deaths; 56 people in hospital, 4 in ICU

Whanganui and Tairāwhiti DHBs are close to partially vaccinating 90 percent of their eligible populations. As of this morning, Tairāwhiti has just 266 more people to get their first vaccination before reaching this important milestone and Whanganui has 325.

There were 21,744 total vaccine doses administered on Thursday, including 3374 first doses and 9225 second doses. To date, 94 percent of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose and 89 percent are fully vaccinated.

*A case reported on Thursday in Canterbury has been officially added to today's case numbers.

1:15pm - Each time the Auckland War Memorial Museum is advised by police of a planned anti-lockdown or anti-vaccination protest, the museum undertakes a risk assessment looking at the individual aspects of each event to determine whether the museum will open or not, a spokesperson for the facility said on Friday.

From Friday, December 3, all visitors to the museum are required to present their My Vaccine Pass to gain entry. 

"With vaccination passes now in place, the protest being held on the lower field, and a police presence around the museum building, this has changed our risk assessment," the spokesperson said.

"We are confident conditions are safe for the museum to remain open."

1pm - Spaces in managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) are urgently needed for school teachers, National's Immigration spokesperson, Erica Stanford, said on Friday.

An exception to the ongoing restrictions at the international border for 300 school teachers, announced in July, is set to be "another fancy headline bereft of any actual delivery", Stanford said in a statement.

This week, the Secretary for Education said that as of Wednesday, no teachers have entered New Zealand - and they may not start to arrive until after April 2022.

"The Government has announced numerous border exception categories for desperately needed workers, but very few have actually arrived in New Zealand because they have to contend with the MIQ lottery of human misery," Stanford said.

"Schools desperately need STEM [science, technology, engineering and maths] teachers in front of students at the start of Term 1 next year. There are teachers offshore who have signed contracts with schools but the uncertainty of actually getting in to New Zealand will cause them to look to other countries like Australia and Canada, and our kids miss out. 

"If the Government won't end MIQ, then I'm calling on the minister to allocate spots for these 300 teachers in January. We need teachers here in New Zealand and in front of kids from the start of Term 1 next year."

12:45pm - We are standing by for an update from the Ministry of Health on today's cases.

During an ongoing briefing on therapeutic treatments for COVID-19, Dr Ashley Bloomfield indicated today's case number is less than 100, which is "hugely encouraging".

12:30pm - Director-General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, is leading a briefing on therapeutic treatments for COVID-19, including their role, supply, and logistics – and the Government's progress in securing these medicines.

Dr Bloomfield will be joined by Dr Ian Town, Chief Science Advisor at the Ministry of Health, and Sarah Fitt, Chief Executive of Pharmac.

You can watch the briefing below.

12:15pm - An investigative report into seven recent incidents of people absconding from managed isolation and quarantine facilities (MIQ) has been released on Friday.

The seven incidents - involving nine people - took place between October 4 and November 6, 2021.

In a statement on Friday, joint head of MIQ, Brigadier Rose King, said she welcomes the several recommendations that have been made and action in response to these recommendations is well underway.

"MIQ has served New Zealand well, helping to bring almost 200,000 people home safely and caring for over 3500 community cases. Of that large number, we have seen a total of 19 absconder events involving 25 people," Brigadier King said.

"Since MIQ has played a larger role in caring for community cases we have seen an increase in behavioural incidents - including absconders or attempted absconding. All seven absconding events in this report involved community cases.

"Community cases are in different circumstances than returnees. Unlike international arrivals, who have had time to mentally and physically prepare, community cases face a different situation.

"They first are dealing with the shock of being told they are COVID-positive and then, at short notice, they have to make arrangements to come into a quarantine facility. This can be enormously stressful and - in some people - this can manifest in poor behaviour. Some are extremely reluctant to enter a facility and it is hard to keep people in if they are determined to leave.

"The MIQ system relies on the willing compliance of the people staying in our facilities. MIQ facilities are not prisons and staff are not prison guards. There are rules in place for every single returnee from overseas and now positive community cases, and we expect people to follow these during their stay. The vast majority of people realise that, by complying with the rules, they are keeping New Zealand safe from new and emerging strains of COVID-19."

The report did not find any single reason behind the events, but does make several recommendations for improvements, all are either complete or underway. The recommendations include:

• General reconsideration of the fencing standard applied to facilities that accommodate community quarantine cases. 
• De-escalation training for security staff to equip them with the necessary skills to intervene when appropriate.
• Procedures for discharge of those in facilities to ensure consistent and robust process in place. 
• Review process for transfers and short-term facility departures.
• Higher risk individual notifications extended to members of a family bubble as opposed to individuals.

"Over the last few months our processes, information and communication protocols have improved to offer a greater level of understanding and care for community cases. Most recent absconders were caught very quickly thanks to our staff and our security measures. Our security settings have also been reviewed and improved after each absconding event," Brigadier King said.

"We will continue to ensure that our processes are tightened, where appropriate, and the community is kept as safe as possible from further incidents such as these."

The report is available on the MIQ website.

12:05pm - There is one new location of interest as of 12pm: the Westpac Bayfair Branch in Mt Maunganui, Tauranga. 

For the relevant dates, times and public health advice, click here.

11:50am - A nurse who sailed home because she couldn't secure a slot in managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ), and another who's given up trying, say there are still too many barriers for healthcare staff to return to New Zealand.

New Zealand is facing critical nursing shortages nationwide, with expectations the workforce will only get more understaffed with an outbreak of COVID-19 next year.

But nurses' groups said it is still to difficult for New Zealand nurses to get home, or for overseas nurses to relocate.

New Zealand nurse Rachel Fraher had been living in Australia until she hitched a ride on a yacht back to Aotearoa, arriving a few days ago.

She had tried eight times to secure a spot in MIQ - before dedicated spots for healthcare workers existed - and got no higher than 1300th in the queue. The process was "soul-destroying," she told RNZ.

When the Government announced in October that it would allocate 300 spaces in MIQ a month for critical healthcare workers, Fraher investigated. However, there was no set date for the first release of rooms at that time, and she wanted a firm plan in place as with elderly parents, she was desperate to come home.

Fraher decided to take a spot on a yacht with a Kiwi skipper looking to isolate at sea rather than in a MIQ facility.

It was harrowing at times, she said, the two spending four days on the edge of a storm - but it was worth it to now be home.

"It was pretty rocky, it was a bit of a washing machine trying to sleep in there... but once the weather calmed it was beautiful, it was actually really amazing," she said.

Read more here.

11:35am - The Government went against official advice to keep My Vaccine Passes "narrow in scope" and only apply the certificates to high-risk events, documents show. 

In a briefing paper dated September 17 to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins, public health officials provided three options for the domestic use of vaccine certificates, also known as My Vaccine Passes.

The first option, A, was a wide application of vaccine certificates, which "could be for customers and/or workers of bars, restaurants, cafes and other venues/events". 

The second option, B, was the targeted application of vaccine passes for high-risk events and venues, such as "large gatherings/events held outdoors and indoors, particularly during the summer season". 

The third option, C, was no Government requirement for vaccine passes, and to instead let the private sector decide who can access their premises. It's noted the Government could play a role in providing verification.

The document, released on Friday, shows the Government went further than the official advice, by going for option A - evident by the widespread use of vaccine passes in the new COVID-19 Protection Framework, or 'traffic light' system. 

Officials recommended option B - only applying vaccination passes to high-risk large events and venues, not bars, restaurants and cafes. 

"Officials initially consider that the targeted application of vaccine certificates to high-risk events and venues (Option B) provides the best balance of risk mitigation, public acceptability and feasibility to implement as a priority step," the document says. 

The Government was warned that going too far with vaccine certificates would risk social cohesion due to the restrictions for the unvaccinated. 

"There is a risk that restrictions on where unvaccinated people may go could negatively impact the trust that has been built around the COVID-19 vaccination rollout and to address vaccine hesitancy that is linked to a wider mistrust of the health system."

Read more here.

11:15am - Dr Ashley Bloomfield will lead a briefing at 12:30pm to provide more detail on therapeutic treatments for COVID-19.

11am - Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Thursday (local time) defended her government's decision to cull all mink in Denmark last year, despite lacking the legal basis to do so, and said the oversight occurred because the Cabinet was "busy".

In efforts to forestall the spread of a mutated variant of the coronavirus, the government ordered the culling of about 17 million mink, devastating an industry recognised in the global fashion industry for its high-quality furs.

"We were unfortunately forced to make a decision a year ago about the culling of all mink," Frederiksen told reporters before entering the court where the commission is sitting. "It was the right decision, and now I will go in and answer the questions."

Protests erupted outside the court, with some people carrying placards reading, 'Why is Mette lying?' and 'Who controls Mette?'. Police apprehended two people.

While Danes broadly approved of Frederiksen's initial handling of the pandemic, the government was thrown into political turmoil when it emerged there had been no legal basis to order the cull of healthy mink.

The incident eventually led to the exit of the agriculture minister and parliament commissioned an inquiry into whether ministers, including Frederiksen, had known that the legal framework was absent.

Frederiksen sat for more than five hours in front of a judge and legal experts in the Copenhagen court house, saying she was unaware at the time that the government was lacking a legal basis to make the order.

"The only right way would be that a government is told upfront whether there is a legal basis or not to make the decision," Frederiksen said. "That did not happen that day. There is no explanation other than that it was busy," she said, adding that she did not blame anyone.

"I have made many difficult decisions during the corona epidemic, this was one of the most difficult."

The commission is due to finish its investigation in April.

Frederiksen has apologised publicly but maintains the decision was sound and based on assessments by health authorities.

The government gained support from parliament to legalise the cull a few weeks after it admitted it lacked the legal framework.

- Reuters

10:50am - Reporting on the first quarter of Auckland Council's current financial year shows a significant impact from various pressures including lockdowns, rising inflation and interest rates, but the council says it is in a good position to manage the repercussions. 

The first quarter had a strong start but was impacted when Auckland entered lockdown. Delivering on capital projects was a challenge, with $415 million delivered against a budgeted $614 million of work. Alert levels 3 and 4 adversely affected almost all capital works, including the City Rail Link, Central Interceptor, property renewals as well as roading maintenance and upgrades. 

Group Chief Financial Officer Peter Gudsell says the quarterly report shows lockdowns also affected revenue from key areas such as public transport, parking and enforcement, which were significantly below budget.

"As council facilities were closed from mid-August, there was minimal revenue from the provision of community services," he said on Friday.

On the other hand, continued high levels of activity in the construction sector increased Watercare's infrastructure growth charges, council consenting volumes and other regulatory services against budget.

"These high consent volumes placed pressure on statutory processing timeframes, although customer satisfaction remained steady," Gudsell said.

The quarterly result showed emerging evidence of more substantive economic impacts. Increasing costs for construction materials, labour and professional services as a result of inflation and supply chain issues were all evident in the report. In addition, a substantial increase in floating interest rates pushed up the interest expenses of the group's unhedged debt during the quarter.

Delays in work programmes and rescheduling of repairs and maintenance works until later in the year resulted in lower operating spend in consultancy, professional services, outsourced works and maintenance. This, combined with increases in regulatory and infrastructure growth charges revenue, meant that group net direct expenditure was $217 million for the quarter, $46 million lower than budget.

The lower than anticipated capital spend combined with strong operating cash flows resulted in only a moderate $124 million increase in group net debt.

"Challenging economic times mean that we will need to balance the actions we are able to take to meet our and Aucklanders' vision for a better Auckland with the need to pursue financially prudent policies," Auckland Mayor Phil Goff commented on the report on Friday.

"COVID-19 continues to impact strongly on our revenue but we also need to prepare for other challenges like climate change, which must be addressed now to head off the impact this will otherwise have on the future of our city and generations to come."

The council's Annual Budget 2022/2023 is due out for consultation in February 2022.

10:40am - Experts are baffled as the number of COVID-19 infections in Japan continues to fall, in contrast with rebounds in other parts of Asia.

The number of new daily infections has slowed to fewer than one per million people - the least among major economies except China - and fatalities have fallen to zero in recent days.

South Korea, with similar vaccination coverage, is seeing a record number of infections. Cases remain elevated in Singapore and are rising again in Australia as authorities relax stringent controls on movement. 

One new hypothesis to explain the divergence is that the type of coronavirus dominant in Japan evolved in a way that short-circuited its ability to replicate.

Ituro Inoue, a professor at Japan's National Institute of Genetics, said that a sub-variant of Delta, known as AY.29, now may be conferring some immunity in the population.

"I think AY.29 is protecting us from other strains," Inoue said, cautioning that his research remained a theory.

"I'm not 100 percent confident."

Read more here.

10:25am - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised booster jabs of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for 16-and-17-year-olds.

As the emergence of the Omicron variant ramps up booster rollouts worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to stress that the priority should be getting unvaccinated people jabbed with their first dose.

Federal regulators on Thursday (local time) authorised booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for 16-and 17-year-olds. The booster is only available at least six months after a second shot of the same vaccine. 

All US adults have been eligible to receive the booster - at least six months after their second shot of Pfizer or Moderna's vaccine - since November 19. A booster of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is also available after at least two months.

Nearly 50 million Americans - or one fourth of those fully vaccinated - have received the additional shots.

10:10am - Here's some good news for your Friday - a Queensland couple have chartered a plane to bring their beloved rescue dog, Munchkin, from Christchurch to the Gold Coast.

Tash Corbin and her partner David were living and working in Bali six years ago when a tiny puppy under a scooter stole their hearts.

The couple moved to New Zealand two years ago as quarantine restrictions meant it was easier to transport Munchkin from Riverton to the Gold Coast, but a pandemic and a lack of flight options - particularly for pooches - put paid to that.

"I came over [to the Gold Coast] in July for a surgery and was due to go back to New Zealand in August," Tash told RNZ. "But my recovery hasn't gone to plan and I'm still recovering from that on the Gold Coast.

"My partner David is with Munchkin in Riverton. He is packing up our house furiously because he may need to leave at the drop of a hat and Munchkin is all cleared and ready to go."

Tash said the closure of the trans-Tasman travel bubble has made it difficult to get Munchkin on a commercial flight, and chartering a plane appears to be the only option to get both David and the dog to the Gold Coast in time for Christmas.

"We've just been trying to work out a good way to make this happen as easily and cost-effectively as possible, but because of my situation with recovering from my surgeries, and the fact that we've been apart for five months and it's almost Christmas, I really, really want them to come home next week - so we will do whatever it takes," she said.

Read more here.

10am - Thousands of people who have recovered from COVID-19 are still considered as 'active cases' due to the "administrative burden" updating the data places on public health units.

The Ministry of Health website currently says there are 6558 active cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand - however, almost 5000 people who have likely recovered from the virus are still counted in that figure.

In most cases, people recover from COVID-19 in about 14 days. Recovery can take longer if a person becomes seriously ill, or develops a condition known as long COVID.

The Ministry of Health's definition of a recovered case is: "Recovered cases are people who had the virus, where at least 10 days have passed since their symptoms started and they have not had symptoms for 72 hours, and they have been cleared by the health professional responsible for their monitoring."

During the latest outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant, 9696 people have tested positive for COVID-19 since the virus began circulating in mid-August. According to statistics published daily by the Ministry of Health, 6558 - roughly 68 percent - are still classed as active cases.

At present, only 1616 cases are reported as occurring in the past 14 days. Almost 5000 cases are classed as active cases, but were reported more than 14 days ago.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health told RNZ the department is aware of the issue. The data it publishes on the website is derived from the EpiSurv database, run by the Crown's science and research institute ESR. The spokesperson said the information in this database is entered by public health units.

Read more here.

9:50am - The emergence of the Omicron variant highlights the "perilous situation" the world is in almost two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday.

In Austria, the government is due to announce details on Thursday of its plan to make coronavirus vaccines compulsory, which according to officials, will include a minimum age of at least 14 and a maximum fine of NZ$6000, but not prison, for refusals.

British officials are imploring people to obey the tougher restrictions imposed to slow the spread of the Omicron variant, as revelations about alleged lockdown parties at Prime Minister Boris Johnson's residence provoke an outcry over hypocrisy.

Germany's vaccination advisory commission recommended on Thursday that Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine is administered to children aged five to 11 with pre-existing conditions. Others without underlying conditions could also request to be vaccinated.

Meanwhile in the US, demand for vaccinations for children aged five to 11 has been low, more than a dozen state public health officials and physicians said. Of the 28 million eligible children in that age group, only about 5 million have received at least one dose.

Here's the latest on the pandemic from around the world overnight. 

9:40am - Early data from South Africa's hospitals show less than a third of patients admitted for COVID-19 during the latest wave, linked to the Omicron variant, are suffering severe illness - compared with two-thirds in the early stages of the previous two waves.

Data released by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) for Tshwane, the metropolitan area which includes Pretoria - where the first suspected outbreak of the Omicron variant occurred- showed 1633 admissions in public and private hospitals for COVID-19 between November 14 and December 8.

Of those, 31 percent were severe cases - defined as patients requiring oxygen or mechanical ventilation - compared with 66 percent early in the second wave of the pandemic and 67 percent in the early weeks of the first.

South African scientists first rang the alarm on the Omicron variant late in November after noticing the new strain had an unusually large number of mutations, especially on the spike protein that the virus uses to enter human cells. 

Since then, scientists have been urgently trying to determine whether the mutations make the variant more transmissible or more severe. Experts are also analysing whether the mutations can help the virus blunt the protection provided from vaccines or past infection.

Read more here.

9:30am - An 11-year-old girl contracted COVID-19 after "a fleeting hug" with an unvaccinated adult at a family gathering, her mother told the Bay of Plenty Times.

The Pāpāmoa mother said her daughter, Shakyra Bachop-Mauger, contracted the virus after "one simple hug between two unvaccinated people".

"That's all it took to pass the virus on. Our lives have been disrupted for three weeks now, but we're also proof of how those of us who are double-vaxxed can avoid COVID. It's incredible, really," Gates told the Bay of Plenty Times.

Shakyra has now fully recovered and is back at Mount Maunganui Intermediate this week after
spending 15 days at home self-isolating with her family.

The 11-year-old tested positive for COVID-19 on November 23, one week after attending a family member's birthday dinner at a local restaurant. She became infected after briefly hugging a young man in their group who was unvaccinated and unknowingly carrying the virus. The man's six-year-old son also tested positive a few days later.

Gates said the interaction at the birthday dinner was the catalyst for a chain of transmission, proving how vulnerable children under 12 are to COVID-19. Currently, the vaccine is only available to those aged 12 and over.

"My plea is for everyone who can to trust the advice of health professionals, avoid misinformation online, and roll up your sleeves for the vulnerable people in our society, especially children who are not yet eligible for the vaccine."

9:21am - The Transition Payment available for affected businesses to support their move to the COVID-19 Protection Framework has opened for applications on Friday morning.

"This payment is a recognition of the long period of time that these businesses, especially in Auckland have spent with restrictions in place prior to shifting to the new COVID-19 Protection Framework. The payment is designed to support these firms through the next few weeks," Finance Minister Grant Roberson said on Friday.

This payment is at a higher base rate than the current RSP and will be $4000 per business plus $400 per FTE up to a cap of 50 FTEs – a maximum payment of $24,000. Treasury has estimated the likely total cost of the payment to be between $350 and $490 million.

The affected revenue period for the Transition Payment will be set between October 3 and November 9 - and must be compared to a typical week in the six weeks prior to August 17.

"The one-off transition payment will be activated through the Resurgence Support Payment (RSP) system criteria, including a 30 percent revenue drop. We encourage eligible businesses to apply through Inland Revenue," Revenue Minister David Parker said.

"In addition, the Resurgence Support Payments numbers four to six also remain open for applications until January 13, 2022. This payment helps businesses with their fixed costs.

"So far the RSP has paid out $2.2 billion to businesses. Coupled with the Wage Subsidy Scheme, the Government has supported businesses and workers to the tune of over $6.9 billion since the Delta outbreak began."

Support to be off work while isolating or to take leave while waiting for test results, currently provided by the Leave Support Scheme (LSS) and the Short Term Absence Payment, will remain available under all levels of the traffic light system.

However, the LSS will move to a weekly payment rather than fortnightly under the new system, reflecting the changes to the isolation period.

"We are moving away from the broad based economic support provided under the alert level system. This is because at all levels of the new framework, most businesses will be able to operate at almost full capacity," Robertson said.

"We will monitor any economic impacts the new system may be having on businesses. I expect to report back to Cabinet in early 2022 on this and will make recommendations for support as necessary."

Businesses can apply for the payment by logging into their MyIR account. Further information can be found on the Inland Revenue website.

9:10am - More than a quarter of parents or caregivers are reluctant or unsure about vaccinating children aged five to 11 against COVID-19, a new survey has found.

A Government-commissioned survey by Horizon Research has suggested there could be uptake of 72 percent, with the balance unsure about or against the idea.

Māori caregivers are the least likely to vaccinate their young children, with just 51 percent saying they would, while 87 percent of New Zealand Indian caregivers said they are likely to vaccine their five-to-11-year-olds..

The Government is considering expanding the vaccine rollout to include younger children. Subject to Medsafe approval and a shipment from Pfizer, the pediatric campaign could begin as early as mid January.

Read more here.

8:55am - The Government's new rapid antigen testing (RAT) policy has been slammed by one of the world's leading experts on the technology as "ridiculously backwards".

On Thursday, the Ministry of Health said unvaccinated Kiwis could use a negative RAT result in order to leave Auckland. The ministry specifically said the tests - administered free of charge in pharmacies - were only for asymptomatic people. 

"This is ridiculously backwards guidance," Anne Wyllie of the Yale School of Public Health in the US told Newshub. Dr Wyllie, a Kiwi expat, is one of the brains behind the SalivaDirect RAT used by the NBA. 

She said RATs are designed to be used on symptomatic people to see if their infection is COVID-19 or another illness. 

"They're not effective at detecting low viral loads, which asymptomatic people generally are - in that 'pre-symptomatic' people (who you want to identify as you can isolate them before they're infection) get incorrectly bucketed with asymptomatic people and they have lower viral loads which rapid antigen tests cannot detect. 

"Giving these tests to people to take once before going on holiday is going to change their behaviours, send them out thinking they're negative, when really in as little as six hours they could turn positive and infectious and thereby spreading the virus further."

PCR tests are much better at picking up infections before the person is symptomatic, Kiwi research published in November found. The Ministry of Health says it wants to limit the number of PCR tests being used so swabs of symptomatic people can be prioritised, reducing "the turnaround time for returning results to symptomatic people and close contacts of confirmed cases". 

Newshub has contacted the Ministry of Health for a response.

8:50am - Kia ora, good morning, and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak for Friday, December 10.