Experts are urging those eligible for a COVID-19 booster vaccine to get their shot as soon as possible after today's near-doubling of daily COVID-19 case numbers.
The Ministry of Health reported 810 new COVID-19 cases today - a steep jump from yesterday's record tally of 454 cases.
The increase in case numbers is almost double the seven-day rolling average of 432 cases, with the virus now detected in 16 regions of New Zealand.
Senior Lecturer at University of Auckland's Centre for Computational Evolution Dr David Welch says the sudden rise in case numbers follows trends seen overseas.
"The case numbers we have seen over the last few days suggest that Omicron is starting to spread more rapidly than it was in the first few weeks of this outbreak. This is in line with outbreaks overseas where case numbers have doubled approximately every three days."
With COVID-19 cases showing up across the country, Dr Welch said sticking to public health measures will be more important than ever with many New Zealanders likely to come across the virus in coming weeks.
"The early spread here was likely limited by contact tracing efforts but with higher case numbers, contact tracing is not able to keep up. We also see a wide geographic spread of cases showing that the virus is spreading throughout the country.
"We can continue to limit the impacts of spread by following the basics of mask-wearing, getting tested if symptomatic, meeting only in well-ventilated spaces, getting vaccinated and boosted, and scanning in wherever we go. Anyone who is eligible for a vaccination or a booster shot should get it as soon as possible as we are all likely to encounter COVID in the coming weeks."
University of Otago Wellington immunologist and senior lecturer Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu said with Omicron now widespread in the community it was key that inequities remaining in booster and vaccination levels among Māori and Pacific children were addressed.
"Of those children aged 5-11 years, 45 percent of the general population have received their first vaccine dose, while for Māori and Pacific tamariki and tamaiki, vaccination levels for first doses are sitting at 26 percent and 36 percent respectively.
"Evidence and experience clearly demonstrates that Māori and Pacific peoples and their whanau, aiga and kainga remain vulnerable to being disproportionately impacted and affected by COVID-19 and therefore will require focus and prioritisation with respect to COVID-19 vaccination, boosters, testing and prevention efforts."
Dr Sika-Paotonu says Māori and Pacific health teams have put in valuable work to build trust within their communities and they now need support to address the lagging vaccination rates within these demographics.
"Our 5-11 year old children, tamariki and tamaiki in Aotearoa New Zealand have had the shortest time of any groups to access their paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and we will need to help and support them as best we can to get vaccinated quickly and to ensure that no-one is being left behind.
"We need to do everything we can to keep ourselves and others safe, and slow down the spread of Omicron while our children, tamariki and tamaiki get vaccinated, and we need people to get boosted."
Earlier this week, the government approved a further 12 proposals totalling $15.7 million through the Māori Communities COVID-19 Fund to build resilience and continue to support vaccination uptake.
RNZ
