The Ministry of Health has announced a fifth straight day of record COVID-19 cases with 981 new infections and 39 people in hospital on Monday.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has slammed anti-vaccine mandate protesters outside Parliament for using "quite threatening behaviour" and she sees it as an "imported style of protest that I have not seen before". The protesters continued occupying Parliament's grounds on Monday.
Meanwhile, Ardern announced on Monday New Zealand would move to phase 2 of the Government's Omicron plan at 11:59pm on Tuesday.
What you need to know:
- There were a record 981 new community cases in New Zealand on Monday.
- Location of new community cases: 768 are in Auckland, 82 in Waikato, 23 in Bay of Plenty, 21 in Northland, 19 in Southern, 14 in Hutt Valley, 12 in Lakes, 12 in Wairarapa, six in Tairawhiti, six in Wellington, five in Hawke's Bay, five in MidCentral, four in Canterbury, two in Nelson Marlborough, one in Taranaki, one in South Canterbury.
- Number of new cases identified at the border: 25 (eight of which are historical)
- Cases in hospital: Total number 39; 20 are in Auckland, nine in Middlemore, four in North Shore, two in Christchurch, one in Whangārei, one in Waikato, one in Rotorua and one in Wellington.
- NZ will move to phase 2 of the Government's Omicron plan on Tuesday night.
- A Parliament press gallery member has tested positive for COVID-19, with all other gallery journalists considered close contacts.
- You can see the latest locations of interest here.
This article is no longer being updated.
8:20pm - The Government has suspended quarantine-free travel with Tonga due to increasing COVID-19 cases. Recognised seasonal employer workers from the Pacific Islands have been able to travel to New Zealand quarantine-free since late last year.
"Following a public health risk assessment, from February 27 travellers from Tonga entering Aotearoa New Zealand will be required to meet some public health requirements, with phased-in changes for travellers from Tonga on flights beginning tomorrow," Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said on Monday night.
"Passengers arriving on the February 15 flight will undertake a rapid antigen test (RaT) on days 0/1 and 5/6 but will not be required to enter self-isolation unless they test positive. Passengers arriving on the February 22 flight and thereafter will be required to self-isolate for seven days on arrival in New Zealand and undertake a RaT on days 0/1 and 5/6.
"During this time, all travellers are encouraged to monitor for symptoms and requested to avoid high-risk settings such as hospitality and large gatherings. They must report any positive RaT and take a follow-up PCR test to confirm their result."
Dr Bloomfield said officials would work to minimise disruptions for RSE workers and their employers under the new travel restrictions.
7pm - Matthew Parry, a senior lecturer at the University if Otago's mathematics and statistics department, warns New Zealand's COVID test positivity rate is trending upwards.
"An increasing positivity rate indicates that the testing and tracing system is starting to struggle to keep up with the new cases and raises the possibility that cases are not being detected," Dr Parry says.
"Unfortunately, we will meet the capacity limits of the testing and tracing system before the peak in new cases occurs. One way to determine case prevalence in this situation is via survey-based methods."
Dr Parry says New Zealand's hospitalisation rate also has to be considered.
"Currently, this is around 0.7 per cent and drifting up. Since hospital admissions tend to lag case numbers by up to a week, we still have to wait see how the surge in Omicron will affect this rate."
6:30pm - Dianne Sika-Paotonu, an immunologist and the head of the University Otago in Wellington's Pacific office, says increasing COVID-19 case numbers will put pressure on New Zealand's health system.
"As a matter of urgency it's important that our children, tamariki and tamaiki (5-11 years) get vaccinated, people get boosted, tested and isolate accordingly, and follow the appropriate public measures," Dr Sika-Paotonu says.
"Care and caution is needed moving forward as we shift into phase 2 of the Omicron response plan, known as the transition phase, as we still remain in the process of protecting vulnerable communities that include our children, tamariki and tamaiki aged 5-11 years, and getting people boosted to protect them from Omicron.
"It is important to remember that evidence has clearly demonstrated that Māori and Pacific peoples and their whānau, aiaga 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."
6:15pm - Earlier, Air New Zealand announced it's helping to bring in tens of millions of rapid antigen tests to support Aotearoa's COVID-19 response over the coming months.
The airline is operating nine charter flights through to February 20, and Air NZ cargo general manager Anna Palairet says there are plenty more in the works.
5:59pm - Coming up on Newshub Live at 6pm: What you need to know as the Government moves to phase 2 of its Omicron response plan.
Click here to watch Newshub Live at 6pm.
5:57pm - The Opposition is blasting the Government for still having limited rapid antigen test (RaT) availability for the New Zealand public.
"What the Government should do is allow New Zealanders to import any test approved by Australia and allow people to be released from isolation as soon there’s a negative approved test," said ACT Party leader David Seymour.
"We'll say it again - the Government needs to legalise all tests already approved in Australia, allow them to be sold in supermarkets and pharmacies, stop seizing tests ordered by the private sector and allow any business to access them to get employees to return to work," said National COVID-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop.
5:54pm - In world COVID news, Hong Kong's leader says the Chinese-controlled global financial hub is being overwhelmed by an "onslaught" of coronavirus infections.
Daily infections have multiplied 13 times over the past two weeks, from about 100 cases at the start of February to over 1300 on February 13, with authorities scrambling to control the deepening outbreak.
As the caseload soared, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam issued a statement on Monday saying her administration would coordinate with Chinese officials to tackle the "aggravating situation".
Reuters
5:45pm - National Party leader Christopher Luxon says Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard needs to leave dealing with the protesters on Parliament's grounds to police, who he says he continues to have confidence in to handle the situation.
Luxon, who was in Christchurch on Monday, told reporters he didn't think Mallard's actions were "helpful at all". He took a similar stance to the Prime Minister in refusing to give his view on how police should deal to the crowd.
5:09pm - Meanwhile, an update on the Parliament anti-mandate protest from Wellington District Commander Supt Corrie Parnell:
Many residents, workers, students, motorists and business owners continue to face disruption from the ongoing protest.
Wellingtonians have the right to move freely and safely around the city so all roads being clear is a top priority.
Sky Stadium is providing a safe parking facility for protesters' vehicles from this evening.
Protestors have today been provided information about how and when their vehicles can be relocated.
It is important to note that those vehicles will be free to come and go from the stadium car park at any time.
Parliament grounds remain officially closed today, with a large number of tents and marquees still in breach of the standard conditions for all protests and demonstrations.
There were no incidents of note at the protest today however the number of children present continues to be a very real concern.
This is a difficult situation.
New Zealand is not alone in having to deal with complex and significant protest action.
We all want to resolve this matter as quickly and as safely as possible.
5pm - To recap what we just heard at the Prime Minister's post-Cabinet press conference:
Phase 2 of the Government's battle plan will come into effect at midnight on Tuesday, PM Jacinda Ardern announced.
Phase 2 will see the number of days cases and close contacts have to isolate slashed, Ardern told reporters. There will also be rapid testing measures in place allowing critical workers to keep working should they become close contacts.
Read more about phase 2 here.
4:55pm - Twenty-six percent of Māori children are vaccinated against COVID, Dr Bloomfield says.
4:46pm - PM Ardern says there's still capacity in the country's COVID PCR testing system.
4:43pm - Ardern, pushing back on misinformation, insists COVID-19 vaccine mandates will never apply to children.
4:40pm - PM Ardern won't answer questions on anti-mandate protest management. She says that's up to the police.
4:35pm - Kiwis are "highly adaptable" and are ready for the next phase of the Omicron plan, Ardern says.
She says New Zealand is in a "really good position" to battle the highly infectious variant.
4:32pm - It's too soon to know whether New Zealand has flattened the Omicron curve or just delayed the start of the variant's wave, PM Ardern says. "Only time and boosters will show us that."
4:31pm - Ardern says had Omicron spread in New Zealand as fast as it did in Australia's New South Wales, NZ would have 17,000 daily COVID cases by now.
4:27pm - PM Ardern says it's too early to say whether any MPs will be deemed close contacts as a result of the Parliament press gallery COVID case.
4:24pm - Dr Bloomfield says officials want the Omicron case peak to be as low as possible.
4:22pm - Health chief Ashley Bloomfield has joined the PM now. He's asked by media about when Kiwis can expect to be able to buy rapid antigen tests, but Dr Bloomfield can't give a date.
4:20pm - Final message from the PM: "The way to handle this period is the same as always; get tested if you feel sick or a close contact and be kind."
4:19pm - Ardern says the goal remains to break chains of COVID transmission.
4:16pm - PM Ardern confirms rapid antigen tests will be used more widely under phase 2 and urges eligible Kiwis to get their booster jab.
"The third dose makes the difference," she says.
4:14pm - Ardern confirms New Zealand will move to phase 2 of the Government's Omicron plan at 11:59pm on Tuesday. For full details about what that means, click here.
4:13pm - PM Ardern warns lots more New Zealanders will come into contact with Omicron in coming weeks.
4:11pm - The Prime Minister has arrived at the press conference. She says since the press gallery test was a rapid antigen result, the case will now need to undergo PCR testing.
3:56pm - The Prime Minister's news conference has been delayed by 10 minutes to 4:10pm, to allow time for journalists from outside Parliament's press gallery to attend.
3:45pm - A member of Parliament's press gallery has tested positive for COVID-19 with all other gallery reporters deemed close contacts, Newshub political reporter Amelia Wade says.
The result was a weak positive from a rapid antigen test.
No press gallery reporters will be allowed to attend the Prime Minister's post-Cabinet press conference - due to start in 15 minutes.
3:39pm - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will address media at her regular Monday post-Cabinet briefing at 4pm. You can watch the press conference live in the video above.
3:37pm - Supermarket staff are dealing with threats of murder and rape as violence towards staff increases.
Countdown spokesperson Kiri Hannifin says staff are being physically, verbally and racially abused while trying to do their jobs.
She says the violence has increased markedly since March 2020, since the COVID pandemic began, and often stems from face mask requirements.
3:25pm - The Northern Region Health Coordination Centre (NRHCC) is urging Aucklanders to follow public health advice on whether they should seek PCR COVID testing or not, as pressure piles on swab centres and labs.
"With the high numbers of daily cases in Auckland we understand that people may be feeling anxious but we are asking everyone to follow this advice and help us ensure the right people get access to testing," NRHCC chief clinical officer Andrew Old says. "If you have no symptoms of COVID-19 and do not meet any other criteria, you do not need to be tested.
"In order to manage demand, people who do not meet the criteria may be turned away," Dr Old says.
3:12pm - The Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association (VUWSA) is speaking out against the anti-mandate protests at Parliament.
"We do not support the convoy's kaupapa and their way of protesting," VUWSA said in a statement. "Their actions have gone beyond peaceful protest.
"Since the arrival of the convoy on February 8, the Convoy has spilled from Parliament grounds across onto Bunny St, Molesworth St, the Lambton Interchange and the Old Government building lawns, forcing the closure of the university’s Pipitea campus for safety reasons, alongside the disruption of bus services to other campuses. There have also been notable incidences of harassment and vandalism towards those who live and work in the area."
2:54pm - Earlier, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the Parliament anti-mandate protests weren't interested in engaging.
"I'm going to push back on the sense here that this is a group that we're seeing wanting to engage in political dialogue," she told AM. "We've seen some horrific behaviour down there and I'm not going to legitimise it."
2:51pm - In world COVID news, Vietnam will remove its restrictions on international passenger flights with all markets starting February 15, with no limitation on the number of flights, the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on Sunday.
The Southeast Asian country imposed tight border controls at the start of the pandemic to keep out COVID-19, with some initial success, but that dealt a blow to its burgeoning tourism sector which accounted for about 10 percent of gross domestic product.
Vietnam has already informed its partners about that new policy and only China has not yet agreed to resume commercial flights with Vietnam, the country's Civil Aviation Administration deputy director Dinh Viet Son said, as reported by Tuoi Tre.
Reuters
2:38pm - Free parking at Wellington's Sky Stadium is now on offer, with anti-COVID mandate protesters still refusing to move their illegally parked vehicles from the CBD.
2:30pm - A man whose unvaccinated brother is planning to come to New Zealand with an illegally-obtained vaccine certificate is worried there's no way to check official documents against actual vaccination.
"Peter", who RNZ has agreed not to name, said his brother, a frequent visitor to New Zealand, obtained a vaccination certificate from a pharmacist who was selling them in his home town in the United States. The brother was planning to come and visit this year.
"He will try and come as soon as the borders open and use his official records to do it," Peter said.
2:15pm - Air New Zealand says it's operating nine charter flights through to February 20 carrying tens of millions of rapid antigen tests (RATs).
"Operating these charter flights was a no brainer," says general manager cargo Anna Palairet.
"There is a real urgency to bring Rapid Antigen Tests into New Zealand, and we’re proud to be playing our part in getting them here. It’s truly been a fantastic team effort between Air New Zealand, Ministry of Health and the freight forwarders.
"We’ve been operating charters for RAT kits since December, but things are really ramping up now. In addition to charters, we’ve also been making use of capacity on commercial flights.
"Where we’ve got space, we’re using it for RATs. While we are constrained by available aircraft and operating crew for charter flights, having our 777-300 back in action from last week will help to increase cargo capacity across the network.
"We know the demand is there, and our teams are doing everything they can to try and fulfil it."
1:55pm - Among the new cases recorded on Monday were five in Hawke's Bay. Here's a statement from the local District Health Board:
"Over the weekend 15 new cases were reported in Hawke’s Bay, which included two students; one from Taradale High School and another from Eastern Institute of Technology( EIT).
"Both cases have been investigated and close contacts have been notified and are following public health advice.
"Medical Officer of Health Dr Nick Jones said a new location of interest had been added for Hawke’s Bay, over the weekend, following information that a positive Bay of Plenty COVID-19 case had been at the Gin Trap, Napier while unknowingly infectious with COVID-19.
"This case had now been linked to two Hawke’s Bay cases who were at the Gin Trap at the same time. Anyone who was at the Gin Trap on Saturday, 4 February between 5:45 pm -7:45pm must self isolate and get tested and remain isolated until a negative test is received.
"Hawke’s Bay DHB was continuing to work closely with the Ministry of Education schools and businesses involved in these recent cases, he said.
"I cannot stress enough the importance of isolating and getting tested if anyone has cold or flu like symptoms, no matter how mild.
"Vaccination and getting your booster, if you are eligible remains the best protection from COVID-19 and protecting the more vulnerable in our community,” Dr Jones said.
"Testing and vaccination sites can be found here."
1:40pm - Businesses can expect a move to the second Omicron phase very shortly, the Prime Minister says, as she pushes back on suggestions the Government's isolation exemption scheme is confusing.
"Today, we'll be discussing as a Cabinet and with our public health officials the movement to phase two, but you'll remember the time frames we put around that were based on case numbers," Jacinda Ardern said on Monday. "We said roughly when we hit in the order of 1000, so now is the time to be having that discussion."
The Prime Minister said officials would be monitoring how the health system is operating with the larger number of cases. She said businesses can plan for phase two to begin in the coming days.
1:25pm - The Ministry of Health has announced two new 'high risk' locations of interest.
The locations are:
Cowboys Bar Queenstown - Sunday, 6 February from 1:13am to 2:30am
Worlds End Bar Tauranga - From Saturday, 5 February 8:30pm to Sunday, 6 February 1am
The ministry asks if you were at either of the venues during the exposure time to "self-isolate, test immediately and on day 5 after you were exposed at this location of interest. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health".
For the relevant dates, times and public health advice - and updates to existing locations of interest - click here.
1:11pm - Here is the latest data from the Ministry of Health on the outbreak and vaccination campaign:
COVID-19 vaccine update
- Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 4,053,074 first doses (96%); 3,983,151 second doses (95%); 1,912,046 booster doses (60%).
- Vaccines administered yesterday: 241 first doses; 506 second doses; 1,268 paediatric doses; 20,739 booster doses.
- Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 516,172 first doses (90%); 492,563 second doses (86%).
- Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 279,134 first doses (97%); 272,121 second doses (95%).
- Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 214,782 first doses (45%)
- Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 30,077 first doses (26%)
- Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 17,664 first doses (36%)
Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +)
- Northland DHB: First doses (90%); second doses (87%)
- Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (97%); second doses (96%)
- Waikato DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%)
- Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%)
- Lakes DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (91%)
- MidCentral DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%)
- Tairāwhiti DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (90%)
- Whanganui DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (90%)
- Hawke’s Bay: First doses (97%); second doses (95%)
- Taranaki DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%)
- Wairarapa DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%)
- Capital and Coast DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (98%)
- Hutt Valley DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%)
- Nelson Marlborough DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%)
- West Coast DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (91%)
- Canterbury DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (98%)
- South Canterbury DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (94%)
- Southern DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (96%)
Hospitalisations
- Cases in hospital: Total Number 39: Whangārei: 1; North Shore: 4; Middlemore: 9; Auckland: 20; Waikato: 1; Rotorua: 1, Wellington 1, Christchurch: 2.
- Average age of current hospitalisations: 55
- Cases in ICU or HDU: 0
- Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (4 cases / 12%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (1 case / 3%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (10 cases / 30%); unknown (18 cases / 55%).
Cases
- Seven day rolling average of community cases: 468
- Seven day rolling average of border cases: 27
- Number of new community cases: 981
- Location of new community cases*: Northland (21), Auckland (768), Waikato (82), Bay of Plenty (23), Lakes (12), Hawke’s Bay (5), MidCentral (5), Taranaki (1), Tairawhiti (6), Wairarapa (12), Wellington (6), Hutt Valley (14), Nelson Marlborough (2), Canterbury (4), South Canterbury (1), Southern (19).
- Number of new cases identified at the border: 25 (eight of which are historical)
- Location of origin of border cases: India (2), Malaysia (1), Unknown (14).
- Number of active community cases (total): 4,960 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
- Confirmed cases (total): 21,195
* Please note, the Ministry of Health’s daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO.
Tests
- Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 17,616
- Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 20,732
- Number of Rapid Antigen Tests in New Zealand: 7.2 million
1:10pm - Here is the latest data from the Ministry of Health on the outbreak and vaccination campaign:
The Big Boost Week continues to see tens of thousands of people going out to get their booster dose each day. Yesterday, 21,588 boosters doses were administered despite the weather.
The vaccine remains our best defence against COVID-19. People who are vaccinated are less likely to get seriously unwell or be hospitalised than people who haven’t been vaccinated.
The booster vaccine offers a high level of protection against Omicron, so if it’s been three months since you got your second dose, please get your booster as soon as possible.
You can access a booster dose in the same way as any other dose, booking online via www.BookMyVaccine.nz visiting a walk-in or drive-thru vaccination clinic, or by calling the COVID Vaccination Healthline on 0800 28 29 26 (8am to 8pm, 7 days a week).
The Ministry of Health would like to thank everyone in New Zealand who has been vaccinated. You are doing your bit for the public health response.
Once again, the further increase in new cases today is another reminder that, as expected, the highly transmissible Omicron variant is now spreading in our communities as we have seen in other countries.
That’s why as well as getting vaccinated and boosted, it’s vitally important that people also continue to do the basics well – staying home if you’re unwell, wearing a mask, physical distancing and scanning in using the NZ COVID Tracer app when you’re out and about.
Anyone with cold or flu symptoms that could be COVID-19 is asked to get a test and isolate at home until a negative result is returned.
The most common early symptoms of the Omicron variant are a sore or scratchy throat, and a runny nose. Even if you develop a small sniffle, please get a test.
1:09pm - The Ministry of Health has announced another record day of COVID-19 cases with 981 new infections and 39 people in hospital on Monday.
It is the fifth straight day of record cases. Of the new community infections, 768 are in Auckland, 82 in Waikato, 23 in Bay of Plenty, 21 in Northland, 19 in Southern, 14 in Hutt Valley, 12 in Lakes, 12 in Wairarapa, six in Tairawhiti, six in Wellington, five in Hawke's Bay, five in MidCentral, four in Canterbury, two in Nelson Marlborough, one in Taranaki, one in South Canterbury.
The ministry announced there are 39 people in hospital with none in ICU or HDU.
Of the 39 people in hospital: 20 are in Auckland, nine in Middlemore, four in North Shore, two in Christchurch, one in Whangārei, one in Waikato, one in Rotorua and one in Wellington.
There are 25 new COVID cases recorded at the border in Managed Isolation and Quarantine with eight of them historical.
12:50pm - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealand will likely move to Phase 2 of the Omicron plan in the next few days.
Ardern told AM on Monday that the country will move to Phase 2 when the country sees around 1000 cases a day.
With New Zealand recording a record 810 cases on Sunday and four straight days of record cases, that move is likely to be soon.
She said businesses could plan for the move within days.
Click here to read about what phase 2 looks like.
12:35pm - As usual, the Ministry of Health will release its daily statement with the latest updates on the COVID-19 outbreak at around 1pm.
Stay tuned, as we will publish the newest developments live as soon as the statement is available.
12:16pm - Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult urged locals to get vaccinated to play their part in the county's COVID recovery.
"First and foremost, get boosted as soon as you are eligible. The authorities recommend the third dose to provide the maximum protection against omicron. Contact your GP, visit bookmyvaccine.nz, or go to covid19.govt.nz to find a walk-in or drive-through vaccine centre nearby," Boult said.
He also urged residents to keep an eye on the ever-growing locations of interest.
"As new locations are notified by the Ministry of Health, folk need to follow the guidance to either get tested and self-isolate or self-monitor for symptoms. But that only works if people are regularly scanning in or manually keeping a record of their movements, and remember to turn Bluetooth on in the COVID tracer app."
He also urged anyone with symptoms to get tested and self-isolate until they've returned a negative test.
12:07pm - Health officials have released several new high-risk locations of interest.
They are:
- SEA LIFE Kelly Tarltons Orakei - Mon 7 Feb 10:30am - 12:30pm
- New Windsor School Swimming Pool New Windsor - Sun 6 Feb 8:10am - 1:15pm
- The Bank Space Grey Lynn - Sun 6 Feb 1:30pm - 4:00pm
12:03pm - Wellington Police are calling for protesters to move cars that are blocking streets.
Wellington District Commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell said the disruptions are causing "stress and concern" for locals.
"The disruption to residents, schools and places of work, is creating real stress and concern, and people are feeling unsafe.
"Overnight some protesters did move vehicles that were obstructing the roads which is greatly appreciated by police and the public."
Parnell said Sky Stadium has agreed to allow protesters to park in their facility tonight from 6:30pm.
"Throughout the day, police will be providing the owners of the cars, vans, utes, campervans and trucks currently blocking roads with information that will explain how and when they can relocate their vehicles to Sky Stadium.
"We would like to thank Sky Stadium for providing a solution that we believe will work for protesters and allow our Wellington community the ability to move freely through their city again."
Parnell said until tonight police are asking protesters to relocate their cars to legitimate parks as soon as possible.
Police said they will continue to be highly visible at Parliament.
"We have been supported this morning by Māori Wardens who have been centred around Wellington Railway Station.
"We continue to appeal to protesters to leave the demonstration and to take their children – it has been wet and cold overnight, and we now have concerns about the health risks posed and sanitation issues."
11:37am - New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has called on the Government to remove "damaging" COVID mandates and to reinstate all jobs.
"It's long since time to remove these unnecessarily damaging mandates and give Kiwis back their right to work," Peters says.
"There needs to be an end to scaremongering and despotic enforcement, and a return of common sense and balance to this debacle that Labour has created.
"Many thousands have unnecessarily lost their jobs, their freedoms, and their way of life. Witha vaccination rate now at 95 percent and the authorised use of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) in the workplace, the unvaccinated can test and safely return to the jobs they have been forced out of through the early stages of this pandemic. Kiwis have the right to work, earn a living, and support their families.
"It has become increasingly clear that the current "modelling" is just "muddling" - so far out of whack that it should never have been used as a basis for these latest sets of unnecessary mandates.
"Yet Labour has pressed on, prioritising hypothetical predictions from some overpaid academics as their justification - with no understanding or feeling for the real effects on ordinary kiwis' lives.
"This isn't just about the protesters at parliament - there are hundreds of thousands of ordinary Kiwis who are fed up with the totalitarian and self-serving nature with which these mandates have been enforced.
"There are many countries that have already removed mandates and have faced the reality that life and the economy must go on - and so must we."
11:33am - In Victoria, cases have dropped for a fifth straight day with 7,104 infections in the last 24 hours.
Victoria Health announced that there were two coronavirus deaths on Monday, down from 18 recorded on Sunday.
There are currently 465 people in hospital while the amount of people in ICU has dropped significantly from 181 on Sunday to 66 on Monday.
There are currently 53,707 active cases in Victoria down from 54,494 on Sunday.
11:15am - Over in Australia, New South Wales has recorded a fifth straight day of a reduction in cases with 6,184 infections in the last 24 hours.
There has also been a drop in coronavirus deaths with 14 announced on Monday, down from 22 recorded on Sunday.
NSW Health announced that hospitalisations have increased slightly for the first time in 14 days with 1,649 people in hospital, compared to 1,614 on Sunday with 100 in ICU.
11:08am - The Ministry of Health has announced one new 'high risk' location of interest in Tauranga.
The location is:
Worlds End Bar Private Function *Upstairs* Tauranga - From Saturday, 5 February 8:30pm to Sunday, 6 February 1am
The ministry asks if you were at the private function during the exposure time to "self-isolate, test immediately and on day 5 after you were exposed at this location of interest. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health".
For the relevant dates, times and public health advice - and updates to existing locations of interest - click here.
10:45am - An update on the protest outside Parliament on Monday morning as it enters a seventh day.
There are around 200 people at the protest where there are some people holding signs that say: "Free to Choose" and "Stay peaceful, stop mandates" while someone is wearing a hat that says: "MAGA Make Angry Go Away".
There are people waving New Zealand, Canada and Maori flags while others are holding love hearts.
A small number of police officers watch over the protesters while the weather is much improved on Monday. MetService is reporting it's 13 degrees with gusts of wind up to 46kmph in the capital.
People can be heard shouting "freedom" while someone talks through a megaphone about removing vaccine mandates.
You can watch the protest live in the video above.
10:41am - The Prime Minister told AM on Monday cabinet would be discussing whether New Zealand should move to phase 2 of the COVID-19 Protection Framework and there is expected to be more information at her weekly post-cabinet briefing at 4pm.
You can watch the briefing live at Newshub.
10:35am - Police are preparing to start moving protesters cars and clear the blocked streets on Monday.
Anti-vaccine mandate protesters arrived last Tuesday in Wellington and parked their vehicles in streets around Parliament grounds, which blocked parts of Molesworth St, Lambton Quay and side streets.
Wellington's Sky Stadium carpark will be used as an area to store vehicles once they have been towed.
Stadium chief executive Shane Harmon on Monday confirmed police had requested the bottom level of the carpark and regular parkers there were being told to park on the mezzanine level.
10:28am - Newshub has been told the Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard has involuntarily been signed up to the National Party, Act Party and Pornhub.
He believes it is the protestors revenge and thinks its quite funny.
10:25am - Testing centres around Auckland are extremely busy on Monday after a fourth straight day of record cases.
Newshub has been told Balmoral and Westgate testing sites have a backlog of cars with people waiting to get tested.
The queue of cars at testing sites comes after New Zealand announced a record 810 cases on Sunday with 623 of those infections in Auckland.
10:07am - We have started a live stream of the protest from outside Parliament in Wellington. Please be advised we have the audio turned on so you may hear some language that may offend.
10am - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has slammed anti-vaccine mandate protesters occupying Parliament grounds for their aggressive behaviour.
Ardern told AM on Monday that protesters are using "quite threatening behaviour" and she sees it as an "imported style of protest that I have not seen before".
Ardern said that while she supported the right to protest, she didn't approve of the protesters' behaviour.
"I don't approve of the tactics we are seeing from the protesters. Let's be clear, Parliament is a place of protest," she told AM on Monday.
"We are all used to seeing protests here and some of our most important movements have started through people movements that have involved protests. Nuclear-free New Zealand, the right for women to vote.
"What we have seen out there, I have to say, seems much more anti-vaccination more than anything else. It's included yelling abuse at people who are walking around with masks on, occupying spaces where businesses are operating, blocking people's ability to move around freely.
"That is moving beyond a protest. In fact, to me, it looks like an imported style of protest that I have not seen in New Zealand, complete with Trump flags and Canadian flags."
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9:50am - Former National MP Matt King says protesters will leave Parliament if Jacinda Ardern gives a date for when COVID-19 vaccine mandates will end.
Speaking with AM on Monday, King said the protesters just want certainty about when mandates will end.
"I believe we can get most if not all of them off if they are given a rock-solid guarantee that they will remove the mandates on a certain date. I reckon people will leave, there might be a handful left behind but I think they will go," King said.
However, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on AM refused to be drawn on setting a date.
Read the full story here.
9:44am - Kia ora, good morning, and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the COVID-19 Omicron outbreak and the Parliament protest for Monday, February 14.
