As New Zealand faces another record day of COVID-19 cases the numbers at the protest in Parliament are expected to swell.
Wellington police have come under fire for not doing more to protect Wellingtonians as patience is running out with the disruption the protest is causing.
People getting tested for COVID-19 in Auckland are being told to expect delays in getting their results as demand skyrockets.
What you need to know:
There were a 1929 new community COVID cases in New Zealand on Friday
Location of new community cases: Northland 13, Auckland 1,384, Waikato 155, Bay of Plenty 58, Lakes 9, Hawke’s Bay 17, MidCentral 3, Whanganui 11, Taranaki 9, Tairāwhiti 8, Wairarapa 5, Capital and Coast 28, Hutt Valley 50, Nelson Marlborough 60, Canterbury 31, South Canterbury 7, Southern 77.
There are 73 cases in hospital
The Parliament protest is into day 12 with more people expected to arrive today
The Ministry of Health will update the latest case numbers at 1pm
You can see the latest locations of interest here.
These live updates are now over
7:20pm - Police say they have "serious concerns" around the health and safety of a planned concert on Parliament grounds this evening.
"We continue to maintain a highly visible, reassurance presence on site, and staff are engaging with the public and protestors to provide advice and, where necessary, take enforcement action," a spokesperson says.
"Police have attended at least six medical events within the protest and continue to urge anyone parked unlawfully to remove their vehicle and enable ready access to emergency services."
They add engagement with the protestors and local authorities is ongoing and there have been no arrests or incidents of note.
Police also had a presence at smaller protests in Christchurch and Picton today.
7:00pm - Police say there was an increase in the number of people attending the protest on Saturday, with the crowd size varying significantly over the day.
They also took action to clear illegally parked vehicles on Thorndon Quay. A spokesperson says 15 were moved by protestors after Police spoke with them and two were towed.
An estimated 800 vehicles remain unlawfully parked.
"Police are also noting the registration of vehicles currently impeding traffic for follow up enforcement action, and structures such as tents and marquees are being removed from any site that does not form part of the main protest area," the spokesperson says.
"The parking facility at Sky Stadium is at capacity."
5:40pm - Brian Tamaki's daughter Jamie Warren, speaking at Parliament on behalf of the Freedoms and Rights Coalition, has laid out a list of demands for the Government.
In a statement from the coalition - which praised her for bringing "strong and decisive leadership to the protesters", Warren laid out her four key points:
- End the mandates by March 1 2022
- Negotiation on March 1 with the Government on behalf of the protesters and the New Zealanders who support them
- A clear end date to the COVID-19 Health Response Acts and all its amendments
- Jobs reinstated to those affected by the mandates, and the back pay of wages lost as a result of them
Warren warns if the Government do not revoke the mandates, then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern needs to resign and new elections be called.
"This has now gone beyond an arm wrestle to have the mandates removed, as the next chapter in this epic struggle for political change and the fight to get our country back, has just begun," Warren said.
5:20pm - Aerial video posted by a protest supporter this afternoon shows the growing size of the encampment as the occupation swells.
4:00pm - Police have been photographed guarding unmarked towtrucks as they start towing vehicles in Wellington.
However it's unclear if this is the start of stricter enforcement against the protesters' vehicles, or limited action to ensure emergency services can pass through.
"The cars are not quite being towed," Liam Hehir says on Twitter.
"They're only being moved out of emergency access routes. Organisers are pleading with TV reporters not to broadcast they’re being towed to avoid creating a panic."
Newshub has contacted police for a statement.
3:15pm - Frustrations are boiling over among Wellingtonians over the lack of action from authorities as the anti-mandate protest continues to grow.
Commentator Neale Jones said Wellingtonians he's spoken to are angry with police for their failure to manage the protest, and the lack of protection by police when approached by angry protesters.
"People I know have been abused, threatened, assaulted in the streets around Parliament and the police have done nothing."
Jones told Newshub he believes the police were underprepared and thinks Police Commissioner Andrew Coster has yet to demonstrate a credible plan to contain the protest.
"I think the police failed to manage the protest from the very beginning. When it became clear that people were settling in for the long haul when the death threats and nooses and the signs to hang him high on the front of Parliament, that should have been a sign to take it seriously."
2:25pm - The University of Otago says public health officials have advised there are COVID-19 positive cases amongst its students.
"We are working closely with any students who are COVID-19 positive, ensuring they are linked into the healthcare and welfare provision we are offering. We will provide daily welfare checks for any students who test positive for COVID-19," the university told Newshub.
"Although we are expecting to have cases in our colleges and on our campuses, we are well prepared for looking after our residents and students."
Students who test positive are asked to phone or text 021 279 0202 with their full name, date of birth and student ID to receive support.
2:00pm - National MP Mark Mitchell has renewed calls for the Government to end MIQ immediately to free up police officers who have to sit outside quarantine facilities.
"Police Minister Poto Williams has revealed under written questioning that over 240 frontline Police officers have been sent to MIQ facilities around the country," Mitchell said.
"The numbers stretch back to June 2020 and show a clear ramping up in most districts.
"Today we have 1900 Covid-19 cases in the community and fewer than 20 at the border. MIQ doesn’t make sense – there’s no reason why over 240 frontline officers should be guarding hotels when they could be in their communities investigating serious crime.
"They have been taken off units such as the Criminal Investigation Branch, child protection teams, family harm teams and the National Organised Crime group, to name a few."
1:50pm - Newshub reporter Imogen Wells says the numbers at the Parliament protest have swelled to the thousands on Saturday. While a Newshub cameraman says there are around 2000 protesters in Christchurch.
1:40pm - Stuff is reporting there are around 1000 protesters marching in Christchurch and the reporter covering it said she was called scum and passers-by were abused for wearing masks.
1:20pm - Full Ministry of Health statement:
More than 2.1 million booster shots have now been given nationally, with over 25,000 administered on Friday.
The booster dose is critical in our fight against the Omicron variant as it continues to spread through the country, and it’s vital that the success of last week’s Big Boost push continues. New Zealanders have made great progress around getting vaccinated and boosted, but we can’t afford to relax now.
Getting the booster dose greatly reduces your chances of getting severely ill and requiring hospital care if you test positive for COVID-19, so if it’s been three months since your last dose, please book your booster today.
To continue to encourage booster uptake, we are now reporting the percentage of the eligible population who have received a booster by DHB region.
How you can support the COVID-19 response
Under Phase 2, the health response will, more than ever, be supported by everyone playing their part to lessen the impact of the Omicron outbreak.
This means wear your mask, use your vaccine pass, and keep your distance. And, if you haven’t already, get boosted.
With the response focusing on the most high-risk locations of interest, such as aged care and correction facilities, people will play a bigger role in identifying their own contacts and exposure events.
This means if you test positive for COVID-19, it’s more important than ever that you let your employer and potential contacts know, so they can act.
If you test positive, you will get a text from 2328 with an access code and a link to the contact tracing form to complete as well as information regarding self-isolation and general advice for cases.
Completing this form as soon as possible will ensure we can alert people who have been potentially exposed and is vital in supporting the health response to Omicron under Phase 2.
Most people with Omicron will have mild illness and won't require additional support. Those who need more support whether it’s because they are unable to use the self-service technology or that they have high health or social needs, will receive supported assistance throughout their isolation period tailored to their individual needs.
As always, anyone with any 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 and they are feeling well. Regardless of your test result, it is still important that anyone who is unwell stays home to reduce the spread of other viruses.
The most common early symptom of the Omicron variant is a cough, followed by a sore throat.
COVID-19 vaccine update
- Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people aged 12 and over): 4,237,941 first doses (96%); 3,951,572 second doses (95%); 2,107,058 booster doses (65%).
- Vaccines administered yesterday:1,039 first doses; 897 second doses; 761 paediatric doses; 25,364 booster doses.
- Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 517,450 first doses (91%); 495,172 second doses (87%).
- Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 279,734 first doses (98%); 273,135 second doses (95%).
- Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 222,188 first doses (47%).
- Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 31,694 first doses (27%).
- Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 18,605 first doses (38%).
Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +)
- Northland DHB: first doses (90%); second doses (88%), booster doses (66%)
- Auckland Metro DHBs: first doses (97%); second doses (96%), booster doses (62%)
- Waikato DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (93%), booster doses (62%)
- Bay of Plenty DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (93%), booster doses (64%)
- Lakes DHB: first doses (93%); second doses (91%), booster doses (65%)
- MidCentral DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (68%)
- Tairāwhiti DHB: first doses (93%); second doses (90%), booster doses (65%)
- Whanganui DHB: first doses (92%); second doses (90%), booster doses (70%)
- Hawke’s Bay DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (67%)
- Taranaki DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (93%), booster doses (63%)
- Wairarapa DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (71%)
- Capital and Coast DHB: first doses (99%); second doses (98%), booster doses (71%)
- Hutt Valley DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (69%)
- Nelson Marlborough DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (73%)
- West Coast DHB: first doses (93%); second doses (91%), booster doses (70%)
- Canterbury DHB: first doses (100%); second doses (98%), booster doses (66%)
- South Canterbury DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (94%), booster doses (71%)
- Southern DHB: first doses (98%); second doses (96%), booster doses (71%)
Hospitalisations
- Cases in hospital: total number 76: Northland: 1; North Shore: 7; Middlemore: 25; Auckland: 36; Rotorua: 1; Tauranga: 3; Waikato: 2; Tairāwhiti: 1
- Average age of current hospitalisations: 59
- Cases in ICU or HDU: 0
- Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (10 cases / 17.5%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (3 cases / 5.3%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (39 cases / 68.4%); unknown (5 cases / 8.8%).
Cases
- Seven day rolling average of community cases: 1,232
- Seven day rolling average of border cases: 11
- Number of new community cases: 1,901
- Location of new community cases*: Northland (33), Auckland (1,240), Waikato (249), Bay of Plenty (66), Lakes (11), Hawke’s Bay (22), MidCentral (12), Whanganui (10), Taranaki (10), Tairāwhiti (12), Wairarapa (17), Capital and Coast (38), Hutt Valley (31), Nelson Marlborough (40), Canterbury (40), South Canterbury (2), West Coast (1), Southern (65). Unknown (2)
- Number of new cases identified at the border: 14 (including 5 historical cases)
- Location of origin of border cases: Malaysia (1), Singapore (1), Full travel history not obtained (7).
- Number of active community cases (total): 11,601 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
- Confirmed cases (total): 28,360
* 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): 30,642
- Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 26,399
- Number of Rapid Antigen Tests stock available in New Zealand: 7.5 million (Please note that this number is not updated over the weekend and reflects the number of tests as of Friday.)
1:15pm - There are 1,901 new cases of COVID-19 in the community today, a slight drop on Friday's numbers.
1:00pm - The Ministry of Health is due to report the new cases any minute now.
12:40pm - RNZ is reporting retailers in central Wellington are feeling the pinch as people are staying away from the area.
Retail New Zealand Chief Executive Greg Harford told RNZ things were bad enough already dealing with COVID-19.
"Things were bad before the protests, with the move to the red traffic light setting, but protests and the disruption associated with them are really just keeping customers away from town. Foot traffic is down and sales and down."
Concord Cafe put out a call asking for people to come by and have a coffee as they are struggling due to the protest.
12:10pm - As it has done on previous Saturdays the numbers at the Parliamentary protest in Wellington have started to grow as more people arrive.
The blue tent erected at the Wellington Cenotaph was actually a shower and has now been moved.
11:50am - Protests are popping up in other major centres in New Zealand with 100 people attending a Freedom and Rights Coalition rally in Cranmer Square.
NZ Convoy 2022 is holding an event at Auckland Domain this afternoon from 1pm.
11:30am - There are a number of new high risk locations of interest in Auckland including Archie Brothers Cirque Electric in Newmarket and two leisure centres.
For the full details click here.
11:20am - The New Zealand Institute of Medical Laboratory Science is calling on the Government to get the message out people who are not symptomatic or close contacts should not get tested as testing centres are getting clogged up.
They say PCR testing should be reserved for assisting with diagnosis of clinically significant COVID-19 infections and other vulnerable or high-risk groups where a clinical outcome is determined by the result.
"There is simply no need with the virus deeply embedded in the community for any mass laboratory surveillance testing approach. We know the virus is everywhere, testing doesn’t change or add to that outcome," says Terry Taylor the president of the NZIMLS.
"We need to change our focus to prioritising the sickest patients and the settings where the most vulnerable people are. To run our diagnostic laboratories into the ground with endless irrelevant testing is a direct reflection of poor foresight, planning and respect for the role of this critical health workforce," says Taylor.
The NZIMLS totally supports the views of Dr Bryan Betty the RNZGP medical director when he says we need to be "de-escalating this down to get into a position where most of us are just going to have a mild to moderate illness, that we're going to get through like any respiratory illness in winter, and we need to be moving on, and perhaps the way we're approaching it at the moment is causing more problems than good, and we may have reached a pivot point with that."
Taylor says our laboratories have reached this pivot point now.
"I feel strong emotions now, there is an underlying part of me that feels like we are almost defeated in this long battle. But when I reflect on the personal and working sacrifices that this workforce continues to show I feel privileged to call myself a medical laboratory scientist in Aotearoa New Zealand."
"I will challenge anyone who thinks that laboratory tests are more important than people and that waiting days for results is a reflection on an underperforming workforce, this couldn’t be further from the actual truth."
11:00am - War veterans are angry the Wellington Cenotaph has been desecrated by protesters at Parliament.
In a post on their Facebook page No Duff Charitable Trust claim an open air toilet has been set up against part of the war memorial.
"No Duff Charitable Trust has been apolitical since its establishment, and will forever remain so. That is crucial to our work, as veterans are a cross section of society, to include political leanings.
"We respect the democratic right to protest issues peacefully and respectfully. Our respective and collective service to all of New Zealand society is validatable proof of that.
"So, it is disheartening and disgusting to witness at first hand the disrespect displayed to our fallen whanau and current veterans through the physical defilement of the Wellington Cenotaph by those protesting at parliament currently."
10:40am - Two Christchurch police officers who lost their jobs and their home after refusing to get vaccinated say they would return to the police workforce if the mandates are lifted.
Peter Van't Wout and his wife Ella say there employment with the police was "terminated" after they refused to get vaccinated.
The couple said they aren't just taking a stand for themselves but for others too.
"If you stand for nothing you'll fall for everything. We definitely weren't at peace if we chose to take that vaccine and we stand together and we are making a stand for those people who have been unable to make a stand."
They were interviewed on The Project on Friday see the full story here.
10:30am - Police Commissioner Andrew Coster has come under for his hands-off approach to the protest with many in Wellington fed up with the disruption and the abuse they say has been hurled their way.
At a media briefing on Friday, Coster said they are engaging in discussions with key protest leaders, but at this stage won't take any means of enforcement action over fears of the protest turning violent.
He also said he didn't think the police had abandoned Wellingtonians.
Neale Jones, a former chief of staff for Jacinda Ardern tweeted "Wellingtonians are furious at your failure to protect their safety."
10:20am - Wellington City Council has increased its safety and security presence around the central city in response to increasing anti-social behaviour towards members of the public, hospitality and retail workers.
In a statement the Council said:
"We have also established a dedicated Council team to address the wide-ranging operational issues that emerge.
"Over the past week, the Council has been receiving increased reports of anti-social behaviour including verbal abuse and aggression directed towards members of the public, local hospitality organisations, and retail workers.
"Shop workers have reported increasing incidents of people refusing to wear masks in stores, coupled with aggressive behaviour when asked to respect mask requirements.
"The Council has increased the presence of Hāpai Ake/Local Hosts in hot spots across the city, partnering with Māori Wardens from around the district to provide more frequent patrols and greater visibility.
"The presence and patrols will continue over the weekend.
"The teams are working with our City Safety team which operates the city’s CCTV network around the clock and shares data, insights and incidents with the Police where necessary.
"If anyone feels threatened or unsafe in any way they are encouraged to immediately contact the Police by calling 105 for non-urgent reports or 111 if it’s an emergency."
10:00am - Early learning centres have joined the call to be given rapid antigen tests to prevent them having to shut down.
Simon Laube, CEO of the Early Childhood Council said he hoped the Government source more RATS.
"It won’t take long at current rates before we’re looking at mass ECE closures. Smaller centres only need one or two teachers to be positive and they’ll have to close for long periods. A University study released in January showed education closures have a massive beneficial impact on children: widening educational inequities, poorer mental health, behavioural difficulties, social isolation, family stress, family violence, and food insecurity.
"The ECC encourages the government to redouble their efforts to source more RATs supply well before winter months arrive. We believe better access to RATs will allow more centres to operate as children and parents look to get themselves through Omicron." said Laube.
09:40am - COVID-19 test results are taking longer to process due to an increase in demand at Community Testing Centres across the Auckland region.
Aucklanders are being told by the Northern Region Health Coordination Centre (NRHCC) to expect delays and not to call Healthline or the laboratories to check the status of a test result.
Matt Hannant, Director of Operations at NRHCC said: “There is still high demand at community testing centres in Auckland as case numbers rise, and we do understand some people are anxious at this time.
"However, this is putting significant pressure on laboratories and means that while some results are being returned within 48 hours, an increasing number are taking up to 5 days.
"We are advising people who have not yet been notified of a result to stay home until they receive a negative result. Healthline and the laboratories are not able to provide information about test result status.
"We are asking everyone to follow the health advice and help us ensure the right people get access to testing. If you have no symptoms of COVID-19 and do not meet any other criteria, you do not need to be tested and may be turned away from testing services."
