Nearly 370,000 Kiwis omicron-boosted this week

Ōtepoti - New Zealanders have rolled up their sleeves in the last week, with nearly 370,000 people being boosted in the week ending Wednesday, February 16.

Omicron cases are soaring across New Zealand and it’s the country get as many people as possible boosted in February to slow the spread of the virus and protect our communities.

Health minister Chris Hipkins has asked New Zealanders to get their boosters as soon as they are due.

 A total of 369,990 people made the most of extended vaccination centres’ opening hours, pop-up clinics and events around the country. More than two million New Zealanders in total have now been boosted.

That’s a significant contribution to the 748,351 people given boosters in the first 17 days of February and Aotearoa is on track to administer more than 1.25 million boosters for the month.

If we keep this up, by the end of February around 77 percent of eligible New Zealanders will be boosted.

A booster dose provides a high level of protection against severe disease or hospitalisation from the Omicron variant. Evidence suggests the booster offers some protection against getting Omicron or transmitting it to others.

Also of note:

•            In February so far (1-17 February inclusive) there were 748,351 booster doses administered, an average of over 44,000 boosters per day.

 •           At the current daily rate, more than 1.25 million people will be boosted in February, taking the number of boosters given to a total of more than 2.5 million.

•            At 28 February 2022, there will be 3,342,224 people eligible for their booster.

•            As of 11.59pm on 17 February, 2,083,130 booster doses in total have been administered to New Zealanders.