Effie Nurse, Public Health Nurse checks details at Pohe Island Covid-19 testing centre in Whangārei. Photo / Tania Whyte
Effie Nurse, Public Health Nurse checks details at Pohe Island Covid-19 testing centre in Whangārei. Photo / Tania Whyte
Northland has recorded 727 new Covid cases across the region today as well as two Covid-related deaths.
There have been 412 new cases in Whangārei District, 249 in Far North District, and 66 in Kaipara District in the 24 hours to 6am.
There are 4248 active cases in Northland currently, while 9765 people have recovered.
Of the active cases in the community, 18 are currently in hospital - down from 24 yesterday.
There are 20,087 new community cases of Covid-19 and a further 11 Covid-related deaths - taking New Zealand past a grim milestone since the pandemic began.
Today's Covid-related deaths take NZ's toll of publicly reported deaths to 210 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths to nine.
There are 960 people in hospital with the virus, including 31 in intensive care, said the Ministry of Health.
One of the people whose death was reported today was in their 30s, one person was in their 60s, one in their 70s, four in their 80s and four in their 90s.
Of the 11 people who have died, two are from Northland, five are from the Auckland region, one is from Bay of Plenty and three from the Wellington region.
Novavax Vaccine
People can now book an appointment for a Novavax vaccine.
Appointments are available in Kaitāia, Kerikeri, Whangārei and Dargaville. Bookings are required via Book My Vaccine.
If your first dose was a different vaccine you require a prescription from your GP to have Novavax as your second dose.
Novavax is only available to those aged 18 and over. Novavax is not available as a booster vaccination.
Dr Fran Priddy, executive director for the Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand, said Novavax vaccine was based on a well-known vaccine technology: a protein vaccine together with an adjuvant.
"That kind of vaccine has been used for a long time for other infectious diseases safely and successfully.
"It's different in the way that it's using a new adjuvant. An adjuvant is something that stimulates your immune system to get a better response. Novavax, the US-based company, has developed its own adjuvant.
"It's not an mRNA vaccine, like Pfizer, and it's not a viral vector vaccine, that's what AstraZeneca is. But all these vaccines are based on the virus's spike protein."
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Vaccinations
Vaccinations are available today at district health board sites in Kerikeri (1 Sammaree Place - until 5pm); Dargaville (Normanby St - until 3pm) and Whangārei (Northland Events Centre - until 5pm).
A list of today's vaccination times, as well as Māori provider vaccination details, is available on the Northland DHB website.
Bookings are compulsory for people seeking the AstraZeneca vaccination.
Testing
Testing is available throughout the region. However, the district health board has said people wanting a Covid-19 test at a community testing centre will be screened on arrival to determine which test is most appropriate.
They advised people may be given a rapid antigen test (RAT) instead.
Testing centres open today until 3pm are Kaitāia (Matthews Ave); Dargaville Hospital; Whangārei (Winger Cres); and Kerikeri (570 Kerikeri Rd).
More information on the Northland District Health Board testing sites can be found on their website.
