The growth in hospitalisations and patients in ICU is not unexpected, has been planned for and is another reminder that vaccination is our best defence against COVID-19.
With cases escalating in the community the Ministry of Health is urging all New Zealanders who are due their booster to get it as soon as possible in order to reduce your chance of serious illness and hospitalisation.
This means a highly boosted New Zealand will help ensure there is capacity in our health system for anyone who needs care. 31,217 booster doses were administered yesterday, but 30.5% of people who are currently due their booster have not yet had it.
We urge those people to make a plan to get boosted as soon as they can. We are also beginning to see people who have attended the protest at Parliament, a location of interest and potential super spreader event, showing up in hospitals around the country after returning home.