Officials mull fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose for vulnerable

Health officials are looking at a fourth dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for vulnerable groups and frontline health workers.

It comes as Covid-19 cases numbers have passed the peak in Auckland city and are on their way down in all three Auckland DHBs, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced today.

However, Bloomfield warned cases were on the increase in the South Island, and said it was likely national daily Covid death numbers would increase.

He announced 15 people died in the daily case update, bringing the weekly average to 10.

"We are looking at the role for a possible fourth dose of the Pfizer vaccine for vulnerable groups, including older people and I'm expecting advice on that this week," Bloomfield said.

Eligible New Zealanders can currently receive three doses of the Covid vaccine.

"There is no doubt vaccination can save lives," he said.

Bloomfield also asked for advice on whether it should be extended to the health workforce "who would be at a high risk as we go into the winter period".

"We are seeing overseas that effectiveness of that third shot does start to wane, thinking of those groups who got it first, our older people, vulnerable people and our health workforce."

When asked if the rest of the population would be next, Bloomfield said, "not necessarily".

"At this stage we're going with the emerging evidence, which is those high risk and vulnerable groups."

If decided in favour to roll out the fourth dose, Bloomfield said it will take place ahead of winter.

Bloomfield said that Auckland metro has passed its Omicron peak, while cases were declining in all three Auckland DHB areas: Counties Manukau, Auckland and Waitematā.

Auckland recorded "about a third" of the case numbers on Tuesday compared to early March.

He said the increase in case numbers across the rest of the country is also slowing, adding there is "encouraging signs" the case numbers are peaking in the Midlands region and the Wellington region, "but case numbers are still very much on the increase in the South Island".

Bloomfield said the Covid-19 hospitalisation rate will appear to increase over the coming weeks relative to Covid-19 case numbers beginning to drop.

"Hospitalisations will decline but more slowly. Likewise, it is important to remember the number of deaths each day is likely to increase and will take longer to decline. There is a delay between case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths," he said.

Bloomfield said based on overseas experience "further out", it was likely New Zealand's daily case number would remain in the low thousands "for some time".

"Hospitalisation numbers will likely peak in the next week or so and then trend downward during April, but likely relatively slowly."

Bloomfield added hospitalisations trends overseas varied between countries.

"We can expect ongoing waves of Covid with elevated baseline levels of case numbers and hospitalisations."

"While our current Omicron wave is receding, we clearly need to keep our wits about us and that Covid isn't done with the world just yet. However, we do continue to have some advantages here in New Zealand," he said.