A total of 548,733 booster doses have now been given since they became available in late November 2021, representing more than 36 per cent of those who are currently eligible.
Boosters are strongly recommended for anyone over 18 who has had their second dose at least four months ago, the ministry said.
New locations of interest
Several new locations of interest have been added in Taupō today.
* Dec 29 (Wed) 7.45pm-8.30am: Hilton Lake Taupō
* Dec 29 (Wed) 8.29pm-9.00pm: Noodle Canteen Taupō
* Dec 30 (Thu) 8.23am-9.14am: Spoon & Paddle Cafe Taupō
* Jan 2 (Sun) 12.35pm-12.50pm: Subway Taupō Central
* Jan 6 (Thu) 10.59am -12pm: Robert Harris Cafe Taupō
Winning the battle against Delta
New Zealand currently appears to be winning the battle against the Delta variant, with cases remaining low and just one of the 35 people in hospital in an intensive care unit.
On Monday there were 35 new cases of Covid-19 in MIQ and just 27 in the community, with most of those at the border now expected to be Omicron.
But experts have warned it's a matter of time before the more transmissible Omicron variant leaks out into the community, causing an intense outbreak like those seen overseas.
They are urging people to get booster shots before that happens, with the interval before people are eligible for a booster reduced from six months to four.
The Ministry of Health said yesterday that a total of 500,000 booster shots had already been administered nationwide, while 95 per cent of eligible people had had one dose of the vaccine and 92 per cent were double-jabbed.
The looming Omicron threat has also led one epidemiologist to warn that the Government should delay schools reopening until enough children have been vaccinated.
Kids aged 5-11 can be vaccinated from January 17, with more than half a million paediatric doses of the Pfizer vaccine arriving in the country on the weekend. Around 476,000 children will be eligible but it will be up to parents or caregivers to consent for them to get the jab.
Spread at festivals
Meanwhile the new community cases of Delta have been popping up further afield as people travel around the country for holidays and festivals.
Last night an Auckland music festival was named as a location of interest, with a person testing positive after attending the Golden Lights event at the Trusts Arena on January 7.
Those at the festival between 1.30pm and 10.45pm were urged to self-monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if they develop.
And a fresh Covid case in Wellington was linked to Auckland's Britomart Block Party which was held on New Year's Eve.
People who attended a drum and bass festival held at Wharepai Domain in Mount Maunganui on January 3 had also earlier been told to isolate and get tested, after an attendee tested positive for Covid.
But that risk has been downgraded and they are now being told just to monitor for symptoms.
Other new locations of interest include the Shotover Jet in Queenstown with passengers who took a ride on January 2 warned they are now considered close contacts of a case.
