Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Cabinet meets today to assess traffic light settings, border reopening

RNZ
18 Jan, 2022 05:45 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Omicron puts MIQ bookings back on ice, navy vessels set off to help Tonga and a prominent sportsman faces jail time after stealing from his grandfather in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald

From Craig McCulloch of RNZ

Cabinet ministers will meet this afternoon to assess the traffic light settings across the country and, most crucially, whether Northland will drop to orange.

The outcome will be announced tomorrow as Labour MPs gather in New Plymouth for a new year caucus get-together.

The Cabinet meeting - the first this year - is set down for 4pm today and will canvass an array of matters relating to Covid-19.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

As well as the regional restrictions, ministers are likely to also discuss the traffic light system's broader parameters, the planned border reopening and testing requirements.

Northland is the only region to remain under red restrictions with the remainder of the country at orange.

Just 86 per cent of those aged 12 and over in Te Tai Tokerau have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, compared to the national average of 93 per cent.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern this week encouraged New Zealanders to get boosted, warning that an eventual Omicron outbreak was "a case of when, not if".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Regions would shift to the toughest red light setting if the new variant was found to be spreading through the community, she said.

"What I expect is, over the coming weeks, to be able to share with you some of the additional preparation that has been done, over and above the work that we did on Delta, for the specific issue of Omicron," Ardern said.

Jacinda Ardern talks with staff nurse Karen Charsley prior to receiving a booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine. Photo / Michael Craig
Jacinda Ardern talks with staff nurse Karen Charsley prior to receiving a booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine. Photo / Michael Craig

"We have the ability to learn from other nations and see the way that Omicron is behaving and prepare ourselves."

Ardern signalled there would be changes to the processes and requirements surrounding testing, isolation and contact tracing.

Director general of health Ashley Bloomfield yesterday told Morning Report officials were developing advice on whether the traffic light system needed to be strengthened in the face of Omicron.

Director of Public Health Ashley Bloomfield. Photo / Supplied
Director of Public Health Ashley Bloomfield. Photo / Supplied

"It's quite clear that Omicron does escape vaccination," Bloomfield said.

A group of public health experts this week warned that the traffic light regime would not be sufficient to contain the spread of Omicron.

University of Otago epidemiologist Michael Baker recommended an urgent tightening at the border and a delay of its phased reopening.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Caught on tape: Identity finally revealed of Jaguar-driving teen behind CBD rampage

06 Jul 06:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

'He's just scared of me': Teen's Māori wards challenge to PM

06 Jul 03:55 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

'Safety risks': Concerns as hospital security guards double as cleaners

05 Jul 10:45 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Caught on tape: Identity finally revealed of Jaguar-driving teen behind CBD rampage

Caught on tape: Identity finally revealed of Jaguar-driving teen behind CBD rampage

06 Jul 06:00 AM

Police and footpath pedestrians had to dodge the vehicle to avoid getting run over.

'He's just scared of me': Teen's Māori wards challenge to PM

'He's just scared of me': Teen's Māori wards challenge to PM

06 Jul 03:55 AM
'Safety risks': Concerns as hospital security guards double as cleaners

'Safety risks': Concerns as hospital security guards double as cleaners

05 Jul 10:45 PM
Bid for inquiry into Ōhinemutu sewage spills fails

Bid for inquiry into Ōhinemutu sewage spills fails

05 Jul 06:00 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP