The 90% Project: Ministry of Health reveals why six weeks between vaccines is optimal

The Ministry of Health is still recommending people wait six weeks between their first and second Covid-19 vaccination doses.

On August 12, the wait between Pfizer vaccine doses was extended from three weeks to six weeks and the Ministry says there has been no change in that approach.

Elsewhere, in Victoria, Australia, the interval between Pfizer doses has been reduced from six weeks to three.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said the change would help the state's population to become fully vaccinated sooner.

When the Ministry of Health made its extension decision, director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the change would enable them to vaccinate more people quicker when the extension was announced.

"This new guidance is in line with other international programmes using the Pfizer vaccine," he said in August.

Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield. Photo / Mark Mitchell

"For example, the interval between doses in Denmark and Norway ranges between six and 12 weeks, while the United States uses three weeks but allows up to six weeks.

"The larger interval is also consistent with the advice from the Covid Technical Advisory Group for an extended interval between doses."

Bloomfield emphasised those who received the vaccine less than six weeks apart had strong protection against the virus regardless.

The extension was announced five days before the Covid-19 Delta outbreak where a Devonport man tested positive and a snap lockdown was enforced.

The Ministry of Health allowed for some exceptions to the six-week wait:

• People with specific clinical treatment plans (such as those about to commence immunosuppression treatment);

• Those at higher risk of contracting Covid-19, such as border workers.

A spokesperson said these people might be advised to have their doses with a shorter gap, as long as they were given at least 21 days apart.

The spokesperson strongly encouraged anyone yet to receive their first dose to do so as soon as possible.

"We can't overemphasise how important it is for people who are yet to be vaccinated to receive at least their first dose," they said.

"The best way people, their whānau and the community can be protected from Covid-19 is to get two doses of the vaccine."

As of Wednesday last week, 78 per cent of the eligible 12+ New Zealand population had received their first vaccination, the spokesperson said.

In the week prior, the number of Kiwis who received their second dose increased by almost 200,000 to 1.8 million total.

"Having 1.8 million people now fully vaccinated is a significant step forward for the ongoing protection of New Zealand," the spokesperson said.

"Second dose vaccination bookings indicate we'll see a peak in early to mid-October – six to eight weeks after the record numbers of first doses we saw administered in late August/early September."

Latest on Waikato outbreak

Another case in Raglan

There are more Covid cases in Raglan - with household members of the first case confirmed overnight, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.

And while a move out of level 3 for Auckland this week now seems highly doubtful - following the spread of Delta to Raglan and Hamilton - Ardern indicated this morning there could be the easing of some restrictions for the region, as experts study the granular detail of how cases are spreading.

She also signalled that New Zealand's Covid elimination strategy is coming to an end - describing the move to vaccinate as many people as possible as a "transition" phase.

Ardern's comments follow the announcement of 33 new cases yesterday - and, more significantly, the two new cases outside of Auckland, in Hamilton and Raglan. Those two cases are known to each other and Ardern confirmed this morning genome sequencing had linked the Hamilton case to the Auckland outbreak.

The additional Raglan household cases have been transferred to quarantine but there have been no positive cases attached to the Hamilton case or the case of the Auckland truckie who tested positive and was in Palmerston North.

Baby in Auckland tests positive

A baby at Auckland's North Shore Hospital has tested positive for Covid-19 after being visited by their father who was also infectious.

The Covid-infected man visited the newborn child and his partner twice, while potentially infectious.

The mother returned a negative test result and the baby tested positive yesterday.

The man's partner and their newborn child had been in a single room – separated from other mothers and babies – for the duration of their care.

"They have been relocated to a Covid-appropriate ward and safety protocols are in place," Waitematā District Health Board says.

The maternity ward remains fully operational - however, some hospital staff have been stood down.

Auckland unlikely to move to level 2

Malaghan Institute director Graham Le Gros said he "really doubts" Auckland will come out of alert level 3 today.

Speaking to TVNZ's Breakfast, he said: "The only way to get out of this mess now is to vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate. It's the only way the whole country and Auckland will get out of this."

Le Gros called on anyone and everyone to get the jab.

He said the vaccination rate was still too low, unfortunately. We've got to get to that group of people who are afraid of the needle ... we've got to get to them."

That also included people who had been listening to too many "rumours" about the vaccine.

Le Gros acknowledged that the Government's aim of a 90 per cent vaccination rate might be a little too high. At this point, he said he would like to see at least 85 per cent.

Cabinet will meet today to discuss the alert levels.