Covid 19

A quarter of Eltham's population has been tested for Covid-19 since a case of the virus in the town was announced on Saturday evening.

Explainer - The Ministry of Health is considering further rollout of rapid antigen tests to the general public. Here's what you need to know about the current rules and what experts have to say. Audio

An event organiser in the region says the government decision is a blow after so much hard work by local organisations to increase vaccination rates. Audio

A Hamilton mum, who says she was a Covid-19 denier until she got the virus, is finally back home after ending up in hospital. Audio

Figures show there were more than 100 applications a month before the pandemic and fewer than 200 a month for most of last year and this year. But in October there were about 500 applications and in…

Around the East Coast and Bay of Plenty regions, opinions on the traffic light setting change widely vary.

People planning New Year' Eve celebrations in Auckland are hailing the city's next step towards freedom, just in time to bid goodbye and good riddance to 2021. Audio

Opposition parties say Auckland should already be in orange under the Covid-19 traffic light system and businesses in Auckland will be going to the wall while they wait. Audio

Opposition MPs and some Ashburton businesses have advocated for a lowering of the traffic light system from orange to green, at least for the South Island.

Northland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Steve Smith - who is "not a huge fan of vaccination" and is opposed to checkpoints - says the government announcement today is "a bitter pill to swallow". Audio

Thousands of people are still without vaccine passes, waiting for their overseas vaccination records to be added to the New Zealand register.

An Auckland night club owner says today's annoucement the city will drop to 'orange' at the end of December is awful, while Mayor Phil Goff says there was a clear case for dropping before then. Audio

Independent Māori Statutory Board chairperson David Taipari said Tāmaki Makaurau had borne the brunt of the pandemic in Aotearoa, and Māori were bearing it more than many others.

The West Auckland Whānau Ora Battalion is joining forces with the South Seas Healthcare, Manukau Urban Māori Authority and the Turuiki Healthcare Vaccination Fleets over the next two days.

A Dunedin nurse has been referred to a professional conduct committee by the Nursing Council after posting threats against medical professionals involved in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout.