I'm booked for Tuesday at a local chemist, but will now probably have to deal with hordes of walk-ins who've taken this move to red as a wake-up call.

freitasm:

 

 

 

Yes. Mine is booked for 10 February - four months to the date. 

 

6th Feb for me, also 4 months to the day from my 2nd shot. If we have plenty of doses in the country I would have expected the PM to announce a reduction to 3mths along with this morning's announcement.

vexxxboy:

 

personally i cant tell the difference between orange and red

 

Agree, unless you dine out all the time and are a social butterfly perhaps

Gurezaemon:

 

I'm booked for Tuesday at a local chemist, but will now probably have to deal with hordes of walk-ins who've taken this move to red as a wake-up call.

 

Id say. I had mine last Friday, was going to hold out till we get an outbreak, to maximise the booster period, but decided last Thursday its looking likely so got done.

 

“Keeping Covid out of the country was never a five-year strategy. It was always an immediate strategy to get us to the point where we can be vaccinated, and we can be better prepared,” Hipkins told Stuff.

 

“Now we have to accept we are coming to the next phase of the strategy where we will have Covid – hopefully eventually endemic in the community rather than pandemic and will have systems in place that will support that.”

 

That said, and even though Omicron is seemingly much less severe than Delta, Hipkins said the sheer number of expected cases would still put pressure on the health system.

 

There was at least one “pressure point” (or Omicron wave) to get past, which is something New Zealanders would need to “psychologically prepare for”.

 

“I think a lot of people are certainly going to get Covid. Even people who have been fully vaccinated … but we know that if they’re fully vaccinated, and they’ve been boosted, then for the significant majority of those it will be something they will just get through.”

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/explained/127562368/covid19-chris-hipkins-says-significant-border-changes-are-possible-in-first-half-of-this-year

Ge0rge: Acknowledging the narcissism, and that some people haven't had their third yet; There's a large portion of people I know and work with who are just shy of having their third two months ago - has there been any mention of a fourth / subsequent dose? I can see two months whipping past quite quickly...

That thought had crossed my mind too having had my booster on 30 Nov last year.

Wanting 3rd vaccine sooner ? 
Maybe do a risk assessment and that might put your mind at ease.
What is your potential for exposure, border, medical and personal care, high traffic face to face customer service etc. 
Teachers when schools return. Age and co-morbidities. 
( USA comment was a big signal for obesity ? ) 
Known immune compromised, talk to your doctor, special cases may be treated differently depending on specific conditon.

2 shots are actually very effective for severe disease and hospitalization within that period.
Even better if you are younger, thus no approval yet for booster for under 18's. 

Spacing does seem to confer a benefit allowing longer term processes of immune system to do their thing.
So unless there are special circumstances I'd be pretty chill about waiting out the recommended time.

Unless you have some specific medical condition effecting your immunity, and advanced age 4th dose need unlikely soon.
It may not be a thing but for specific medical conditions for a long time.

Its the unvaccinated and only 1 dose that are in a real quandary re dose spacing and their high level of risk.

tdgeek:

 

vexxxboy:

 

personally i cant tell the difference between orange and red

 

 

Agree, unless you dine out all the time and are a social butterfly perhaps

 

Or unless you want to dance at a club.

vexxxboy:

 

personally i cant tell the difference between orange and red

 

Mainly the entertainment industry is effected. Crowd Gatherings are limited in size, which means beer festivals and things will have to cancel, have to sit down in Pubs, which means no social interaction with people outside your group.

I was enjoying the sauna at council pool, it’s my way of relaxing, guess that will be gone under red.

Ge0rge: Acknowledging the narcissism, and that some people haven't had their third yet; There's a large portion of people I know and work with who are just shy of having their third two months ago - has there been any mention of a fourth / subsequent dose? I can see two months whipping past quite quickly...

UK have rejected 4th jab. Little benefit apparently.

Batman:

 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/explained/127562368/covid19-chris-hipkins-says-significant-border-changes-are-possible-in-first-half-of-this-year

 

Looks like he's suggesting returnees self isolate. Seriously why is he bothering. Self isolation of large numbers is a joke.

Finance Minister also stated that hte Covid Recovery Fund was not able to fund the 4th either and that the evidence of it being needed wasn't fully present.... Guess we'll see how those who have had their third for a while will cope.  NZ Gov may be wiaitng of the Omicron specific vaccine from Pfizer etc. instead?