November 28 2021 There were 144 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today and another person has died of the virus. Australia has recorded its first cases of the new Omicron Covid-19 variant. Principal Investigator at Te Punaha Matatini Professor Michael Plank says New Zealand's current border restrictions with seven-day MIQ and testing should pick up any Omicron cases. The Omicron variant is globally concerning but it is very early days, so what emerges over the next few weeks will be crucial for scientists to build a picture of the possible impact of the variant. Not a lot is known about the effectiveness of current vaccines against the Omicron variant, he said.

Source: New Zealand Herald November 28, 2021 10:03 UTC