Auckland Airport worker Covid-19 case cleans ‘red zone’ planes, has been fully vaccinated, Ardern says

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the Auckland Airport worker who tested positive for Covid-19 today is part of the cleaning staff on planes coming from red zone countries known to have outbreaks.

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The PM said the case was not related to the trans-Tasman bubble, which started yesterday. Source: 1 NEWS

Ardern also stated the cleaner has been fully vaccinated “quite early on in the campaign”.

“You have to remember the vaccine is 95 per cent effective at reducing symptomatic onset of Covid-19 so it’s still possible to get Covid-19 but you are not likely to get as sick, this worker is not very unwell so it’s doing its job,” Ardern said at a media stand-up this afternoon.

The positive case connected to the border comes one day after the opening of the trans-Tasman travel bubble with Australia.

Ardern reassured the case won’t affect the travel bubble and Health Minister Andrew Little has spoken to his Australian counterpart about the border-related case.

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Seven Sharp’s Lucas de Jong covers some of the most emotional moments from the day. Source: Seven Sharp

According to the Ministry of Health, usual protocols of isolating the border case and contact tracing their movements are underway.

There are no other new cases in managed isolation or in the community announced today.