Catherine Bennett

From April, people over 30 will be able to get a Covid booster which includes protection against the Omicron variant. A total 1.7 million doses of the new "bivalent" vaccines will arrive in New… Audio

It was a beautiful day in Te Whanganui-a-Tara yesterday -- and the small city beach at Oriental Bay was crowded with people seeking relief from the heat.

But masks and physical distancing were… Audio

As Australia grapples with the highly infectious Delta variant, experts say it's unlikely the trans-Tasman bubble will reopen.

Travel is set resume next month following an eight-week hiatus - but a… Audio

The death toll in New South Wales from their latest Covid outbreak has risen to five.

Quarantine-free travel with the Australian state remains suspended, while the New Zealand Government has extended… Audio

A woman died in Sydney from Covid-19 at the weekend - the first virus-related death in New South Wales in 10 months.

The state recorded another 77 cases yesterday, 22 of which have no known source.

… Audio

There's been a spike in cases of Covid-19 in Australia's New South Wales - the biggest daily rise in locally acquired cases of the virus this year.

Sydney is in its second week of a lockdown, and… Audio

Some experts want masks to be made mandatory in indoor public spaces, to minimise the chances of Covid-19 spreading. In Greater Sydney, they must now be worn in indoor areas such as supermarkets… Audio

Melbourne is out of lockdown, but it's not clear of the risks yet. As of yesterday four members of a family with Covid-19 are infected, with no known origin.

The four new cases from Thursday are… Audio

The lockdown in Victoria has been extended for another week.

Acting premier James Merlino has warned of dire consequences if the rules aren't followed, with a more infectious variant of Covid-19 now… Audio

The Australian state of Victoria is waking up to a seven-day "circuit-breaker" lockdown,

Twenty-six cases have been identified so-far, and a staggering 13,000 close or casual contacts have been… Audio

Guests staying in isolation hotels in Victoria will now be tested four times during their stay. It comes as the Australian state prepares for international visitors for the first time since February.

Health authorities in Australia have increased the amount of time overseas arrivals must spend in hotel quarantine in case the highly-transmissible UK variant of Covid-19 makes people infectious for… Audio