Black Caps cricketers and support staff are receiving Covid-19 vaccinations in Wellington today.

The Black Caps were expected to be approved for an early vaccine through the Government's 'reasons of national significance' criteria. The team is due to travel to England in June for two test matches.

A number of Tokyo Olympians have already been vaccinated through the 'national significance' pathway, with the Olympics just three months off. Shot putter Dame Valerie Adams will be vaccinated today, in Auckland.

The two-dose Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine rollout is continuing in New Zealand, with more than 135,000 doses administered to date.

'It's possible additional booster shots for Covid-19 vaccines may be needed in the future, but an exact timeframe for this is not yet known, with further research needed,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

So far, data released on adverse reactions after receiving the Pfizer vaccine is "very reassuring" and in line with what officials expected to see, an expert says. No potential safety issues have been identified.

Meanwhile, the trans-Tasman bubble is set to take off on April 19. From Monday, people in Australia will be able to board "green" quarantine-free flights, as long as they have been in Australia for the past 14 days.

The majority of "red flights" from Australia though - which carry passengers who don't meet those requirements and are required to enter managed isolation or quarantine on arrival in New Zealand – will cease from April 19. This means there will be fewer options for returning Kiwis who are transiting in Australia from further abroad.

Global toll

The global number of cases has reached 139.4 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.

There have been 2.9m deaths globally.

The United States continues to top the charts with 31.5m cases, and 565,986 deaths.

India and Brazil have the second and third-most cases, with 14.2m and 13.7m infections, respectively.

What should I do?

Anyone who wants to get tested can find their local testing centres by visiting the Ministry of Health website.

If you are sick, call your GP before you visit, or Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

To avoid contracting and spreading the virus, wash your hands properly, cough and sneeze into the crook of your elbow and throw tissues away immediately.

Reach out, find support from people who care, connect with your community or help a neighbour in need.

Stuff