There are just 28 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today. 

The total number of Omicron cases that have arrived in New Zealand remains at 22. 

Of the total Omicron cases to date, all remain in managed isolation with the exception of one case who has now recovered and been released as they are no longer infectious. 

Today's Covid cases are in Auckland (21), Bay of Plenty (5) and Taranaki (2). 

The Ministry of Health data comes ahead of government changes to bolster the country's defences against the new variant. 

Nelson-Marlborough DHB is expected to reach 90 per cent double vaccination among its eligible population later today - there were just 246 doses to go as of midnight. That would make it the 10th DHB to reach that milestone. 

South Canterbury needs 195 more doses, Hawkes Bay 1714 doses and Waikato 3557 doses to reach 90 per cent. 

Announcements around giving children the vaccines, any changes to border restrictions and when people can get boosters will be made at 2pm today. 

The number of community cases of Covid-19 are continuing to fall just as the number of new Omicron cases coming in at the border are rising. 

There have been a total of 22 cases of Omicron picked up at the border so far, including nine yesterday. 

There were 69 new community Covid cases comprising 59 in Auckland, seven in Waikato, two in the Bay of Plenty and one in Taranaki. 

There were also 62 cases in hospital today, including seven in ICU or HDU. 

Cabinet met yesterday to review its response to Omicron as it continues to spread around the world and any decisions made will be announced at 2pm by Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins. 

Meanwhile, the emergence of the Omicron variant may have officials taking a cautious approach. 

Te Pūnaha Matatini complex systems researcher Dr Dion O'Neale told RNZ more cases would keep arriving at the border could increase the chance of one leaking out into the community. 

"At the moment, most of those [MIQ] infections will be Omicron from now on, purely because Omicron is most of the cases in countries that people are coming back to New Zealand from. 

"At some point, it does become a matter of time until that gets out into the community," O'Neale said. 

Vaccine experts warned the Herald yesterday it was only a matter of time until Omicron entered the community, which is why it was important for people to get the booster. 

Malaghan Institute of Medical Research director professor Graham Le Gros believed the amount of time between the second dose of the vaccine and the booster should be shortened from six months to five or even four months. 

He said data showed having the third shot of the Pfizer vaccine made a significant difference in increasing immunity which stops transmission and "crushes the virus". 

University of Auckland associate professor Helen Petousis-Harris felt five months was also the correct amount of time and believed the current border controls should stay in place for now to try and keep Omicron out while people got boosted. 

Australia currently has a five-month gap, while Omicron-stricken UK is hurriedly giving boosters after three months. 

Hipkins is also expected to confirm whether travellers planning to return to New Zealand will have to continue going through the MIQ process in an attempt to keep Omicron out. 

Possible options could see plans to get rid of MIQ altogether for fully vaccinated New Zealanders delayed or scrapped or for stays in MIQ to be lengthened again. 

The announcement could impact fully vaccinated New Zealanders and resident-class visa holders who had been told they could return from Australia from January 17 without any MIQ. 

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment also delayed the next release of MIQ rooms today until tomorrow "due to the evolving situation with Omicron". 

"We need to carefully manage capacity as more travellers spend longer in MIQ. This reduces available rooms in MIQ," the statement said. 

Cabinet was also expected to decide whether and when to start vaccinations for 5- to 11-year-olds after MedSafe gave preliminary approval for the Pfizer rollout to children.