  We provide explicit formulae for highest-weight to highest-weight correlation
functions of perfect vertex operators of $U_q(\hat{\mathfrak{sl}(2)})$ at
arbitrary integer level $\ell$. They are given in terms of certain Macdonald
polynomials. We apply this construction to the computation of the ground state
of higher spin vertex models, spin chains (spin $\ell/2$ XXZ) or loop models in
the root of unity case $q=-e^{-i\pi/(\ell+2)}$.
