Ninety percent of the eligible population across Tāmaki Makaurau are now fully vaccinated, health authorities have confirmed.
Auckland Photo: 123RF
After more than 100 days in lockdown, New Zealand's largest city moved to the traffic light system today, with cafes, bars, gyms and cinemas opening.
Today has also seen a number of "significant vaccination achievements" in Auckland, the Northern Region Health Coordination Centre (NRHCC) said.
With Waitemāta DHB joining Auckland DHB in surpassing the 90 percent mark, the figure has now been achieved as an average across the three DHBs in the city.
Auckland DHB has reached 97 percent of eligible people receiving their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, and 93 percent fully vaccinated, while Waitemāta's first dose rate is 93 percent, with 90 percent fully vaccinated.
First dose vaccination rates in Counties Manukau stand at 93 percent for first doses and 87 percent for the second. The DHB is projected to hit 90 percent within the next couple of weeks.
Eighty percent of Māori aged 12 and over in Auckland DHB are now fully vaccinated.
NRHCC vaccination programme director Matt Hannant said the result was a "testament to the determination and relentless efforts of our Māori and Pacific providers, who have been bringing the vaccine and information to all corners of the city for months on end".
NRHCC Māori lead Karl Snowden said the consistent hard work on the ground has absolutely paid off.
"It's heart-warming to hear that such a large proportion of our Māori population, who are three times more likely to be hospitalised with Covid-19, are now protected.
"Our Māori providers who have taken to the streets with their vaccination buses and campervans for months on end, don't plan on letting up until that all-important target is met."
There are a large number of pop-up events planned in South Auckland right up over the next few weeks and Snowden said he was confident that Counties Manukau will hit 90 percent double-dosed very soon.
Across the country, 93 percent of eligible people have had their first dose and 87 percent are fully vaccinated.
A mass vaccination event has dished out over 7000 vaccines to Pasifika in Auckland Photo: South Seas Healthcare
