Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Auckland mayor Phil Goff endorses Super Saturday vaccination drive

Auckland mayor Phil Goff is urging people to get vaccinated so we can enjoy the summer. Photo / File

Auckland mayor Phil Goff says every singe vaccine dose counts in New Zealand's fight against Delta.

The mayor is getting behind the Government's Super Saturday Covid-19 vaccination drive and is calling on every Aucklander to do their bit to help.

"Aucklanders have led the Covid-19 response and have made incredible sacrifices to help keep New Zealand safe."

It comes as 65 new community cases of Covid were revealed today.

Figures also show about 3600 residents in the region received their first vaccine shot yesterday.

All 65 cases were in Auckland: 34 are linked, 10 are household contacts, and 31 remain unlinked, with investigations continuing to help determine their connection to the current outbreak.

Today's cases take the total number of people infected by Covid during the Delta outbreak to 1855.

Goff said every single person who gets vaccinated is helping to make our community safer and bringing us one step closer to life with fewer restrictions.

"Aucklanders are doing an incredible job of vaccinating, with around 87 per cent of those eligible having received their first shot,"he said.

The mayor said with summer just eight weeks away and Covid still spreading in the community it had never been more urgent to get everyone vaccinated.

"That's why I am calling on every Aucklander to get vaccinated this Super Saturday, so we can all enjoy a super summer."

Manukau Ward councillor Alf Filipaina echoed Goff's comments saying: "A high vaccination rate is a critical part of the plan to keep our people safe and to reduce restrictions on business, activities and events in time for summer.

"The more people we get fully vaccinated now, the more protection we will have against Covid-19, and the more freedoms we will have available. Now is the time for everyone to roll up their sleeve and get the jab — it's about whānau, aiga."

Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Ward councillor Josephine Bartley said there had been a massive effort from our communities to get vaccinated and she wanted to thank everyone involved for their dedication and mahi.

"Now we need to really turn up the dial and get the message out to everyone in our community who is not yet vaccinated.

"Please reach out to everyone you know who may not yet be vaccinated and encourage them to attend a Super Saturday event. Everyone who gets vaccinated this week brings us closer to our 90 per cent target — which is a key number we have to reach so we can look forward to enjoying greater freedoms this summer."