Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Christmas in mind for crowds getting vaccine

Music, dancing and food were on offer - as well as vaccinations - at a pop-up event at the Malaeola Community Centre in Māngere yesterday. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Crowds gathered at vaccination events across Auckland yesterday to ensure they are fully vaccinated ahead of Christmas.

With just 27 days to go until December 25, this is the last weekend for people to allow the necessary three-week period between doses before Christmas.

Many vaccination drives were based in South Auckland yesterday, all offering lucrative prizes for those willing to attend.

At the "All I want for Christmas is my 2 vaccines" event in Manurewa, the first 200 cars that turned up over the weekend would receive a free Christmas hamper.

The site would be open again today between 12pm-8pm, at the Northcrest carpark.

Live entertainment, free hotdogs and sports gear giveaways were the drawcards in Ōtara at the Cook Island Sports Collective event yesterday.

Another event in Ōtara had pulled out all the stops to encourage people to come along, putting up two return airfares to Sāmoa, as well as a Smart TV and a Playstation to be won by two or more people who were vaccinated.

Twenty-five Catholic churches also came together for a big pop-up event in Māngere, involving youth groups and 120 volunteers at the Malaeola Community Centre.

Auckland vaccination programme director Matt Hannant said with the Auckland border opening up on December 15, people would be counting down the days until they could be reunited with whānau for Christmas.

"Let's make this Christmas as safe as possible for our loved ones by getting both doses in time for the festivities. This is the last weekend to ensure that you'll be fully vaccinated before the holiday season.

"If it's been more than three weeks since your first dose, now is the time to get your second, so you can make the most of getting out and about with a vaccine pass from next Friday."

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To date, 92 per cent of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose and 85 per cent are fully vaccinated.

A vaccination milestone had also been reached for Pacific communities, with 90 per cent of Pacific people in Aotearoa now having had their first dose, and 80 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Māori vaccinations nationwide were at 81 per cent for first doses and 67 per cent for second doses.

There were 145 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today - 127 in Auckland, 13 in the Waikato, four in Bay of Plenty and one in Canterbury.

There are two new cases in Ruakākā, Northland, but they will be included in tomorrow's figures. The two cases are linked to an existing case and have been isolating.