The number of Covid-19 vaccinations given out during yesterday's Super Saturday event has just ticked over the 130,000 mark.
Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
In a statement this afternoon - in which it was confirmed there were 51 new community cases today - the Health Ministry said a total of 130,002 doses were given out across the country yesterday.
They included 39,025 first doses and 90,977 second doses.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the record-breaking numbers provided a "huge boost" to New Zealand's fight against the coronavirus.
"People across the motu embraced Super Saturday like their communities' lives depended on it. It was inspiring to witness as we know the Covid-19 vaccine is key to our efforts to control the virus."
He said Auckland did "incredibly well" with 41,081 people vaccinated there yesterday, including 9,039 first doses and 32,042 second doses.
"They've hit 89 percent of their eligible population who have had their first dose and are tantalisingly close to reaching 90 percent. I continue to urge everyone in Auckland who hasn't received their first vaccination to get vaccinated as soon as possible. And remember, we're not stopping at 90 percent - the higher, the better for everyone."
There has now been a total of 6,314,182 doses given in New Zealand - 3,565,822 (85 percent) first doses and 2,748,360 (65 percent) second doses.
Overall, 65 percent of the Māori population or 375,000 people have now had their first dose - 250,000 of those are fully vaccinated.
By ethnicity, Māori also had the highest proportion of first doses on Super Saturday, with 50 percent of all Māori vaccinations being the first dose.
Epidemiologist Michael Baker today called for more mass vaccination events, saying the first one united the country.
