Staff from South Seas Healthcare working at the Covid-19 vaccination Centre in Otara. (Photo / Dean Purcell)

Around 700 Counties Manukau locals received their first jab yesterday

Author: NZ Herald,
Publish Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2021, 4:38PM

A long weekend and unsettled weather may have put Aucklanders off getting vaccinated this weekend with less than 700 Counties Manukau residents getting their first jabs on Sunday.

This comes after 109 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded on Monday. Of the new cases, four are in Waikato and two in Northland, and the remainder are in Auckland.

While both Auckland and Waitemata districts have already reached 90 per cent for their first vaccinations, Counties Manukau is sitting on 88 per cent, up 1 per cent from where it was on Saturday.

According to the Ministry of Health's latest statistics 695 people had their first jabs on Sunday, leaving a further 11,728 people to go before the district reaches the crucial 90 per cent.

The Ministry of Health's latest statistics also state in Counties Manukau 44,670 Māori and 94,663 Pacific people have received their first dose.

On Saturday, 18,985 vaccinations were given with 5335 first doses given.

Auckland only needs 8034 more second doses to reach 90 per cent while Waitemata still need 13,476.

Nationally just 5400 people had their first jabs with another 144,814 needing to do so in order for the country to reach 90 per cent partially vaccinated.

As of Sunday, figures showed Auckland DHB sat on 93 per cent first-vaccination rate, Waitemata DHB 90 per cent and Counties Manukau DHB on 87 per cent. But Counties Manukau still need to reach that magical number.

Depending on the area, Auckland could hit 90 per cent double dose in two to three weeks - although it's not known how long experts may recommend waiting until the second doses become effective to allow the new traffic light system to kick in, with more freedoms.

On the timetable and run rate above, it could be five to six weeks away - in other words, late November, or early December.

Of Monday's cases, Forty-seven of today's 109 cases have been epidemiologically linked, while 62 remain unlinked.

Twenty-five of yesterday's cases were infectious while in the community, while 54 cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period.

There are 35 people in hospital around the country which is down from yesterday's total of 50.

Seven are in North Shore Hospital, 13 in Middlemore, 14 in Auckland, and one in Waikato. The average age of current hospitalisations is 42. Five of those cases are in either ICU or HDU.