Oct 16 (Reuters) - New Zealand vaccinated at least 2.5% of its people on Saturday as the government tries to accelerate inoculations and live with COVID-19, preliminary health ministry data showed.<\/p>\n
Through an array of strategies, gimmicks and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's encouragement through the day, 124,669 shots were administered by late in the day in a country of 4.9 million.<\/p>\n
\"We set a target for ourselves, Aotearoa, you've done it, but let's keep going,\" Ardern said, using a Maori name for New Zealand at a vaccination site, according to the Newshub news service. \"Let's go for 150 [thousand]. Let's go big or go home.\"<\/p>\n
New Zealand had stayed largely virus-free for most of the pandemic until an outbreak of the Delta variant in mid-August. The government now aims to have the country live with COVID-19 through higher inoculations.<\/p>\n
Forty-one new cases were reported on Saturday, 40 of them in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city. It has been in lockdown since mid-August to stamp out the Delta outbreak. Officials plan to end the strict restrictions when full vaccination rates reach 90%.<\/p>\n
As of Friday, 62% of New Zealand's eligible population had been fully vaccinated and 83% had received one shot.<\/p>\n
Vaccination spots were set up on Saturday throughout the country, including at fast-food restaurants and parks, with some spots offering sweets afterwards, local media reported.<\/p>\n
\"I cannot wait to come and play a concert, I want to be sweaty and dancing and maybe not even wearing masks. Hopefully we can get there,\" said pop singer Lorde, according to local media.<\/p>\n
\"Protect your community, get yourself a little tart, perhaps a little cream bun,\" she said. \"But please, please get that jab.\"<\/p>\n
Final results of the mass vaccination drive are expected to be released on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Rditing by William Mallard<\/p>\n
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.<\/p>\n
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New Zealand vaccinates 2.5% of its people in a day in drive to live with COVID-19 - Reuters<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Oct 16 (Reuters) - New Zealand vaccinated at least 2.5% of its people on Saturday as the government tries to accelerate inoculations and live with COVID-19, preliminary health ministry data showed. Continue reading