Pedestrians and joggers taking advantage of the lighter-than-usual traffic along Wellington's Willis St, on day 8 of the Covid-19 alertllevel 4 lockdown. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Pedestrians and joggers taking advantage of the lighter-than-usual traffic along Wellington's Willis St, on day 8 of the Covid-19 alertllevel 4 lockdown. Photo / Mark Mitchell
There were two new community cases of Covid-19 recorded in the capital today, bringing Wellington's total to 14.
The new cases were announced during the daily briefing given by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and director of public health Dr Caroline McElnay today.
McElnay said both cases were household contacts of existing cases, and had been in isolation throughout their infectious period, meaning there were no new locations of interest.
More than 3300 swabs were processed in Wellington yesterday.
Today it was announced 68 new confirmed cases were recorded across the country - the rest of which are in Auckland - bringing the outbreak's total to 277.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said yesterday had been a milestone day for vaccinations around the country, with nearly 88,000 jabs administered, and 270,000 bookings made.
Along with the rest of the country, the capital remains in alert level 4 restrictions until at least midnight on Friday, though health authorities have warned the outbreak is likely still yet to peak.
A toddler wearing a mask zooming along along Wellington's Oriental Parade on a mini-bike, on day 8 of the Covid-19 alert level 4 lockdown. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Porirua's Pacific community has turned up to be vaccinated by the carload, with queues forming a kilometre down the road from the region's drive-through vaccination clinic.
The Ora Toa Covid-19 drive-through vaccination clinic is open from 10am-2pm today at North City Plaza undercover carpark in Porirua. No booking is required, though there is a limit of four people per vehicle.
Capital and Coast and Hutt Valley DHBs Pacific Health director Junior Ulu said there had been cars waiting since 8am.
Heads up for all our Pacific families! 🙋🏽♂
Drive through vaccination Clinic open to ALL Pacific ‘family bubbles’ aged 12 and above 👨🏽👨🏽👧🏽👦🏽
⏱When: Thursday, 26th August 10 am – 2 pm 🤷Where: Porirua, New World underground carpark, North City Plaza
— Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (@WREMOinfo) August 25, 2021
As at Monday, nearly a quarter of a million vaccines had been administered in the Wellington region; 73,254 Wellingtonians are now fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
This equates to a little over 15 per cent of the populations of Capital & Coast, and Hutt Valley DHBs.
Meanwhile, Wellington City Mission says the demand for food parcels has increased three or four-fold, and hundreds have been delivered since lockdown began eight days ago.
"Every day it's increasing ... of course the further in you go with this thing, the more anxious people become and the more desperate their circumstances," Wellington City Missioner Murray Eldridge said.
"For most of us lockdown is merely an inconvenience in our lives, but for those doing it tough, it really becomes desperate."
Police are asking for the public's help in curbing anti-vaccination and Covid-19 misinformation that has arrived in letterboxes, after reports Voices for Freedom pamphlets had been distributed in Wellington suburbs.
Police said it appears to be a breach of the Health Order limiting movement to "essential personal travel".
The pamphlet delivery during alert level 4 "would likely be classed as non-essential personal movement", and police said it was their responsibility to enforce these restrictions.
The country was plunged into alert level 4 lockdown last week, shortly after a community case of Covid-19 was detected in Auckland. It was later confirmed to be the more infectious Delta variant.
The capital's first cases emerged on Friday, with three Wellingtonians that had returned from Auckland and had visited locations of interest.
Community cases across the two cities have since ballooned to 210.
The country awaits the news of a possible alert level shift tomorrow, while Auckland remains in lockdown until at least midnight on Tuesday August 31.
