New Zealand receives first batch of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine: PM Jacinda Ardern

The news comes as New Zealand put its most populous city of Auckland on three-day Level 3 lockdown after detecting three Covid-19 community cases, which were the more transmissible UK virus variant.

The first 60,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine arrived in New Zealand on Monday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (Reuters)

The news comes as New Zealand put its most populous city of Auckland on three-day Level 3 lockdown after detecting three Covid-19 community cases, which were the more transmissible UK virus variant. The rest of the country moved to Level 2 lockdown for the same period. The restrictions will be reviewed on a 24-hour basis.

"I can now add and confirm that the first batch of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine arrived in New Zealand this morning. Approximately 60,000 doses or 30,000 courses landed in Auckland," Ardern told a press conference.

The shipment arrived on a Singapore Airlines flight from Belgium via Singapore.

"That's more than enough doses to vaccinate our frontline workforce over the coming weeks," the prime minister added.

The rollout will start this Saturday.