Auckland's Mayor Phil Goff hopes residents will be able to continue enjoying their freedom this year, but urges everyone to keep safe from COVID-19.
The country's largest city spent two spells in lockdown last year, but shifted to orange restrictions in the Government's traffic light system at 11:59pm on December 30.
Goff said Aucklanders are now taking advantage of summer in a lower traffic light phase with more freedom.
"[People are getting] out and about with friends, able to enjoy all the things that they're normally able to enjoy at the orange traffic light level.
"We're hoping that with the high level of vaccinations that we can continue through the year and we can get back to normality as quickly as possible."
It has been a tough year for the region, with long periods of lockdowns and curtailed freedoms.
Goff said residents had made a great effort to make the city one of the most highly vaccinated in the world.
But the work isn't finished yet. He said Aucklanders need to continue taking health precautions to keep safe against COVID-19, including getting vaccinated.
"If you've had your second shot at least four months ago now's the time to have a booster shot - I've been out, I've had mine - [I have] a slightly sore arm, but nothing worse than that.
"This is the way that we know that we can best keep ourselves safe, our families safe, and the community safe."
Goff said Auckland's DHBs continue to do good work, and have recorded that 96 percent of those eligible to be vaccinated in the region have had at least their first COVID-19 vaccination.
RNZ
