Kia ora Darren Sharpe

Thank you for your requests dated 22 August 2020 for information on
COVID-19. Please note that your requests have been consolidated for ease
of responding.

Information in response to your queries is outlined below.

The Ministry has worked hard to ensure that information regarding COVID-19
and the Ministry’s policies and approaches is publicly available. You will
find this at:
[1]https://covid19.govt.nz/updates-and-reso...

You have specifically asked about any policy on the use of
hydroxychloroquine and zinc for early stage COVID-19 infections. The
Ministry has not formed a policy position regarding this and continues to
actively monitor international and local research, including advice from
the World Health Organization (WHO). The current advice from WHO is
available at:
[2]https://who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a....
Currently PHARMAC has restricted access to hydroxychloroquine to ensure it
is available for those people who need
it:[3]https://pharmac.govt.nz/information-for/...

The use of ventilators in the care of a patient with COVID-19 is a
decision that is made by the medical professionals involved given the
presenting symptoms. The Ministry does not have a policy specific to
COVID-19 and the use of ventilators or nebulised oxygen. Guidance for
medical professionals is available at:
[4]https://health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases....

The Ministry encourages people to get vaccinated against influenza. This
year more vaccinations were distributed nationwide than ever before. To
date, there has been no evidence from the New Zealand cases of COVID-19 to
support the position that individuals who received an influenza
vaccination have an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. Information
about the Ministry’s influenza vaccine guidance is available at:
[5]https://health.govt.nz/our-work/preventa....

The Ministry strongly recommends people do not use Ivermectin There is no
evidence that the compound has any efficacy against Covid-19 in humans.
This advice is explained at:
[6]https://health.govt.nz/news-media/news-i...
The Ministry has continued to revise its guidance around the use of
personal protective equipment. Most recently, the Ministry’s advice around
the use of face masks in public has resulted in a requirement that, from
31 August 2020, face masks must be worn when people use public transport.
Further information about wearing of face masks or face coverings is
available at:
[7]https://health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases....
This website also includes a link to the WHO advice on wearing a face
mask, which might be of interest to you.

You ask about the efficacy and evidence supporting the use of face masks
and the impacts of wearing them, including different varieties. There is a
range of international evidence that is publicly available. You might be
interested in the WHO's advice on the use of masks in the context of
COVID-19, which includes a summary of the evidence and lists its
references. This also includes a summary of the likely disadvantages of
the use of masks by health people, which does not include the impact on
blood oxygen levels specifically but notes that the type of material used
may lead to headaches and/or breathing issues.

You have asked about the recommendation to wear a face mask given
manufacturers have noted that "this product does not provide protection
against any virus" and "ensure professional guidance or training is
obtained to ensure correct fit of this mask". The Ministry continues to
explain that the face mask are only one part of keeping ourselves safe and
protecting others. Wearing a face mask can reduce the risk of people who
have COVID-19, spreading the virus to others. They may feel well or have
no obvious symptoms. A face mask can help stop infectious droplets
spreading when they speak, laugh, cough or sneeze.  The Ministry has also
provided guidance about how to wear a face mask correctly and promoted
this through its communications channels:
 [8]https://health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases...

You note that New Zealand’s strategy for the management and mitigation of
COVID-19 is to isolate and quarantine in order to prevent community
transmission. This is part of New Zealand’s elimination strategy. You can
read more about the pillars of the strategy at:
[9]https://health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases....

I trust this information fulfils your request.

Thank you for writing to the Ministry.

Ngâ mihi

OIA Services
Government Services
Office of the Director-General
Ministry of Health
E: [email address]

From:        "darren sharpe"
<[FOI #13571 email]>
To:        "OIA/LGOIMA requests at Ministry of Health" <[Ministry of Health request email]>
Date:        22/08/2020 08:12 pm
Subject:        Official Information request - Alternative treatment of
COVID 19

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Dear Ministry of Health,

Can you please clarify your policy on the use of the hydrochloroquine and
zinc protocol for early stage COVID19 infection cases, given that it has
now been trialed in an number of other countries and when appropriate
dosage is utilised, it appears to be very successful in mitigating the
effects.

Can you please clarify your policy and recommendation on the use of
ventilators for a more serious case of COVID19, and the protocols for
progressing to ventilation rather than nebulised oxygen.

Can you please clarify your policy and recommendation with respect to flu
vaccination for the 2020 season, given that various studies have shown
that the individual vaccinated with a flu vaccination has an increased
risk of contracting COVID19,

Can you please clarify your policy and recommendation with respect to flu
vaccination for the 2020 season, given that various studies have shown an
individual vaccinated will continue to shed the flu virus, which in turn
may infect another person, and therefore increase that persons ability to
resist COVID19

Can you please qualify your policy and recommendation with respect to the
Ivermectin triple therapy protocol , which has been released in Australia
for elderly and front line workers, given that the demographics of those
most at risk and most impacted are the elderly and front line workers.

Yours faithfully,

darren sharpe

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References

Visible links
1. https://covid19.govt.nz/updates-and-reso...
2. https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail...
3. https://www.pharmac.govt.nz/information-...
4. https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...
5. https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/prev...
6. https://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/ne...
7. https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...
8. https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...
9. https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...
10. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
11. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...

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