CO VID-19 VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Week ending:
22 January 2021
Priority:
Routine
Security
In Confidence
Tracking number: 2021-2065
classification:
Action sought
Action sought
Deadline
Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern
Note the contents of this Weekly Report
N/A
Prime Minister
Hon Grant Robertson
Minister of Finance
Hon Dr Megan Woods
Minister of Research, Science and
Innovation
Hon Chris Hipkins
Minister for COVID-19 Response
Hon Andrew Little
Minister of Health
Hon Nanaia Mahuta
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Poppy Haynes
Maree Roberts
Manager of Science Policy
Deputy Director-General, Systems Strategy
Labour Science & Enterprise, MBIE
and Policy
22/01/2021
22/01/2021
Minister’s comments:
0
IN CONFIDENCE
COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy
Implementation
Weekly Report
Week Ending 22 January 2021
1
VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Purpose
This weekly joint report updates Ministers on key developments in the implementation of the COVID-19
Vaccin
e Strategy.
Workstre
ams
Advance Purchase Agreements
Contact: Poppy Haynes
Phone: 9(2)(a)
Milestones in 2020
Four APAs executed:
Pfizer – 750,000 courses
Janssen – 5 million courses
Novavax – 5.36 million courses
AstraZeneca – 3.8 million courses
These four deals are now finalised and the legally binding contracts have been executed. The negotiations
were concluded in December 2020, with the final APA executed the week of 21 December.
The MBIE based APA team is now working with the newly appointed contract managers within the Ministry
of Health to ensure a smooth transition of the relationships with suppliers and knowledge of the
negotiations and contracts. As part of the handover, MBIE will be working with the Ministry of Health to
ensure key milestones for Q1 2021 are achieved. This includes issuing purchase orders and assessing any
new scientific information to support the immunisation roll out.
COVAX
Contact: Gleyns Karren
Phone: 9(2)(a)
The Ministry of Health will meet with Polynesian Heads of Health this week, and the Minister for Pacific
Peoples will meet Polynesian Health Ministers next week, to discuss with countries their preparedness
needs so that New Zealand is able to support countries with a robust vaccine roll-out. Officials will continue
to work closely with Australia and other partners in the coming weeks to coordinate our support for
vaccine access in the Pacific. A Cabinet paper, scheduled for late February, will provide advice on the
provision and sequencing of COVID-19 vaccines in the Pacific.
Following Joint Ministers’ approval, officials have expressed interest in Q1 access to small volumes of the
Pfizer vaccine through the COVAX Facility. New Zealand’s request will be reviewed against a set of eligibility
criteria related to ability to receive and administer doses at short notice. Given only small volumes are
available at this early stage, allocation decisions are also likely to consider vulnerability and need. If
successful, New Zealand would receive doses to cover 0.25 percent of the population (approximately
12,500 courses). Final allocation decisions will be announced by 29 January. The COVAX Facility expects to
offer participants the opportunity to purchase further, more significant volumes of the Pfizer vaccine from
Q2 this year.
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VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Immunisation Strategy and Programme
Contact: Mathew Parr
Phone: 9(2)(a)
Cabinet Paper
A Cab
inet Paper has been circulated for Ministerial consultation and will be lodged on 28 January ahead of
the 2 February Cabinet meeting. This paper seeks Cabinet’s agreement to the ‘Decision to Use’ framework,
which sets out the decision-making process for deciding to roll out a given vaccine, as well as updating the
Sequencing Framework as evidence continues to emerge. Cabinet Ministers will also receive an update
about the Immunisation Programme, including preparations for operational readiness by March 2021.
Stakeholder Engagement
Structured engagement has commenced, with a particular focus on the health sector and other delivery
partners. This includes an ongoing dialogue with DHBs: most recently ‘open book’ sessions were held on 15
and 18 January which provided an opportunity for DHB representatives to ask questions about the
programme and provide feedback about current planning assumptions. DHBs will be providing a formal
response to questions about service coverage for initial populations by 22 January. Engagement with other
population groups will continue and further information will be shared in a subsequent update.
Immunisation Dry Run
Officials are exploring mechanisms for testing various components of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in order
to ensure readiness when the vaccine becomes available. At this stage we expect this to be a cross-agency
effort and involve parties such as representatives from the wider health and disability sector and the New
Zealand Defence Force. Iterative walkthroughs are expected to take place through February.
Joint update from MBIE and MoH Communications
Contact: Stephanie Symynuk (MBIE)
Carl Billington (MoH)
Communications planning Work is underway, led by MOH and AoG, on the public information campaign to support the vaccine
delivery and rollout.
MBIE continues to stay engaged with communications and government relations contacts at the four
pharmaceutical companies that New Zealand has purchase agreements with, pending any further
announcements by either the company or Ministers.
Stakeholder engagement
There is increasing activity underway at MOH to connect with a wide range of key stakeholder groups and
networks, to share information and updates regarding the vaccine strategy and begin to surface and
address their questions and concerns.
Media management MOH has received a steady stream of media queries over the past weeks, with responses supported by
MBIE and other agencies as required. There is an increasing focus on questions relating to rollout
preparation and expected rollout sequence, which are being managed by MOH.
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VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Upcomin
g Briefings
Due Date
Briefing
Title
Sign Out
Number
Manager
11 Feb
2021-1949
Research Investment Plan by the Health Research Council of
Peter Crabtree
New Zealand (HRC) – Joint paper with MOH
Departmental Official Information Act Requests
Due to
Number
Due to MO
Requestor Request
Status
Sign out
Requestor
In relation to the purchase
of COVID-19 vaccines for NZ,
including the safety
assessment, risk-benefit
analysis and marketing,
please provide the following
detail for all staff employed
by and/providing contract
services to and/or any other
individuals who are
providing other paid or
unpaid advice to the
Ministry of Health, Medsafe,
OIA2021-
9(2)(a)
1218
3 Feb 2021
10 Feb 2021
Pharmac or to the Prime
Drafting
Simon Rae
Minister, the Minister of
Health (or any other
Ministers involved in the
government response to
Covid-19):
• Names
• Job titles
• Qualifications
• Institutional/business
affiliation, and conflict of
interest declarations.
4
