CO VID-19 VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Week ending:
29 January 2021
Priority:
Routine
Security
In Confidence
Tracking number: 2021-2113
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
Simon Rae
Maree Roberts
Manager of International Science Partnerships
Deputy Director-General, Systems Strategy
Labour Science & Enterprise, MBIE
and Policy
29/01/2021
29/01/2021
Minister’s comments:
0
IN CONFIDENCE
COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy
Implementation
Weekly Report
Week Ending 29 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)
We have just received initial clinical trial results for Novavax’s vaccine candidate, for which we have
purchased 5.36 million courses. These trials were conducted in the UK and South Africa, with the UK trial
indicating that the vaccine is
89.3% against COVID-19 (95.6% effective against the original COVID-19 strain,
and 85.6% effective against the new UK variant). The vaccine appears to be less effective (60%) against the
South African strain, although there remains some uncertainty as the South African trial was conducted in a
smaller number of participants. The results show that Novavax could potentially be as effective as Pfizer
and Moderna’s vaccines, as those candidates’ effectiveness results were largely calculated before the
spread of the new UK and South African strains of COVID-19.
The MBIE APA team has also been working closely with the Ministry of Health vaccine contract managers to
support the handover of contract management. The MoH contract managers have met with Jansen, Pfizer
and Biocelect, Novavax’s sponsor. Meetings with Novavax and AstraZeneca are scheduled. The contract
mangers have been working to identify primary points of contact for ongoing engagement in key areas such
as logistics, supply chains and science and technical updates. This handover between MBIE and MoH
ensures New Zealand is effectively able to monitor Q1 milestones and maintain ongoing communications
with vaccine suppliers.
Vaccine suppliers will be notified in the coming days that a statement will be tabled in Parliament, noting
that the Minister of Finance has granted an indemnity in favour of specific suppliers. It is likely this
statement will be tabled on or after 9 Feb, and we are working with suppliers to ensure they are
appropriately informed before any statements are public.
COVAX
Contact: Gleyns Karren
Phone: 9(2)(a)
Through the COVAX Facility, New Zealand has been offered a purchase option for 100,620 doses (50,310
courses) of Pfizer’s two-dose mRNA candidate. Unlike the separate ‘first wave’ offer, these doses are
guaranteed if we exercise our purchase option and domestic regulatory approval is achieved. Officials are
putting advice to Ministers for approval within the timeframe given to us by COVAX.
Gavi has informed us that the ‘first wave’ offer will provide doses sufficient for 0.25% of the populations of
participant countries. We expect to hear from Gavi as to whether we have been included in that scheme over
the weekend which, if so, we would expect to deliver around 12,500 courses between late February to early
March.
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VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Immunisation Strategy and Programme
Contact: Mathew Parr
Phone: 9(2)(a)
Wider Health Sector Engagement
Officia
ls are continuing to reach out to the health sector on a regular basis, with a newsletter that is
distributed to DHBs, PHOs and PHUs. The list of organisations receiving weekly updates from the Ministry
has been expanded, and now includes a number of groups such as Royal New Zealand College of General
Practitioners, Te Rōpu Whakakaupapa, Rural GP Network and Nurse Practitioners of New Zealand.
6(b)(i)
Engagement with NZDF and table top exercises
The Programme ran an internal ‘table-top exercise’ to walk through the delivery approach end-to-end for
the initial 225,000 Pfizer courses for Tiers 1 and 2 in the sequencing framework. Members of the NZDF
attended this exercise to provide feedback and be a critical friend to strengthen supply chain and delivery
processes. NZDF will continue to work with the team to plan future dry runs and exercises.
6(a)
6(a)
Additionally, this week the Programme has met with the Privacy Commissioner to give a high-level
overview and engage on key risks. A Privacy Impact Assessment has been completed for the COVID-19
Immunisation Register and the programme will continue to engage on privacy risks through its Security and
Privacy Working Group.
Joint update from MBIE and MoH Communications
Contact: Stephanie Symynuk (MBIE)
Carl Billington (MoH)
Campaign planning
Work is well underway with campaign partners for the development of an initial public information
campaign to help support the initial rollout to Border/MIQ workers and address key questions, concerns
and information needs.
The campaign is being implemented across several streams, with dedicated creative partners for each
stream. The key streams are: All of Aotearoa New Zealand; targeted engagement to Māori; targeted
engagement to Pacific communities.
Campaign partners are collaborating together on the high-level framing and messaging but working
independently on the appropriate design and delivery for the communities they are tasked with reaching.
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VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Stakeholder engagement
We met this week with a range of stakeholders from both the maritime and airport settings, beginning a
sched
ule of direct engagement with border and MIQ employers and operators and unions ahead of the
coming vaccination rollout to the border/MIQ workforce.
These engagements are opportunities to providing an overview of the rollout approach, respond to initial
questions and concerns and agree process for how best to meet the information needs of this workforce
and their household contacts. These conversations will continue on a weekly basis over the immediate
period.
Upcoming Briefings
Due Date
Briefing
Title
Sign Out
Number
Manager
4 Feb
2021-2132
COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy – COVAX: Pfizer purchase option
Maree Roberts
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
