CO VID-19 VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Week ending:
30 October 2020
Priority:
Routine
Security
In Confidence
Tracking number: 2021-1136
classification:
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 of Health
Rt Hon Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Dr Peter Crabtree
Maree Roberts
General Manager Science, Innovation and International
Deputy Director-General, Systems Strategy
30 / 10 / 2020
and Policy
30/ 10 / 2020
Minister’s comments:
0
IN CONFIDENCE
COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy
Implementation
Weekly Report
Week Ending 30 October 2020
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VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Purpose
This weekly joint report updates Ministers on key developments of the implementation of the COVID-19 Vaccine
Strategy.
Workstre
ams
Advance Purchase Agreements
Contact: Poppy Haynes
Phone: 9(2)(a)
We are in active negotiations with six vaccine suppliers, and are aiming to recommend up to four additional
deals this year. We expect to brief you on the next heads of agreement in early/mid-November, with advice
on other deals coming over the following few weeks. The tempo of negotiations is not being limited by our
resourcing and processes, but rather by the fact that we are dependent on the response times of pharma
companies that are themselves managing multiple parallel negotiations in different jurisdictions. In addition,
some companies have chosen not to use a heads of agreement but to go straight to negotiating a full
definitive agreement, which takes more work upfront but has the advantage of being a one-step process. We
are pushing hard and seeking to streamline the number of times positions and issues have to move back and
forth. The allocation of risk, payment terms and indemnity provisions continue to be key factors in the
negotiations, but we are managing to find solutions acceptable to both us and to the pharma companies. We
are also progressing the definitive agreement for the Pfizer deal, which Hons Woods and Hipkins announced
on 12 October, and will brief you on that in the coming weeks.
Immunisation Strategy and Programme (MOH)
Contact: Mathew Parr
Phone: 9(2)(a)
Programme Management
The COVID-19 Vaccine and Immunisation Programme is continuing to scope and progress the complex and
multifaceted work programme. The COVID-19 Vaccine and Immunisation external Governance Group met for the first
time on 28 October. This group is chaired by Dame Dr Karen Poutasi, and members include Dr Ashley Bloomfield,
Bruce Plested, Carolyn Tremain, Dr Fa’afetai Sopoaga, John Whaanga, Murray Jack, and Ngāhiwi Tomoana. The first
meeting focused on giving an overview of the vaccine purchasing strategy and the COVID-19 Vaccine and
Immunisation Programme.
Engagement
The Immunisation Implementation Advisory Group (IIAG) will next meet on 30 October 2020; key items for discussion
include cold chain infrastructure, the Medsafe approval process, and an initial discussion on the vaccinator workforce.
In addition to the external Governance Group and the IIAG, work is underway to develop a wider external Stakeholder
Network to enable effective information flows to and from the affected communities. The group will be made up of
representatives from outside the health sector.
Immunisation Strategy
Officials are preparing advice for the Minister of Health on the COVID-19 immunisation sequencing framework
(formerly referred to as the prioritisation framework). This advice will have a strong Te Tiriti o Waitangi and equity
focus. This work will be informed by our discussions with the IIAG, as well as international and domestic evidence and
guidance.
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VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
We have shifted from calling this the “prioritisation framework” to the “COVID immunisation sequencing framework”
becau
se we consider it is a more accurate way to describe how the COVID-19 immunisation programme will work.
That is, as all people will be able to access a COVID-19 in due course, we are working through the best way to
sequence the immunisation programme.
Immunisation Programme implementation preparedness
The M
inistry has agreed in principle to partner with the Immunisation Advisory Centre to deliver workforce training
and supporting information for COVID-19 vaccines. IMAC delivered an initial proposal, however the Ministry has
sought a revised proposal with a significantly expanded scope, reflection of cultural competencies, and the principles
of Te Tiriti.
COVAX
Contact: Glenys Karran
Phone: 9(2)(a)
Gavi will convene the first meeting of the COVAX Facility Shareholders Council on 2 November. The body will comprise
representatives of all 92 self-financing participants, including New Zealand, and is intended to provide operational
oversight of the self-financing mechanism. Gavi will use the meeting to update participants on which vaccine
candidates will feature in the COVAX portfolio, including estimated dose volumes and timeframes for purchasing
decisions. Ahead of the Shareholders Council meeting, MFAT met with COVAX Facility leads from Australia and the UK
on 27 October to exchange views on next steps for the COVAX Facility. The UK saw that the Friends of the Facility had
an ongoing role to play as a sounding board for Gavi on policy and operational issues, and to work together on policy
solutions to complex issues like a secondary market for COVID-19 vaccines.
Separately, Canada, Italy and Spain have approved New Zealand’s request to join their constituency on the Gavi Board
for the next five years, with immediate effect. New Zealand will have the opportunity to feed in to constituency
positions ahead of the Gavi Board meeting in December.
Officials are engaging with Polynesian governments at working level to discuss next steps for provision of vaccines for
their populations through New Zealand’s participation in the COVAX Facility (for the Realm) and through New
Zealand’s bilateral advance purchase agreements (for all of Polynesia). As part of New Zealand’s support to the
broader Pacific, officials are also engaging with the vaccine pillar of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Joint
Incident Management Team (JIMT). Their work is expected to encompass support for immunisation planning and
decision-making, operational guidance and training for vaccine introduction, public communications support, and
monitoring of uptake and for adverse events following immunisation.
Officials are also working to coordinate with Australia to align and amplify messaging on vaccine access in the Pacific,
including at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting (delayed to the beginning of December). Australia is scaling up
its capacity to support vaccine roll-out in the Pacific and South East Asia (especially Indonesia and Timor Leste). Over
three years, 6(b)(i)
has been set aside to support and service future immunisation preparedness activities, and
an expanded, dedicated vaccines team is being established within the Centre for Health Security.
Canada and New Zealand Taskforce Chairs met for the second time on 22 October to discuss opportunities for
cooperation on manufacturing for long-term pandemic preparedness, and to exchange notes on portfolio strategy and
vaccine confidence. Both sides agree to meet again towards the end of November.
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VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Research, Science and Manufacturing
Contact: Justine Daw
Phone: 9(2)(a)
Infectious diseases research
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted gaps in our knowledge of, and response to, infectious diseases, including New
Zealand’s current research capability and capacity. We have run the first of several facilitated virtual workshops with
researchers across the country to scope the short, medium and long-term priorities and capability needs for infectious
diseases research, with a view to minimise future impacts from infectious diseases in New Zealand. The workshops
span four major themes: (a) long-term health effects of Covid-19, socio-economic perspectives and equitable
outcomes; (b) anti-microbial resistance, animal and environmental health impacts on human health; (c) epidemiology,
modelling, genome sequencing, bioinformatics and contact tracing technologies; and (d) diagnostics, therapeutics and
immunisation. The outputs from the workshops will inform advice to Ministers about future infectious disease research
needs in New Zealand.
Science advice
The Taskforce’s independent
Science and Clinical Review Panel has completed two more science reviews of priority APA
vaccine candidates in the reporting period, and progressed scientific documentation for other candidates to be
considered for purchasing. We are preparing for three further science briefings in the next week (the first briefing for
an eighth candidate, and second briefings for two existing candidates for which more information is needed to make
purchasing recommendations to Ministers). The Panel is also preparing to support assessment of vaccine candidates to
be offered via the COVAX Facility from mid-November (TBC), and provide science advice on ‘portfolio balance’ across
the priority vaccine candidates, as invited.
Communications
Contact: Karl Ferguson
Phone: 9(2)(a)
Communications planning
We are working with the DPMC Covid-19 communications team to provide content for their ‘Unite’ communication
channels (www.covid19.govt.nz etc) We expect interest in vaccines and vaccine purchasing to increase, and the
content is designed to meet this need, providing information about the Government’s overall vaccine strategy and
approach, and addressing basic questions about vaccine science and safety. This will include a short video we
commissioned and shot with STAG member, Dr Helen Petousis-Harris. We plan to publish the content in the week of 2
November.
At their request, and via MFAT, we are planning an engagement with members of the Canadian Vaccine Taskforce on
communications planning and approach. This follows a meeting we had with communications leads from the
Australian Vaccine Taskforce earlier in October.
Stakeholder engagement
We have finalised the Terms of Reference for our joint Stakeholder Reference Group with MoH. Invitations to
members will be sent out the week of 2 November.
Media management
We continue to proactively contact journalists who have shown an interest in the COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy, to
ensure visibility of the Taskforce’s role in the vaccine procurement process. We are currently drafting responses to a
journalist (Veronika Meduna) for an article she is writing for the New Zealand Listener.
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VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Upcomin
g Briefings
Due Date
Briefing
Title
Sign Out
Number
Manager
TBC
Business Case for Domestically Manufacturing COVID-19
Simon Rae
Vaccines
(Nov 2020)
Cabinet Paper
Due Date
Briefing
Title
Sign Out
Number
Manager
TBC
COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy – Nov 2020 Progress Report
Peter Crabtree
(Nov 2020)
TBC
COVID-19 Immunisation Strategy – November 2020 progress
MOH
report
(Nov 2020)
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