2021 1438 COVID19 Vaccine Strategy Implementation Weekly Report week ending 20 Nov 2020.pdf

CO VID-19 VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Week ending:
20 November  2020
Priority:
Routine

Security
In Confidence
Tracking number:  2021-1438
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 COVID-19 Response

Hon Nanaia Mahuta
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Hon Andrew Little

Minister of Health

Dr Peter Crabtree
Maree Roberts
General Manager Science, Innovation and International
Deputy Director-General, Systems Strategy
20 / 11/ 2020
and Policy
20 / 11 / 2020
Minister’s comments:

0

IN CONFIDENCE

COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy
Implementation

Weekly Report

Week Ending 20 November 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)

Progress this week
Joint Ministers approved the in-principle agreement to purchase up to five million doses of Janssen’s viral vector
vaccine this week. The non-binding term sheet, signed by the Director-General of Health, outlines the material issues
to be included in the binding APA. Janssen have indicated they are keen to execute the definitive agreement before
Christmas. Our ability to progress the definitive agreement will largely rely on the pace at which Janssen can turn
around drafts, however we think a pre-Christmas timeline is achievable, as we have already negotiated a number of
the substantive issues.

We are still progressing two further negotiations on top of the Pfizer and Janssen deals, and are on track to brief on
these in the coming weeks. 9(2)(ba)(i) & (ii)



Indemnities
We have been working with Treasury on the tabling of the Pfizer indemnity. It is a requirement under the Public
Finance Act that the Minister of Finance present a statement to the House once an indemnity has been granted. The
statement just notes the fact of an indemnity being granted; the specific terms of the indemnity will remain
confidential.

Immunisation Strategy and Programme (MOH)
Contact: Mathew Parr
Phone: 9(2)(a)

The Immunisation Strategy Cabinet Paper
A Cabinet Paper detailing the COVID-19 Immunisation Strategy is currently out for wider Ministerial consultation and
the intention is to lodge it with Cabinet on 26 November. We incorporated feedback from Joint Ministers before wider
consultation. The Immunisation Strategy Cabinet Paper provides Cabinet Ministers with an update on the estimated
costs of the COVID-19 Immunisation Programme and shares the sequencing framework that will determine who has
access to the vaccine first. It will be accompanied by a COVID-19 Vaccine Purchasing Cabinet Paper that details the
components of the purchasing workstream. We have worked closely with the Vaccine Taskforce to ensure there is
alignment between these two papers.

Workforce Strategy
We are progressing a workforce strategy to engage a workforce that is capable, in the right locations and ready to
deliver a COVID-19 Immunisation Programme when a vaccine is available. We are considering options to expand the
vaccinator workforce without affecting the broader health and disability workforce or other immunisation
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VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
programmes. The Ministry of Health Steering Group has agreed to an approach that engages non-practicing health
profe
  ssionals where possible to supplement the existing workforce, with clinical oversight and appropriate support
from non-clinical staff. This can be progressed without a change to current regulation, which sets out the requisite
skills for a vaccinator (including completion of vaccinator training, basic emergency techniques, knowledge of safe and
effective handling of immunisation products and equipment, clinical interpersonal skills, knowledge of relevant

diseases and ability to explain vaccination to patients).

Programme Assurance
We are implementing an independent programme assurance to ensure are providing the strongest levels of
programme assurance. We are engaging ‘real time’ assurance leads (Colin Macdonald and Stephen Crombie) who will
provide oversight into the programme and report into the Governance Group on a fortnightly basis, who in turn will
provide reassurance to Ministers.

COVAX
Contact: Glenys Karran
Phone: 9(2)(a)

Following Joint Ministers’ endorsement, officials advised Gavi this week that New Zealand would not opt out of
opportunities to purchase doses of the three candidates currently available through the COVAX Facility. This means
that New Zealand will later receive options to purchase volumes of these vaccines, and officials will at that point put a
decision to Ministers on whether to proceed with the purchase. We expect that the COVAX Facility will, in the near
future, open opportunities to purchase additional candidates.

In response to a question raised at the first COVAX Shareholders Council meeting, officials also advised Gavi of
New Zealand’s preference to include small volumes of mRNA vaccines in the COVAX portfolio (in addition to the mRNA
vaccine already included). This reflects our interest in the option to purchase additional mRNA vaccines, but also
acknowledges that many other COVAX participants will not have the ultra-cold chain infrastructure in place to
distribute mRNA vaccines.

Research, Science and Manufacturing
Contact: Justine Daw
Phone: 9(2)(a)

Budget 2021
We have provided Hon Dr Woods with an outline of emergent thinking on priorities for new Vote Research, Science
and Innovation investment through Budget 2021 to serve as a basis for briefing the Ministers of Finance and
Health.  18(d)


The cross-government Covid-19 Vaccine Taskforce has also recommended Ministers seek further funding for vaccine
purchases and associated immunisation programme costs. Companion papers will seek approval for these calls on the
contingency, with the additional amount sought significantly lower than initially expected by the Treasury to complete
vaccine purchases.

Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand (VAANZ) Platform
VAANZ is seeking advice from its Independent Vaccine Advisory Group (which includes Taskforce Science and
Technical Advisory Group member Professor David Murdoch) on two potential Covid-19 vaccine candidates for entry
into VAANZ’s preclinical vaccine evaluation platform. The evaluation process is a contracted activity, and we will take
final decisions on suitable international candidates to the Taskforce in the next month.
These two vaccine candidates are in addition to VAANZ’s original three candidates (two New Zealand-developed
candidates, and one developed in partnership with Australian researchers).
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VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT

Global funding for vaccine development – VAANZ candidate
The Malaghan Institute, the host of the VAANZ Platform, has submitted one of the two proposed candidates
referenced above to be assessed for investment by CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Initiatives, a global

partnership launched in 2017 to develop vaccines to stop future pandemics.  The Call for Proposals aims to invest in a
second wave of global vaccine development, with a focus on developing novel vaccine candidates against COVID-19
with scientific, technical or manufacturing differentiation from current COVID-19 vaccine candidates. Areas of focus

are advanced development and technology platforms that could be used against other emerging infectious diseases.

Communications
Contact: Karl Ferguson
Communications planning
We are continuing to work closely with MoH and other agencies to plan for a series of upcoming APA announcements.
We will continue to work with relevant Ministerial offices to shape how the announcement(s) will take place and will
provide proactive Q&As and talking points.

Stakeholder engagement
We are following up on actions and next steps after last week’s hui with COVID-19 Iwi Communications forum,
working closely with MoH. We are also working closely with MoH on how we can effectively engage with Pacific
People.

Following last week’s meeting with the key “COVID-19 Commentators”, the group agreed to a series of actions. These
actions include plans to provide further information and consistent messaging about the Vaccine Strategy and
Immunisation Programme, developing a way to easily share information amongst the group, and exploring further
public-facing communications that make use of video and/or animation.

Peter Crabtree, Helen Petousis-Harris, Casey Pickett (MoH) and Mathew Parr (MoH) provided a briefing to a Ministry-
of-Education-convened COVID-19 sector forum. In addition to a progress briefing on the Vaccine Strategy, we sought
feedback from the sector about their likely needs and expectations in relation to vaccines going forward.

Media management
We worked closely with communications and government relations contacts at Janssen, ahead of the announcement
this week. We supported Ministers and Director-General of MoH with reactive Q&As and talking points. The news was
well-received with significant media coverage on Thursday morning.
We proactively contacted the key “COVID-19 Commentators” ahead of the Janssen announcement this week, to
support them with any media queries they received from the Janssen announcement.


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VACCINE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION WEEKLY REPORT
Upcomin

g Briefings
Due Date
Briefing
Title
Sign Out
Number
Manager

23 Nov
TBC
Further Covid-19 Vaccine purchase recommendations
Poppy Haynes
202111 42
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)

Ministerial Official Information Act Requests
Due to
Due to
Number
Requestor  Request
Status
Sign out
MO
Requestor
OIA 2021-
17 Nov
24 Nov
9(2)(a)
NZ’s approach to purchasing
Sent to
Poppy Haynes
0890
vaccines developed using
MO
“unethical” cell lines
Copies of any briefings the
Minister has received from
Government Departments
(except for Briefings to
9(2)(a)
Incoming Ministers, which I
OIA20-131
4 Dec
11 Dec
understand are being
Scoping
Poppy Haynes
proactively released) between
6 November 2020 and 13
November 2020 under the
Official Information Act.

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