133 Molesworth
Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
30 June 2021
Micky Turner
By email:
[FYI request #15603 email]
Ref:
H202106709
Tēnā koe Micky
Response to your request for official information Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) which was
transferred from Hon Chris Hipkins, Minister for COVID-19 Response, to the Ministry of
Health (the Ministry) on 31 May 2021 for:
“In light of the surging new Covid 19 variants - can you please advise the quantity of
N95 masks the government will have in stock every month for the next 12 months?
Can you please also forward the details of how these will be distributed to the public
and essential workers in the event of full or partial lockdowns?”
The Ministry has forward orders of N95/P2 particulate respirators, with schedules of when
these are due to arrive. The arrival of these masks into New Zealand can be compromised
due to current international sea and air freight constraints.
It is difficult to respond to the first part of your request due to variabilities in the usage,
ordering and despatch numbers. Each month is different and varies depending on what is
occurring in the health and disability sector at the time. For example, we are currently seeing
an increase in common flu-like illness and respiratory syncytial virus which suggests there
will be an increased demand on N95/P2 respirators, as patients present with COVID-19-like
symptoms.
From January to June 2021, we have seen a monthly despatch average of about 70,000
N95/P2 particulate respirators from the Ministry’s central supply of PPE. The table overleaf
outlines the anticipated schedule of delivery for the next 12 months, with the following
caveats:
Some goods scheduled for delivery in June 2021, have been receipted and included
in the stock on hand figure.
The delivery schedule is updated with actual figures only when goods have been
receipted into the Ministry’s warehousing facilities and invoiced against the order.
The delivery schedule provides an indication of when goods will arrive.
The delivery schedule may be renegotiated, and goods may arrive earlier or later
than anticipated. Reasons for later delivery could include manufacturing delays,
logistics and freight constraints, and COVID-19 restrictions impacting capacity.
Table 1. Anticipated delivery schedule of N95/P2 masks for the next 12 months
Date of anticipated delivery schedule
Total number of N95/P2 masks
Stock on hand as at 23 June 2021
11,204,951
June 2021
7,935,280
July 2021
3,933,520
August 2021
1,599,920
September 2021
1,663,920
October 2021
1,300,000
November 2021
1,200,000
December 2021
1,200,000
January 2022
100,000
February 2022
100,000
March 2022
100,000
April 2022
100,000
May 2022
100,000
In response to the second part of your request, there are a range of Infection, Prevention
and Control (IPC) guidance documents available to all staff in both the health sector setting
and at the border that provide PPE requirements. In situations where a medical/procedure
mask is suitable PPE for health care staff and border workers the IPC guidance outlines the
settings and activities in more detail. You may be interested in the range of IPC (including
border) documents that are publicly available at:
www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-
coronavirus/covid-19-information-specific-audiences/covid-19-resources-border-
sector
www.miq.govt.nz/assets/operations-framework-managed-isolation-and-quarantine-
facilities.pdf
www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-
coronavirus/covid-19-information-specific-audiences/covid-19-personal-protective-
equipment-workers/personal-protective-equipment-use-health-and-disability-care-
settings.
Healthcare staff and border workers that contribute to New Zealand’s response to COVID-19
can order PPE directly from the Ministry. The Ministry’s Principles of Supply outline the PPE
available across categories of service and at each Alert Level. Further information is
available at: www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-
coronavirus/covid-19-information-specific-audiences/covid-19-personal-protective-
equipment-central-supply.
I trust this information fulfils your request. Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right
to ask the Ombudsman to review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman
may be contacted by email at: [email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at: www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-
official-information-act-requests.
Nākū noa, nā
Darryl Carpenter
Group Manager, COVID-19 Immunisation, Testing and Supply
COVID-19 Health System Response
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