Covid 19 - Contingency Plan - if lockdowns fail
Micky Turner made this Official Information request to Jacinda Ardern
The request was refused by Jacinda Ardern.
From: Micky Turner
Dear Jacinda Ardern,
Obviously if new Covid 19 variants cannot be eliminated quickly - perpetual extended lockdowns are unlikely to be a viable option. Many businesses may be able to withstand a 4 week lockdown - but longer than that could be catastrophic.
Based on overseas experiences with the Delta variant such as a recent outbreak in Taiwan - where they have unable to reach zero community transmission after 3 months - it is very possible that the current Auckland 4 week lockdown may not work.
With 18 months to prepare for the worst - I'm sure you will have made a range of contingency plans for a 'what if' (lockdowns don't work) scenario.
Can you please provide the following information:
1. Your Contingency Plan if lockdowns fail to eliminate Covid 19 in the community
Given the Pfizer vaccine offers waning protection - I imagine your contingency plans will likely include a range of different additional preventative medications.
Yours faithfully,
Micky Turner
From: Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern
Kia ora
Thank you for taking the time to get in touch with Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern.
If you are writing about an issue relating to COVID-19, mental health,
Immigration, housing or benefit assistance, here's a list of links that
you might find helpful:
For queries around Managed Isolation availability and/or exemptions:
miq.govt.nz
If you are overseas and need assistance please contact your nearest New
Zealand Embassy or Consulate. Contact details are listed in each
destination page on the SafeTravel website:
[1]https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/news/covi...
. For urgent consular assistance after-hours please contact +64 99 20 20
20 (monitored 24 hours a day).
For immigration and visa advice: contact the call centre which is open
6:00am Monday to midnight on Saturday (NZT).
[2]https://www.immigration.govt.nz/contact
For urgent housing or benefit enquiries:
∙ Call 0800 559 009 (for under 65)
∙ Call 0800 552 002 (for over 65)
If you need treatment or support for your health or wellbeing, the
following options are available.
Healthline – You can call Healthline for health advice on freephone 0800
611 116 at any time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Healthline staff
can advise you on the best thing to do in your situation, including which
services are near you and open.
1737 – If you need to talk to someone about how you are feeling, you can
call or text 1737 for free at any time to talk to a trained counsellor.
Mental health crisis teams – If you are concerned that someone is going to
hurt themselves or someone else, you can call your local mental health
crisis team. A full list of numbers is available here:
[3]www.health.govt.nz/your-health/services-and-support/health-care-services/mental-health-services/crisis-assessment-teams
For Police assistance In an emergency call 111.
For everything else use 105.
You can also make a report online at 105.police.govt.nz
We hope that one of the above links helps answer your question, if not we
will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you again
Office of the Prime Minister
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/news/covi...
2. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/contact
3. http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/se...
From: Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern
I am writing on behalf of the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, to acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act request.
Your request will be responded to under the provisions of the Official Information Act 1982.
Yours sincerely
Dinah Okeby
Office of the Prime Minister
-----Original Message-----
From: Micky Turner [mailto:[FOI #16545 email]]
Sent: Saturday, 28 August 2021 2:50 PM
To: J Ardern (MIN) <[Jacinda Ardern request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Covid 19 - Contingency Plan - if lockdowns fail
Dear Jacinda Ardern,
Obviously if new Covid 19 variants cannot be eliminated quickly - perpetual extended lockdowns are unlikely to be a viable option. Many businesses may be able to withstand a 4 week lockdown - but longer than that could be catastrophic.
Based on overseas experiences with the Delta variant such as a recent outbreak in Taiwan - where they have unable to reach zero community transmission after 3 months - it is very possible that the current Auckland 4 week lockdown may not work.
With 18 months to prepare for the worst - I'm sure you will have made a range of contingency plans for a 'what if' (lockdowns don't work) scenario.
Can you please provide the following information:
1. Your Contingency Plan if lockdowns fail to eliminate Covid 19 in the community
Given the Pfizer vaccine offers waning protection - I imagine your contingency plans will likely include a range of different additional preventative medications.
Yours faithfully,
Micky Turner
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hide quoted sections
From: Micky Turner
Dear Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern,
This week in regards to what would happen if lockdowns fail to eliminate the virus -
Ashley Bloomfield said "we will cross that bridge when we get to it" and Jacinda Ardern said "that's a hypothetical".
Neither the Director-General of Health or the Prime Minister were able or willing to outline any type of contingency plan - however you have had almost 2 years to come up with one.
Given the current circumstances of Auckland being in lockdown for 7 weeks (5 weeks at level 4 and the next 2 weeks at level 3) - can you please urgently forward your Contingency Plan? This will likely factor in the waning 2 shot vaccine efficacy which you have known about for many months. It should also list other medications which you have on hand, or have ordered, or have ensured are being manufactured and supplied by the private sector to keep New Zealanders safe upon inevitably exiting the elimination strategy.
Yours sincerely,
Micky Turner
From: Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern
Kia ora
Thank you for taking the time to get in touch with Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern.
If you are writing about an issue relating to COVID-19, mental health,
Immigration, housing or benefit assistance, here's a list of links that
you might find helpful:
For queries around Managed Isolation availability and/or exemptions:
miq.govt.nz
If you are overseas and need assistance please contact your nearest New
Zealand Embassy or Consulate. Contact details are listed in each
destination page on the SafeTravel website:
[1]https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/news/covi...
. For urgent consular assistance after-hours please contact +64 99 20 20
20 (monitored 24 hours a day).
For immigration and visa advice: contact the call centre which is open
6:00am Monday to midnight on Saturday (NZT).
[2]https://www.immigration.govt.nz/contact
For urgent housing or benefit enquiries:
∙ Call 0800 559 009 (for under 65)
∙ Call 0800 552 002 (for over 65)
If you need treatment or support for your health or wellbeing, the
following options are available.
Healthline – You can call Healthline for health advice on freephone 0800
611 116 at any time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Healthline staff
can advise you on the best thing to do in your situation, including which
services are near you and open.
1737 – If you need to talk to someone about how you are feeling, you can
call or text 1737 for free at any time to talk to a trained counsellor.
Mental health crisis teams – If you are concerned that someone is going to
hurt themselves or someone else, you can call your local mental health
crisis team. A full list of numbers is available here:
[3]www.health.govt.nz/your-health/services-and-support/health-care-services/mental-health-services/crisis-assessment-teams
For Police assistance In an emergency call 111.
For everything else use 105.
You can also make a report online at 105.police.govt.nz
We hope that one of the above links helps answer your question, if not we
will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you again
Office of the Prime Minister
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/news/covi...
2. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/contact
3. http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/se...
From: Micky Turner
Dear Jacinda Ardern,
A response to this request is now long overdue.
- Micky Turner
From: Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern
Kia ora
Thank you for taking the time to get in touch with Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern.
If you are writing about an issue relating to COVID-19, mental health,
Immigration, housing or benefit assistance, here's a list of links that
you might find helpful:
For queries around Managed Isolation availability and/or exemptions:
miq.govt.nz
If you are overseas and need assistance please contact your nearest New
Zealand Embassy or Consulate. Contact details are listed in each
destination page on the SafeTravel website:
[1]https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/news/covi...
. For urgent consular assistance after-hours please contact +64 99 20 20
20 (monitored 24 hours a day).
For immigration and visa advice: contact the call centre which is open
6:00am Monday to midnight on Saturday (NZT).
[2]https://www.immigration.govt.nz/contact
For urgent housing or benefit enquiries:
∙ Call 0800 559 009 (for under 65)
∙ Call 0800 552 002 (for over 65)
If you need treatment or support for your health or wellbeing, the
following options are available.
Healthline – You can call Healthline for health advice on freephone 0800
611 116 at any time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Healthline staff
can advise you on the best thing to do in your situation, including which
services are near you and open.
1737 – If you need to talk to someone about how you are feeling, you can
call or text 1737 for free at any time to talk to a trained counsellor.
Mental health crisis teams – If you are concerned that someone is going to
hurt themselves or someone else, you can call your local mental health
crisis team. A full list of numbers is available here:
[3]www.health.govt.nz/your-health/services-and-support/health-care-services/mental-health-services/crisis-assessment-teams
For Police assistance In an emergency call 111.
For everything else use 105.
You can also make a report online at 105.police.govt.nz
We hope that one of the above links helps answer your question, if not we
will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you again
Office of the Prime Minister
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/news/covi...
2. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/contact
3. http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/se...
From: Micky Turner
Dear Jacinda Ardern,
This request will be forwarded to the Ombudsman if I do not receive a response from your office by 5pm 14th October 2021.
Yours faithfully,
Micky Turner
From: Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern
Kia ora
Thank you for taking the time to get in touch with Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern.
If you are writing about an issue relating to COVID-19, mental health,
Immigration, housing or benefit assistance, here's a list of links that
you might find helpful:
For queries around Managed Isolation availability and/or exemptions:
miq.govt.nz
If you are overseas and need assistance please contact your nearest New
Zealand Embassy or Consulate. Contact details are listed in each
destination page on the SafeTravel website:
[1]https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/news/covi...
. For urgent consular assistance after-hours please contact +64 99 20 20
20 (monitored 24 hours a day).
For immigration and visa advice: contact the call centre which is open
6:00am Monday to midnight on Saturday (NZT).
[2]https://www.immigration.govt.nz/contact
For urgent housing or benefit enquiries:
∙ Call 0800 559 009 (for under 65)
∙ Call 0800 552 002 (for over 65)
If you need treatment or support for your health or wellbeing, the
following options are available.
Healthline – You can call Healthline for health advice on freephone 0800
611 116 at any time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Healthline staff
can advise you on the best thing to do in your situation, including which
services are near you and open.
1737 – If you need to talk to someone about how you are feeling, you can
call or text 1737 for free at any time to talk to a trained counsellor.
Mental health crisis teams – If you are concerned that someone is going to
hurt themselves or someone else, you can call your local mental health
crisis team. A full list of numbers is available here:
[3]www.health.govt.nz/your-health/services-and-support/health-care-services/mental-health-services/crisis-assessment-teams
For Police assistance In an emergency call 111.
For everything else use 105.
You can also make a report online at 105.police.govt.nz
We hope that one of the above links helps answer your question, if not we
will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you again
Office of the Prime Minister
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/news/covi...
2. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/contact
3. http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/se...
From: J Ardern (MIN)
Jacinda Ardern
Tēnā koe
On behalf of Raj Nahna, I attach a letter in response to your OIA request.
Ngā mihi
Private Secretary (Executive Support)
Office of the Prime Minister
Authorised by Rt. Hon Jacinda Ardern MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Micky Turner
Dear Jacinda Ardern (MIN),
Thank you for confirming that in the last 19 months - the Prime Minister, her Cabinet and the Ministry of Health have never made a Contingency Plan for what would happen if lockdowns fail to eradicate the virus.
The Contingency Plan information I requested is not publicly available - because it doesn't exist (the work was never done).
Your only plan has been to use lockdowns of an unlimited time frame, until a waning vaccine has been given to an unspecified percentage of the population. After this has been achieved - there is no plan stating what will happen or how the Labour Government will address waning vaccine efficacy.
- Micky Turner
From: Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern
Kia ora
Thank you for taking the time to get in touch with Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern.
If you are writing about an issue relating to COVID-19, mental health,
Immigration, housing or benefit assistance, here's a list of links that
you might find helpful:
For queries around Managed Isolation availability and/or exemptions:
miq.govt.nz
If you are overseas and need assistance please contact your nearest New
Zealand Embassy or Consulate. Contact details are listed in each
destination page on the SafeTravel website:
[1]https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/news/covi...
. For urgent consular assistance after-hours please contact +64 99 20 20
20 (monitored 24 hours a day).
For immigration and visa advice: contact the call centre which is open
6:00am Monday to midnight on Saturday (NZT).
[2]https://www.immigration.govt.nz/contact
For urgent housing or benefit enquiries:
∙ Call 0800 559 009 (for under 65)
∙ Call 0800 552 002 (for over 65)
If you need treatment or support for your health or wellbeing, the
following options are available.
Healthline – You can call Healthline for health advice on freephone 0800
611 116 at any time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Healthline staff
can advise you on the best thing to do in your situation, including which
services are near you and open.
1737 – If you need to talk to someone about how you are feeling, you can
call or text 1737 for free at any time to talk to a trained counsellor.
Mental health crisis teams – If you are concerned that someone is going to
hurt themselves or someone else, you can call your local mental health
crisis team. A full list of numbers is available here:
[3]www.health.govt.nz/your-health/services-and-support/health-care-services/mental-health-services/crisis-assessment-teams
For Police assistance In an emergency call 111.
For everything else use 105.
You can also make a report online at 105.police.govt.nz
We hope that one of the above links helps answer your question, if not we
will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you again
Office of the Prime Minister
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/news/covi...
2. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/contact
3. http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/se...
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