Kia ora

Thank you for taking the time to write to Hon Chris Hipkins, Minister for
COVID-19 Response, Minister of Education, Minister for the Public Sector
and Leader of the House. We are receiving a significant amount of
correspondence at the moment and, although your email will be carefully
considered and noted, it is not possible to respond to each individual
email.

 

Following a positive covid-19 case in the community, the whole country is
at Alert Level 4 from 11:59 Tuesday 17 August. The Auckland and Coromandel
region will stay at Alert Level 4 for 7 days and the rest of the country
for 3 days. This will be reviewed when we learn more about the situation.
Public health officials are currently working hard to contact trace and
provide further updates. You can find information about Alert Level 4 at
[1]https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-levels-and... and all
of the information about the situation as it becomes available at
[2]https://covid19.govt.nz/.

 

The locations of interest are set out at
[3]https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise....
We encourage anyone who has been at one of the locations of interest to
self-isolate and call Healthline on 0800 358 5453. You can find the
nearest testing centre to you at
[4]https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/covid-19/.

 

Guidance for businesses that are locations of interest can be found at
[5]https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/....
Information about support available for people waiting for a test or
otherwise impacted by COVID-19 is available at
[6]https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/covid-....

 

We ask that everyone follows the Alert Level guidance, get tested if you
have symptoms and continue to support each other. If you need to talk, you
can call or text 1737 at any time.

We also understand that there are several other aspects to the response
that are very important to people. You can find more information about:

 

* Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) at [7]https://www.miq.govt.nz/,
including how to request an emergency allocation at
[8]https://www.miq.govt.nz/travel-to-new-ze...
or make a complaint or request a review of your application by
emailing
[9]https://www.miq.govt.nz/about/contact-us....
* Travel with Australia at
[10]https://covid19.govt.nz/travel/quarantin....
If you are in Australia, please register at
[11]https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/ and if it is an emergency, contact
the Consulate on +64 99 20 20 20.
* Vaccines at [12]https://covid19.govt.nz/covid-19-vaccines/, including
how to book your vaccine at
[13]https://bookmyvaccine.covid19.health.nz/ or by calling 0800 28 29
26, information about vaccine safety and approval at
[14]https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/cov... and how to
request a letter of confirmation about your vaccination status at
[15]https://customervoice.microsoft.com/Page....
* The Government’s plan to reconnect New Zealand with the rest of the
world at
[16]https://covid19.govt.nz/reconnecting-new....

Please remember to take care, and be kind. We have beaten COVID-19 before,
and we can do it again.

Ngâ mihi,

Office of Hon Chris Hipkins

Minister for COVID-19 Response | Minister of Education | Minister for the
Public Sector | Leader of the House | MP for Remutaka

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Kia ora S Rasool

Thank you for your email received 30 August 2021 in which you submitted a request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to the Hon Chris Hipkins, Minister for COVID-19 Response. You have requested:

“…please confirm the criteria of adding countries to the published high risk countries on the link below. Plus why USA, UK & Japan have not been added to the list, and especially likewise countries where delta and lambda variants are spiking ??

https://covid19.govt.nz/travel/internati...

Pursuant to section 15 (1) of the Act we will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible, and no later than 27 September 2021 being 20 working days after the day your request was received. If we are unable to respond to your request within this timeframe, we will notify you of an extension of that timeframe.

If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Ngâ mihi

Lydia Verschaffelt | Health Private Secretary
Office of Hon Chris Hipkins
Minister for COVID-19 Response | Minister of Education | Minister for the Public Service | Leader of the House
Parliament Buildings, Private Bag 18041, Wellington 6160, New Zealand

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Kia ora S Rasool,

 

Please see attached the Minister’s response to your OIA request.

 

Noho ora mai | Stay well
[1]cid:image001.jpg@01D433B3.8E157340 Erin
Sampson
(he/him)
| Private
Secretary,
COVID-19
Response
 
Office of
Hon Chris
Hipkins   

Minister
for
COVID-19
Response

 

 

 

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sent: Tuesday, 31 August 2021 19:33
To: [2][FOI #16574 email]
<[3][FOI #16574 email]>
Subject: RE: Official Information request - Criteria of Adding Countries
to the Very High Risky Country Category (CHOIA110)

 

Kia ora S Rasool

Thank you for your email received 30 August 2021 in which you submitted a
request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to the Hon Chris
Hipkins, Minister for COVID-19 Response. You have requested:

“…please confirm the criteria of adding countries to the published high
risk countries on the link below. Plus why USA, UK & Japan have not been
added to the list, and especially likewise countries where delta and
lambda variants are spiking ??

[4]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...

Pursuant to section 15 (1) of the Act we will endeavour to respond to your
request as soon as possible, and no later than 27 September 2021 being 20
working days after the day your request was received. If we are unable to
respond to your request within this timeframe, we will notify you of an
extension of that timeframe.

If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch.

Ngâ mihi

Lydia Verschaffelt | Health Private Secretary
Office of Hon Chris Hipkins
Minister for COVID-19 Response | Minister of Education | Minister for the
Public Service | Leader of the House
Parliament Buildings, Private Bag 18041, Wellington 6160, New Zealand

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