Vaccination status of Covid-19 deaths to date
Maria Lilley made this Official Information request to Ministry of Health
The request was refused by Ministry of Health.
From: Maria Lilley
Dear Ministry of Health,
There are 33 deaths recorded on your website as of today.
Please provide information around deceased persons' Comirnaty (or another Covid vaccine) vaccination status. Categories to be consistent with your reporting for cases:
No doses received
Not eligible for vaccine due to being less than 12 years old
1 dose only, received less than 14 days before reported as a case
1 dose only, received at least 14 days before reported as a case
Fully vaccinated but second dose less than 14 days before reported as a case
Fully vaccinated at least 14 days before reported as a case
Many thanks.
Yours faithfully,
Maria Lilley
From: OIA Requests
Kia ora,
Thank you for your Official Information Act (the Act) request. This is
an automatic reply to let you know we received it.
Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic response, the Ministry is experiencing
significantly higher volumes of queries and requests for information. We
will endeavour to acknowledge your request as soon as possible. Further
information about COVID-19 can be found on our
website: [1]https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...
In accordance with the Act, we'll let you know our decision within no more
than 20 working days. If you'd like to calculate the timeframe, you can
use the Ombudsman's online calculator
here: [2]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
If you have any questions while we're processing your request, please let
us know via [3][email address]
Ngā mihi
OIA Services Team
[4]Ministry of Health information releases
[5]Unite against COVID-19
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From: OIA Requests
Kia ora Maria,
Thank you for your email. Your request is withheld in full under section
9(2)(a) of the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), to protect the
privacy of natural persons, including that of deceased natural persons.
This is because, as the numbers of COVID-19 deaths are so low, this
information may identify the individuals concerned.
Available information regarding deceased cases and case demographics can
be found
here: [1]www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-case-demographics#age-gender.
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: [2][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602.
Ngā mihi
Jan Torres
Acting Manager, OIA Services
Office of the Director-General
[3]Ministry of Health information releases
[4]Unite against COVID-19
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Maria Lilley <[FOI #17541 email]>
Sent: Friday, 12 November 2021 07:56
To: OIA Requests <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Vaccination status of Covid-19
deaths to date
Dear Ministry of Health,
There are 33 deaths recorded on your website as of today.
Please provide information around deceased persons' Comirnaty (or another
Covid vaccine) vaccination status. Categories to be consistent with your
reporting for cases:
No doses received
Not eligible for vaccine due to being less than 12 years old
1 dose only, received less than 14 days before reported as a case
1 dose only, received at least 14 days before reported as a case
Fully vaccinated but second dose less than 14 days before reported as a
case
Fully vaccinated at least 14 days before reported as a case
Many thanks.
Yours faithfully,
Maria Lilley
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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From: Maria Lilley
Dear OIA Requests,
Thank you for your response.
I will try to rephrase my question so that it is less specific in order to allow you to fulfill your obligations under Section 9(2)(a) of the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). Please note that I am not requesting age, gender, location or date of death in order to ensure the information provided is unlikely to identify the deceased.
1) Of the (now) 34 deaths to date, please provide the number of deaths where persons had received one dose or more of the Comirnaty vaccine at least 14 days prior to testing positive for Covid-19.
Given the much greater level of detail you have provided in other requests related to Covid deaths (for example: see request H202007546 - your reply dated 27 November 2020 - 25 deaths at the time) I believe it is reasonable that you answer this question.
Yours sincerely,
Maria Lilley
From: OIA Requests
Kia ora Maria,
Thank you for your follow up email.
There has been low number of recent deaths since those referenced in OIA
response (ref. H202007546). This leaves nine individuals' information to
be easily identified. Therefore, as advised, this information is withheld
in full under section 9(2)(a) to protect privacy.
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: [1][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602.
Ngā mihi
OIA Services Team
[2]Ministry of Health information releases
[3]Unite against COVID-19
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Maria Lilley <[FOI #17541 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 16 November 2021 08:43
To: OIA Requests <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Response to your correspondence 12 November 2021
Dear OIA Requests,
Thank you for your response.
I will try to rephrase my question so that it is less specific in order to
allow you to fulfill your obligations under Section 9(2)(a) of the
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). Please note that I am not
requesting age, gender, location or date of death in order to ensure the
information provided is unlikely to identify the deceased.
1) Of the (now) 34 deaths to date, please provide the number of deaths
where persons had received one dose or more of the Comirnaty vaccine at
least 14 days prior to testing positive for Covid-19.
Given the much greater level of detail you have provided in other requests
related to Covid deaths (for example: see request H202007546 - your reply
dated 27 November 2020 - 25 deaths at the time) I believe it is reasonable
that you answer this question.
Yours sincerely,
Maria Lilley
-----Original Message-----
Kia ora Maria,
Thank you for your email. Your request is withheld in full under section
9(2)(a) of the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), to protect the
privacy of natural persons, including that of deceased natural persons.
This is because, as the numbers of COVID-19 deaths are so low, this
information may identify the individuals concerned.
Available information regarding deceased cases and case demographics can
be found
here: [1]www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-case-demographics#age-gender.
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: [2][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602.
Ngā mihi
Jan Torres
Acting Manager, OIA Services
Office of the Director-General
[3]Ministry of Health information releases
[4]Unite against COVID-19
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Maria Lilley <[FOI #17541 email]>
Sent: Friday, 12 November 2021 07:56
To: OIA Requests <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Vaccination status of Covid-19
deaths to date
Dear Ministry of Health,
There are 33 deaths recorded on your website as of today.
Please provide information around deceased persons' Comirnaty (or another
Covid vaccine) vaccination status. Categories to be consistent with your
reporting for cases:
No doses received
Not eligible for vaccine due to being less than 12 years old
1 dose only, received less than 14 days before reported as a case
1 dose only, received at least 14 days before reported as a case
Fully vaccinated but second dose less than 14 days before reported as a
case
Fully vaccinated at least 14 days before reported as a case
Many thanks.
Yours faithfully,
Maria Lilley
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #17541 email]
Is [Ministry of Health request email] the wrong address for Official
Information requests
to Ministry of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
[5]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
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From: Maria Lilley
Dear OIA Requests,
My question was not in relation to the 9 deaths that have taken place since request ref. H202007546 but for the 34 deaths with Covid as a factor so far.
Given the current vaccination push, public interest in the vaccination status of deaths is understandably high. It does appear that the Ministry of Health is hiding behind section 9(2)(a) in a way it has not done so in the past - even when dealing with requests for information about events involving comparably small numbers of people. In short, evasiveness undermines public confidence. Including from fully vaccinated people like myself.
Hopefully, you will rethink this approach in the near future.
Yours sincerely,
Maria Lilley
F.smith left an annotation ()
It is impossible to identify anyone with this information so I highly recommend you go straight to the ombudsman
From: OIA Requests
Kia ora Maria,
Thank you for your follow up email. The Ministry is satisfied with the
decision to not release vaccination status of the deaths in New Zealand.
Section 9(2)(a) protects the privacy of natural persons, including
deceased people.
Please refer to the vaccination statistics of current cases:
[1]www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-case-demographics#age-gender.
These statistics show that the majority of the people who are infected
with COVID-19 and/or in hospital are unvaccinated.
As previously advised, 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: [2][email address] or
by calling 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi
OIA Services Team
[3]Ministry of Health information releases
[4]Unite against COVID-19
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Maria Lilley <[FOI #17541 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 16 November 2021 21:59
To: OIA Requests <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Response to your correspondence 12 November 2021
Dear OIA Requests,
My question was not in relation to the 9 deaths that have taken place
since request ref. H202007546 but for the 34 deaths with Covid as a factor
so far.
Given the current vaccination push, public interest in the vaccination
status of deaths is understandably high. It does appear that the Ministry
of Health is hiding behind section 9(2)(a) in a way it has not done so in
the past - even when dealing with requests for information about events
involving comparably small numbers of people. In short, evasiveness
undermines public confidence. Including from fully vaccinated people like
myself.
Hopefully, you will rethink this approach in the near future.
Yours sincerely,
Maria Lilley
-----Original Message-----
Kia ora Maria,
Thank you for your follow up email.
There has been low number of recent deaths since those referenced in OIA
response (ref. H202007546). This leaves nine individuals' information to
be easily identified. Therefore, as advised, this information is withheld
in full under section 9(2)(a) to protect privacy.
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: [1][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602.
Ngā mihi
OIA Services Team
[2]Ministry of Health information releases
[3]Unite against COVID-19
From: Maria Lilley <[FOI #17541 email]>
Sent: Friday, 12 November 2021 07:56
To: OIA Requests <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Vaccination status of Covid-19
deaths to date
Dear Ministry of Health,
There are 33 deaths recorded on your website as of today.
Please provide information around deceased persons' Comirnaty (or
another
Covid vaccine) vaccination status. Categories to be consistent with your
reporting for cases:
No doses received
Not eligible for vaccine due to being less than 12 years old
1 dose only, received less than 14 days before reported as a case
1 dose only, received at least 14 days before reported as a case
Fully vaccinated but second dose less than 14 days before reported as a
case
Fully vaccinated at least 14 days before reported as a case
Many thanks.
Yours faithfully,
Maria Lilley
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #17541 email]
Is [Ministry of Health request email] the wrong address for Official
Information requests
to Ministry of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
[5]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published
on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[6]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer,
please
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Chuck Schooner (Account suspended) left an annotation ()
Hi Maria,
I suspect the recent Covid deaths in self isolation would have all been vaccinated. Prior to people dying in self isolation Covid was generally a protracted battle so the recent deaths in self isolation appear to be sudden events consistent with some of the side effects of the vaccine. Expect it will come back with this information but given the waters have now been muddied due to mass vaccination without proper controls in place this will be fobbed off as the usual "nothing to see here".
Link to this