IN-CONFIDENCE
COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date
23 November 2021
Time
0800 to 0930hrs
Venue
Microsoft Teams
Attendance
CCB Members
Brook Barrington
DPMC
Ashley Bloomfield
MOH
Caralee McLiesh
TSY 1982
(Chair)
Christine
NZCS
Peter Mersi
MOT
Andrew Kibblewhite MOJ
Stephenson
Act
Rebecca Kitteridge NZSIS
Dave Samuels
TPK
Tania Ott
PSC
Una Jagose
CLO
Chris Seed
MFAT
Debbie Power
MSD
Cheryl Barnes
DPMC
Chris Bunny
MBIE
Rob Fyfe
Business
Forum
Apologies
Carolyn Tremain
MBIE
Peter Hughes
PSC
Kevin Short
NZDF
Sir David Skegg
SPHAG
Sir Brian Roche
CICRIAG
Sarah Sparks
Community
Information Panel
In attendance
Amber Bill
DPMC
Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Carl Crafar
DPMC
Graham MacLean
DPMC
Ruth Fairhall
DPMC
James Correia
DPMC
Official
Rob Huddart
DPMC
Rachel Sutherland
DPMC
the
Agenda and apologies
1. Brook Barrington, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB), welcomed
participants to the discussion.
Chair Updates under
2. The Chair invited Rob Fyfe to update members on international approaches to
COVID-19, building on his practical experiences in several countries. He highlighted
significant uptake of rapid antigen testing; the effective operation of the New Zealand
COVID-19 travel pass; widespread consideration of reactivating vaccine mandates
and the relatively isolated nature of protests against these; and varying restrictions
across countries. Rob also noted his sense of an easing of domestic pressure and
business uncertainty in Aotearoa.
3. The Chair responded that as pressure eases internally, the international border is
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likely to increasingly become the point of tension.
Immunisation and Response Update
4. The Chair invited Ashley Bloomfield to provide a situational update, who noted:
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4.1. Increasing numbers of DHBs reaching 90% vaccination threshold for first doses;
4.2. Easing pressure on Auckland healthcare facilities due to high vaccination rates;
4.3. Growing concentration of cases in vulnerable and marginalised communities;
4.4. Considering extension of vaccination to 5-11 age group, to expand coverage and
advance equity; and
4.5. Shifting focus toward administering booster shots and registering these within
vaccine passes, to address waning immunity and increasing infectiousness.
5. The Chair highlighted the dynamic relationship between increasing case numbers as
public health restrictions are eased, and decreasing pressure on healthcare facilities 1982
as vaccination efforts proceed. He mentioned the need to refocus efforts on
addressing future waves of infection as borders reopen, protecting vulnerable
communities, and delivering boosters.
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Impacts of Shift in Strategy on Pacific Partners
6. Chris Seed presented the international implications of the domestic shift from
elimination and protection for Pacific partners, which included:
6.1. Increasing likelihood of transmission from New Zealand to the Pacific;
6.2. Integrating this risk into Pacific partners’ plans, supported by a dedicated paper
on reconnecting under development;
6.3. Addressing constraints in New Zealand’s ability to extend support, as a result of
workforce strains, travel bottlenecks, and economic dif iculties;
6.4. Acknowledging the dif erent risk perceptions, vaccination coverage, and
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socioeconomic status across Pacific partners; and
6.5. Recognising New Zealand’s special and strengthened obligations to the Pacific.
7. Members reaffirmed that these issues wil require concerted and continued attention,
and noted the need to strike a balance between domestic and international concerns.
Concurrency Planning for Parallel Challenges
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8. Marika Hughes, Director of National Security Systems, provided an overview of
concurrency planning for parallel challenges. She underlined ongoing work in:
8.1. Entering a ‘new normal’ in which every event now coincides with COVID-19;
the
8.2. Aligning concurrency planning with the COVID-19 Protection Framework (CPF);
8.3. Building an interagency response architecture across DPMC and NEMA;
8.4. Addressing crises which overwhelm designated agency in scale and intensity;
8.5. Reaffirming principles of preserving life and safety from direct threats, seeking
culturally competent responses, and pursuing appropriate escalation pathways;
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8.5. Ensuring contingency capacity during the holiday period, through a dedicated
working group and CE roster; and
8.6. Focussing on virtual responses and scaling up to physical presence as needed.
9. Over the holiday period, Tony Lynch wil Chair the Of icials Commit ee for Domestic
and External Security Coordination (ODESC) in the event non-COVID-19 activation
of the national security system. The National Response Leadership Team (NRLT) wil
continue to convene for COVID-19 related matters (roster and revolving Chair tbc). If
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responses run concurrently over the holiday period, Brook wil maintain strategic
oversight over both responses.
10. MOH wil establish a National Health Coordination Centre (NHCC) from mid-
December to mid-January, led by Ashley Bloomfield and Robyn Shearer. While
operations wil be primarily virtual, MOH may require support in the initial stages.
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11.
Action: DPMC will clarify NRLT roles and responsibilities under the CPF settings,
and confirm the roster over the holiday period.
Disinformation and Harmful Content
12. Rachel Sutherland updated the CCB on several key developments in the COVID-19
disinformation landscape, including:
12.1. Increasingly divisive and extreme content;
12.2. Growing scale and significance of disinformation;
12.3. Intensifying concentration among a small but firm anti-vaccination population;
12.4. Approaching trigger points and security risks, including implementation of
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vaccine mandates and of ering vaccination to 5-11 year olds; and
12.5. Establishing interagency coordination group to minimise gaps, share
information, and maximise coverage of disinformation work.
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13. Members welcomed the paper and presentation, and underscored that:
13.1. Far-right groups coexist with a diversity of anti-vaccination actors, which share
a common antipathy towards authority;
13.2. Isolated individuals represent a threat to which is difficult to respond effectively;
13.3. Dissemination of disinformation raises several risks which cut across agency
responsibilities, including non-compliance, threats of violent protest, extremism and
terrorism, and challenges to social cohesion and stability;
13.4. COVID-19 provides only one sphere of disinformation, which wil endure
beyond the current focus on the pandemic and present threats to democracy at large;
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13.5. Focus is shifting from anti-vaccination and anti-lockdown toward anti-mandate,
and is now broadening to encompass wholesale opposition to government;
13.6. International influences are central to proliferating disinformation domestically,
with extremist groups using COVID-19 as a ‘trojan horse’ to advance their
perspective and build support in New Zealand;
13.7. Content is highly gendered, with a disproportionate focus on the Prime Minister
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and female journalists;
13.8. A robust and careful process is central to managing the trigger points involved
with vaccinating 5-11 year olds, a
the nd to setting a precedent for effectively tackling
disinformation in future; and
13.9. Disinformation will present dif iculties to ensuring compliance with the CPF.
14. Members raised questions regarding the coordination arrangements underpinning
the interagency response to disinformation, and the mechanisms to capture and
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address material that does not reach a statutory threshold. Rachel responded that
the a virtual team would be established in the coming days, followed by the allocation
of agency responsibilities and development of a scenario paper on grey area cases.
15.
Action: members agreed to elevate disinformation within the assurance framework,
NRLT checklist, and CPF, as it wil gather pace and scale throughout the new year.
DPMC was encouraged to establish a dashboard of key metrics and leading
indicators to shape more regular reporting to Ministers.
Transition to the COVID-19 Protection Framework
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16. The Chair invited Cheryl Barnes to provide members with an updated on the COVID-
19 Protection Framework (CPF). This encompassed:
16.1. Establishing a date of 3 December for triggering the CPF;
16.2. Focussing decision-making on assigning colours to regions;
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16.3. Stepping up communication efforts and the public information campaign;
16.4. Coordinating the delivery of sector guidance through DPMC;
16.5. Ensuring system workforce capacity;
16.6. Building the compliance and enforcement approach; and
16.7. Shifting tempo towards more systematic and regularised exchanges, setting out
the CPF institutional landscape, enabling the regional leadership groups in concert
with Carl Crafar and Debbie Power, and bolstering testing and tracing capacity.
17. Members were informed of the paper outlining key milestones to be reached in the
coming months, and expressed their gratitude to Graham Maclean for his role in
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supporting the COVID-19 response over the past 18 months.
18.
Action: DPMC wil distribute an email outlining key steps to be pursued this week, in
preparation for meeting with Ministers.
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19. Members underlined the importance of shifting to a fortnightly cadence, supporting
compliance and enforcement, clarifying commissioning for regional leadership
groups, and forging pathways to government for raising regional risks and advice.
20. DPMC highlighted that RLGs are in the process of establishing clear roles and
responsibilities, and noted that the occurrence of a compliance workshop later this
week represents a moment to shift focus toward local concerns. While the
responsibility to reflect advice is centralised, responsibilities for implementation and
communication need to be devolved.
21.
Action: members agreed to address issues of compliance and enforcement over the
coming weeks, underpinned by a paper from DPMC.
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Summer Readiness
22. Carl Crafar provided a brief overview of the mandate, communication channels,
advice, and decision-making for the summer readiness framework.
23. He highlighted that the Care in the Community comprises several pipelines, which
wil apply dif erentiated approaches to those who are required to i) self-isolate, ii) self-
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isolate with welfare support, ii ) self-isolate in the community. Housing presents a key
question, particularly where emergency, transitional, and MIQ facilities are needed.
24. Preparedness wil also be critical
the going forward, both nationally and regionally. Carl
noted that the holiday period beginning on 15 December poses a greater concern in
this regard than the shift of framework on 3 December.
25. Members affirmed the need for an integrated focus on Care in the Community, and to
resolve questions and risks related to accommodation. The possibility of a testing
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alternative to vaccine mandates, applicability of such mandates to court proceedings,
and potential for rapid antigen testing in some settings were also discussed.
CCB Cadence
26. Members agreed to conduct shortened verbal sessions of the CCB, on a fortnightly
basis alternating with the regular format, until the holiday period.
Reconnecting New Zealanders
27. Cheryl Barnes provided a shortened intervention on Reconnecting New Zealanders,
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noting her expectation that pressure on the border wil increase following the
transition in domestic settings toward minimisation and protection. She highlighted
that work is progressing on several fronts, and a paper on the medium term risk
pathway wil be delivered to Cabinet this week.
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IN-CONFIDENCE
COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date
7 December 2021
Time
0800 to 0930hrs
Venue
Microsoft Teams
Attendance
CCB Members
Brook Barrington
DPMC
Ashley Bloomfield
MOH
Cheryl Barnes
DPMC
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(Chair)
Christine
NZCS
Peter Mersi
MOT
Andrew Kibblewhite MOJ
Stephenson
Act
Rebecca Kitteridge NZSIS
Dave Samuels
TPK
Tania Ott
PSC
Una Jagose
CLO
Chris Seed
MFAT
Nic Blakeley
MSD
Sir David Skegg
SPHAG
Sir Brian Roche
CICRIAG
Apologies
Debbie Power
MSD
Peter Hughes
PSC
Kevin Short
NZDF
Una Jagose
CLO
Rob Fyfe
Business
Sarah Sparks
Community
Forum
Panel
Information
In attendance
Amber Bil
DPMC
Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Carl Crafar
DPMC
Graham MacLean
DPMC
Ruth Fairhal
DPMC
James Correia
DPMC
Rob Huddart
DPMC
Rachel Sutherland
DPMC
Aaron Wright
DPMC
Official
Agenda and apologies
the
1. Brook Barrington, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB),
welcomed participants to the discussion.
Chair Updates
2. The Chair invited David Skegg and Brian Roche to provide an update on their
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respective Groups’ activities.
3. Brian Roche underscored the importance of system planning and preparedness
in the coming period, in a phased approach, with monthly review points. He
noted that the transition to the COVID-19 Protection Framework (CPF) has
progressed smoothly, pointing to widespread compliance and supportive public
sentiment.
4. David Skegg echoed these points, underlining that New Zealand is well-placed to
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manage the next phase of the response. Recalling that the Strategic Public
Health Advisory Group (SPHAG) wil shortly deliver future-focussed advice for
the first half of 2022, he mentioned that:
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4.1. The emergence of Omicron demonstrates that we may be closer to the
beginning of the pandemic than the end, and serves as a reminder that Delta
was never going to be the final variant;
4.2. Initial evidence suggests that the virulence of the new variant is not causing
severe il ness, but that it looks far more transmissible than its predecessors;
4.3. Vaccines remain effective in reducing the likelihood of severe il ness and
death but may be less equipped to substantially limit transmission, according to
early studies;
4.4. Omicron has il ustrated the global nature of the pandemic, and that
international cooperation is needed to better distribute vaccines worldwide.
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Stockpiling vaccines in high-income countries wil not be effective in addressing
the virus.
5. The Chair highlighted that limiting the spread of cases beyond Auckland wil be
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crucial over Christmas, and that the reproduction rate falling below 1 in the city
provides a strong foundation for the transition to the CPF. He welcomed recent
progress in vaccine equity, with the first dose gap between Pakeha and Maori
narrowing to 10% and Pakeha and Pacifica falling to 4%.
Immunisation and Response Update
6. The Chair invited Ashley Bloomfield to provide a situational update, who noted:
4.1. Decreasing R value reflects the effectiveness of increasing vaccination rates
and public health measures, despite lowering of restrictions;
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4.2. Focus should be placed on Omicron in Europe, and lessons should be
gathered to inform our own response;
7. The Chair noted DPMC wil circulate summer resurgence packs and NRLT
instructions this week, which wil cover the period from 21 December to Wel ington
Anniversary. He also noted that Brian Roche wil address the select committee in
the coming days.
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System Assurance Framework (SAF)
8. The Chair outlined the core aspects of the system assurance framework, which
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brings together CE concerns and key risks:
8.1.
Self isolation – discussions centred on transport options to move cases to
facilities and the development of a national plan between DPMC, MOH, and
MOT; the importance of supporting hard-to-reach communities; the central role
of localised responses from DHBs, regional leadership groups (RLG) and iwi;
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and the necessity of addressing accommodation constraints.
8.2.
Care in the Community readiness – consideration was devoted to an initial
framework recently distributed to RLG and DHBs, which is due for finalisation by
Christmas; and that the welfare response is currently being rolled out.
8.3.
RLG roles and responsibilities – participants noted the recent agreement
to publish guidelines on roles and responsibilities following a number of requests
for terms of reference, agreeing that RLG has oversight of Care in the
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Community and is clear on the traffic light system.
8.4.
Clear communications – discussions canvassed the ongoing
implementation of public information campaigns to support CPF transition, public
compliance, and deliver regionally-tailored messaging; that disinformation
remains a key concern and is being progressively integrated into the SAF and
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addressed by MOH, Police and an interagency team run by DPMC; and the need
to monitor and report on social cohesion during key transition points into the
COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate and employer vaccine mandates.
8.5.
Maori engagement –
Action: members raised that this needs to be
supplemented with a tailored approach to self-isolation and accommodation
arrangements; underlined the importance of adequate resourcing and
preparation; and agreed to revisit the issue at the next CCB.
8.6.
Reconnecting New Zealanders timeline – participants noted ongoing work
in preparation for reopening on 17 January, including border, testing, isolation,
compliance arrangements, and the maintenance of the current timeline.
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8.7.
International connectivity, airlines and supply chains – several concerns
were raised regarding the potential impact of COVID-19 spreading to workplaces
and critical infrastructure, and the consequences for service delivery if stand-Act
down arrangements are triggered.
Action: Members agreed that DPMC will log
and address this alongside MOH, MOT, and MBIE, and to update participants at
next week’s CCB.
8.8.
Compliance and enforcement –
Action: Members agreed to update CVC
compliance and enforcement at the subsequent CCB.
8.9.
Public health decisioning – discussions clarified that work is underway to
ensure that people are not stood-down wholesale when cases are identified, and
additional capacity is gradually being made available.
8.10
Legal orders –
Action: Members agreed to revisit this item next Tuesday,
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with CLO to lead discussions.
8.11
Vaccine mandates and service provision – participants noted that
service provision is yet to be substantially disrupted by vaccine mandates and
highlighted the importance of continued monitoring in this space.
9. The Chair concluded discussions by underlining that DPMC wil ensure that
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duplication of efforts is being minimised and coordination facilitated, with a view
to supporting the systematic implementation of this package of programmes. He
called upon DPMC to progress coordination in the new year, and keep the CCB
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updated on key developments and challenges.
Workforce
10. The Chair called upon Tania Ot to provide an overview of current developments
in the workforce. She noted:
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10.1. Systemic and structural challenges have been exacerbated by Delta;
10.2. Early notice of changes to settings is vital in maintaining workforce capacity
and the continuity of core operations;
10.3.
Action: Prioritising and acquiring capacity continues to be central in
workforce resilience, and PSC and PSLT plan to address this in the new year;
11. The Chair welcomed the overview of key areas of impact identified in the
workforce paper, as a way to frame ongoing work taking place between PSC and
PSLT. He highlighted the importance of granting agencies the capacity to better
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plan for workforce needs, identifying where input wil be required in the short- to
medium-term, ensuring that operational agencies are involved early in policy
development, and communicating changes as rapidly as possible.
12. DPMC reaffirmed these points, and mentioned the need to remain cognisant of
the wider system of providers in addition to government agencies. MBIE and
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NZCS reported that retention issues are key, particularly in MIQ and with regard
to border workers, and wil come under strain as changes are implemented and
concurrent events take place throughout 2022.
13. The Chair endorsed these interventions, noting the broader context of low
unemployment and the constraints of a relatively small public workforce. He
highlighted that leave arrangements wil be critical in the shorter-term, that the
development of practical guidance and approaches at the PSC-held PSLT
retreat in early January wil provide a longer-term outlook, and that DPMC wil
continue to assist agencies by granting visibility of timelines toward upcoming
changes.
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Reconnecting New Zealanders
14. Cheryl Barnes outlined the changes to the structure of the programme, and Act
members accepted these.
Readiness for CPF
15. Members reaffirmed the importance of providing avenues for engagement with
iwi, particularly in view of introduction of traffic light system and review points,
recalled ongoing work towards lifting internal travel restrictions on 15 December,
finalising Care in the Community arrangements, and installing an incident
management team from mid-December to mid-January. A number of agency
workshops are taking place to ensure summer readiness, and advice to Cabinet
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on sector engagement is forthcoming.
Compliance and Enforcement
16. The Chair invited Phil Knipe (MOH) and Barry Taylor (NZP) to provide an
overview of compliance and enforcement arrangements, and steps towards their
revision. They noted:
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16.1. The COVID-19 Compliance System (CCS) has been in place since August;
16.2. The changing nature and quantity of complaints, as well as the need to
transition away from manual triaging, provide the rationale for revising the CCS;
the
16.3. The request for CCB oversight and support of these changes arises from
95% of these coming from the business sector, the reception of over 37,000
complaints in 14 weeks, and the temporary nature of the platform;
16.4. The Compliance Working Group supports these changes, and the
movement from a Police-centred toward an interagency approach;
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17. DPMC agreed on the need for a more sustainable solution, but noted that
questions have been raised regarding whether the UAC website provides the
right docking station for compliance. MBIE underlined that the issue is less the IT
interface than the triaging architecture that underpins it, mentioned that a variety
of options have been compiled on this, and that clarity of commissioning for the
next phase of work wil be key going forward.
18. The Chair commented upon the broad agreement on the need to shift, and that
this wil need to be supplemented by good intelligence and an escalation
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pathway for when behaviour on the ground gathers pace and scale.
19.
Action: DPMC, MBIE and MOH agreed to advance this work, submit a paper to
Minister Hipkins by the end of this week, and update the CCB at the next
meeting on 14 December.
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COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date
25 January 2022
Time
0800 to 0930hrs
Venue
Beehive Conference Room 8.5 / Zoom
Attendance
CCB Members
Rebecca Kitteridge DPMC
Ashley Bloomfield
MOH
Caralee McLeish
TSY 1982
(Chair)
Christine
NZCS
Cheryl Barnes
DPMC
Andrew Kibblewhite MOJ
Stephenson
Act
Rebecca Kitteridge NZSIS
Geoff Short
TPK
Tania Ott
PSC
Kevin Short
NZDF
Peter Mersi
MOT
Carolyn Tremain
MBIE
Una Jagose
CLO
Chris Seed
MFAT
Peter Hughes
PSC
Rob Fyfe
Business
Sir Brian Roche
CICRIAG
Sarah Sparks
Community
Forum
Panel
Apologies Brook Barrington
DPMC
Sir David Skegg
SPHAG
Debbie Power
MSD
Information
Una Jagose
CLO
Nic Blakeley
MSD
In attendance
Amber Bill
DPMC
Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Katrina Casey
DPMC
James Correia
DPMC
Aaron Wright
DPMC
Sija Robertson-
DPMC
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Ruth Fairhall
DPMC
Andrew Coster
NZP
Andrew Crisp
HUD
Dave Gawn
NEMA
Lil Anderson
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Agenda and apologies
1. Rebecca Kitteridge, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB),
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welcomed participants to the discussion. She recalled that the CCB wil conclude
at 9.15, to account for several participants’ subsequent meeting at 9.30.
Chair Updates
2. The Chair called upon the independent chairs to provide their insights on recent
developments in their Groups and the pandemic more broadly. They highlighted:
2.1. Brian Roche informed participants that today would be the first CICRIAG
meeting of 2022, and that the Group was actively scoping areas in which
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ongoing efforts to ensure readiness for a challenging few months ahead.
2.2. Rob Fyfe mentioned that testing is at the forefront of business concerns,
and that the private sector is stepping up contingency planning for the red
setting of the COVID-19 Protection Framework (CPF) as wel as the
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anticipated labour shortages Omicron is likely to bring. He noted contacts
abroad had counselled caution on the application of rapid antigen tests
(RATs), which have not been as proved highly effective in limiting
outbreaks in Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United
Kingdom.
2.3. Sarah Sparks spoke to the positive collaboration between the public and
private sectors in the Māori response, particularly among agencies and
providers. She underscored the continued importance of tailored
strategies for self-isolation and vaccination for Māori in light of existing
vulnerabilities.
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Update on COVID-19 Developments and Programme
3. The Chair invited Ashley Bloomfield to update members on recent developments
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and ongoing programming with respect to COVID-19. He underlined that:
3.1. Decreasing Delta caseload despite increasing mobility over summer
reflects the effectiveness of the response, and places New Zealand in a
strong position to face Omicron in the coming months;
3.2. Identifying positive cases and contacts in Auckland, Palmerston North,
and Nelson represents a central focus of ongoing efforts;
3.3. Omicron is highly transmissible, and the core emphasis is to understand
the extent of current cases and flatten the curve while this is manageable;
3.4. Vaccination continues to provide strong protection, particularly with
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booster uptake increasing; and
3.5. A dedicated Omicron strategy is under development, and wil be released
in the coming days.
Omicron Strategy Update
4. The Chair welcomed these contributions, and inv
Official ited Ashley Bloomfield to move
to the item on the Omicron strategy itself. Recalling the importance of working
with business to apply the full suite of public health actions, he outlined:
the
4.1. MOH is maintaining focus on PCR testing in the first phase, and have
doubled capacity in recent weeks;
4.2. In subsequent phases and larger outbreaks, PCR tests wil be reserved
for priority populations such as healthcare workers and RATs wil apply
more widely to individual self-diagnosis;
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4.3. Significant challenges are emerging in accessing RAT supply;
4.4. A reduced period of isolation of 10 days for positive cases and 7 days for
contacts wil be adopted, and supported by allowances for people to
return to work following the reception of a negative test;
4.5. Greater emphasis wil be placed on primary care in tackling Omicron,
though hospital capacity continues to be bolstered and a larger proportion
of cases are expected to recover at home than in prior outbreaks;
4.6. Booster uptake wil be a critical element of success in managing Omicron
Released – 1,000,000 doses have now been delivered and this is expected to
double in the next 10-14 days, while MOH is assessing whether to reduce
the period between second and third doses to three months; and
4.7. Childhood vaccination continues to broaden in coverage, with 20% of the
5-11 age group having received a first dose in the last week.
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Current System Preparedness for Omicron
5. The Chair invited Aaron Wright to speak to current preparedness for Omicron
across the system. He noted:
5.1. A series of workshops were held in mid-January to confirm the timeline,
decision-making architecture, and phases in planning for Omicron,
though circumstances continue to evolve rapidly;
5.2. Early assessments suggest that agencies are generally well-equipped to
face the next phase of the response; and
5.3. Work is underway to designate and define ‘critical’ roles and
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responsibilities, with a view to developing a test-to-return to work strategy
for close contacts.
6. The Chair requested that Carolyn Tremain update participants on ongoing efforts
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in MBIE to advance preparedness. She mentioned:
6.1. The scale of absenteeism observed internationally is shifting focus
toward ensuring economic resilience and labour force sustainability;
6.2. The development of a definition of critical workers, a mechanism for
exemptions, a data collection infrastructure to track workforce availability,
and arrangements for sectoral oversight is progressing;
6.3. The eligibility criteria for exemptions should foreground health status, and
workforce representatives have endorsed efforts to align the testing
framework with the CPF; and
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6.4. A dedicated preparedness page for Omicron has been published, and
broader efforts are underway to support business with clear and concise
messaging.
7. Members raised questions regarding the recent decision to centralise the supply
of RATs, the effectiveness of publicly-run distribution mechanisms, and whether
a similar approach would be adopted for protective masks. Ashley Bloomfield
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underlined the importance of consolidating the supply of RATs due to
considerable global bottlenecks and to channel their distribution to where they
are most needed – noting that the absence of these constraints with respect to
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masks rendered a similar approach unlikely in this area.
8. Members reaffirmed that the definition of close contacts wil remain the same
and that a negative test to return to work measure wil be adopted, highlighted
that businesses are facing considerable challenges in ensuring public
compliance with health measures and staff safety, and recalled that worker
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confidence in new business continuity measures would be central to the effective
management of the next phase of the pandemic.
Workforce Capacity and Adaptability
9. Members confirmed that business planning is well-advanced, and that those
involving critical infrastructure provide a recent focus of activity. Concerns were
raised regarding businesses downward in the supply chain, small- and medium-
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sized enterprises, and primary industries.
10. Members noted that the definition of critical public sector workforces aligns with
that adopted for the private sector, and that dedicated guidance continues to be
regularly updated – including most recently in relation to workforce behaviour
under different settings. Members expressed confidence in the progress of
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COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date
8 February 2022
Time
0800 to 0930hrs
Venue
MS Teams
Attendance
CCB Members
Christine Stevenson
NZCS
Ashley Bloomfield
MOH
Chris Seed
MFAT
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(Chair)
Debbie Power
MSD
Cheryl Barnes
DPMC
Andrew Kibblewhite MOJ
Act
Rebecca Kitteridge
NZSIS
Struan Little
TSY
Chris Bunny
MBIE
Kevin Short
NZDF
Peter Mersi
MOT
Peter Hughes
PSC
Una Jagose
CLO
Apologies
Brook Barrington
DPMC
Caralee McLeish
TSY
Carolyn Tremain
MBIE
Dave Samuels
TPK
In attendance
Information
Mac Leauanae
MPP
Tania Ott
PSC
Sarah Sparks
Community
Panel
Sir David Skegg
SPHAG
Sir Brian Roche
CRIAG
Ruth Fairhall
DPMC
Amber Bill
DPMC
Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Rob Huddart
DPMC
James Correia
DPMC
Aaron Wright
DPMC
Annaliese Parkin
DPMC
Official
Agenda and apologies
1. Christine Stevenson, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB),
the
welcomed participants to the discussion.
Chair Updates
2. The Chair invited the independent chairs to share their insights on recent
activities in their Groups and reflections on the pandemic more broadly.
under
2.1. David Skegg spoke to the present Strategic Public Health Advisory
Group’s (SPHAG) focus on examining international experiences in
managing Omicron outbreaks, endorsed government progress in
delivering the booster programme, and noted that new variants of the
virus are likely to emerge in the months ahead.
2.2. Brian Roche mentioned that pressure on social support systems, the
Care in the Community and testing to return to work programmes, and
Released labour and supply chain constraints wil be critical in the next phase.
Action: noting Continuous Review and Improvement Advisory Group’s
(CRIAG) pivot to weekly discussions and reporting, he suggested that the
latest advice note will be made available to the CCB.
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2.3. Sarah Sparks discussed ongoing collaboration to prepare for Omicron
among non-governmental organisations, the public service, and the
private sector in Auckland. She highlighted that Maori participation in
these efforts wil be crucial going forward, and that workforce fatigue will
present a central challenge.
Update on COVID-19 Developments and Programme
3. The Chair called upon Ashley Bloomfield to update members on recent
developments and ongoing work programmes with respect to the COVID-19
response. He raised:
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3.1. Outbreak impacts continue to be concentrated in the northern regions of
New Zealand;
3.2. Case numbers are increasing but less quickly than anticipated, due to the
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recent vaccination of the population, the implementation of the booster
programme, the shift to the red setting of the COVID-19 Protection
Framework (CPF) and uptake of public health behaviours, and summer;
3.3. Movement to Phase 2 of the Omicron response is expected in the coming
week, and work is underway to prepare for this; and
3.4. MOH is establishing a cross-agency group to advance work on ventilation
arrangements to slow the spread of COVID-19 indoors, and wil
spearhead the technical aspects with support from agencies in other
areas.
Information
4. Participants reaffirmed that the outbreak is currently contained in particular
locations, underscored the need for practical and context-specific solutions to
ventilation issues, noted that ventilation arrangements should remain cognisant
of supply chain constraints on equipment, and highlighted that MBIE has
circulated guidance to government agencies on ventilation.
Official
Preparedness for Omicron
5. The Chair invited Aaron Wright to inform participants of ongoing work to prepare
for Omicron and the phases of the Omicron response plan. He noted:
the
5.1. Preparedness work is underway, with a central focus on reducing
isolation time and alleviating labour shortages;
5.2. Stress-testing of different phases is ongoing, and the system wil
foreground critical infrastructure, supply chains, and vulnerable
communities;
under
5.3. The National Response Group (NRG) is conducting a workshop tomorrow
on the social and economic impacts of Omicron.
Action: the key insights
that arise from the workshop wil be presented at the next CCB meeting;
5.4. DPMC and MOH are commencing planning for the winter season this
week, building on health work in relation to measles, influenza, and other
seasonal ailments;
5.5. Review of the CPF settings wil be pursued throughout the coming
Released weeks, with particular attention to how social and economic factors are
considered under the CPF;
6. Members welcomed these updates, adding that rapid antigen tests (RATs) are
gradually being integrated into certain settings and distributed to critical
workforces.
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7. DPMC highlighted that the identification of critical workforces wil involve
conducting a self-assessment and applying an agreed definition, with the key
criteria being that work must be performed on-site and central to the operation of
the business. MBIE wil maintain a registry, rather than conduct an approval
process. DPMC is recalibrating reporting and compliance settings to support
these arrangements.
System Assurance Framework (SAF)
8. The Chair invited Amber Bil to outline key risks in managing Omicron as
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captured by the System Assurance Framework (SAF). She highlighted:
7.1. The core focus on international connectivity, business continuity, and
supply chain resilience;
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7.2. The ongoing question of the scalability of the response;
7.3. The uncertainty surrounding the process of testing to return to work in the
specific cases of health and welfare workers;
7.4. The need for responsiveness and clarity surrounding the supply of RATs;
7.5. The importance of remaining agile around recalibrating public health
measures to account for emerging developments in the coming weeks,
with particular attention to new variants and adjusting the CPF; and
7.6. Ongoing work progressed by the CRIAG on the compatibility between
health and welfare programmes, RATs and testing to return to work, and
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transitioning between home isolation and medical care, and the continued
emphasis of SPHAG on strategic and future-oriented considerations.
9. Members discussed the need to appropriately support and bolster capacity
among providers, facilitate international connectivity and account for Australian
arrangements in this area, and provide clear and consistent planning for
reopening to marine and air transport operators.
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Reconnecting New Zealanders
10. The Chair invited Rob Huddart to update members on recent announcements
the
and forthcoming milestones for the Reconnecting New Zealanders portfolio. He
raised:
9.1. Five steps to reconnect have been conveyed to the public on the
overarching strategy, but more remains to be pursued in terms of
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operational detail;
9.2. NZCS is working on pre-border arrangements and traveller declaration
system, while MBIE is spearheading post-border settings such as self-
isolation and MIQ;
9.3. DPMC focus is returning to providing a system-wide perspective;
9.4. Following step 1 on 27 February, the primary focus wil be on scaling
reconnecting arrangements with DPMC and MOH monitoring key risks;
9.5. Reconnecting New Zealanders website wil be updated with FAQs
Released tomorrow;
9.6. Costing assessment to support the allocation of funding to
communications and engagement for Reconnecting New Zealanders to
be delivered to the Minister for the COVID-19 Response today;
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9.7. Logistical arrangements to direct RATs where they are needed and
create a registry to record results are being established;
9.8. Ensuring clarity to various sectors involved in maintaining and building
international connectivity remains a core priority.
11. Members reaffirmed the need to provide a clear pathway of future steps to
businesses and transport operators, to avoid dampening demand and the
perception that arrangements may change, and to transition from manual and
uniform traveller declaration settings to more scalable arrangements.
Pacific Engagement, Resources and Readiness
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12. The Chair invited Mac Leauanae to set out the state of play on Pacifica
engagement, resourcing, and response work related to COVID-19. He
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underlined:
9.9. Strong community engagement, particularly with churches, has been a
central element of success and remains critical in the next phase;
9.10. Tailored communications to support the vaccination rollout has been
effectively advanced, in collaboration with DPMC and MOH;
9.11. Broadening awareness of various CPF levels and Omicron planning
phases among communities is underway;
9.12. Many Pacifica stakeholders have offered assurance that they have
protocols and plans in place to prepare for Omicron, which supports
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readiness;
9.13. Building on encouraging collaboration across agencies to shift emphasis
toward the booster programme and childhood vaccination; and
9.14. Principal focus remains on the longer-term socioeconomic impacts for
Pacific communities, given that existing vulnerabilities have been
exacerbated by the pandemic.
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13. Members endorsed the approach pursued by MPP, which has helped deliver
high vaccination rates and supported communities throughout the pandemic.
the
Pacific Partners: Key Challenges and Developments
14. The Chair invited Chris Seed to set out key developments across Pacific
partners. He mentioned:
12.1. The Pacific region encompasses a broad spectrum of pandemic
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circumstances, from high-risk settings such as Papua New Guinea,
recent arrivals of positive cases in Solomon Islands and Kiribati, and
ongoing containment strategies in Samoa and Tonga;
12.2. New Zealand’s support wil be stepped up in the coming months in
concert with Australia, with emphasis shifting from technical assistance
and equipment to personnel and funding;
12.3. Engagement between domestic agencies and counterparts across the
region have facilitated the transmission of key lessons and delivery of
Released existing support;
12.4. Flights continue to various Pacific countries, supporting the in-bound
movement of RSE workers from Vanuatu and Samoa; and
12.5. The MFAT system wil manage upcoming issues as these arise, on a
tailored basis depending on the country impacted.
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COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date
22 February 2022
Time
0800 to 0930hrs
Venue
MS Teams
Attendance
CCB Members
Christine Stevenson
NZCS
Ashley Bloomfield
MOH
Chris Seed
MFAT
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(Chair)
Caralee McLeish
TSY
Cheryl Barnes
DPMC
Andrew Kibblewhite MOJ
Act
Rebecca Kitteridge
NZSIS
Una Jagose
CLO
Chris Bunny
MBIE
Bronwyn Turley
MOT
Tony Davies
NZDF
Helene Quilter
PSC
Viv Rickard
MSD
Apologies
Brook Barrington
DPMC
Carolyn Tremain
MBIE
Debbie Power
MSD
Peter Mersi
MOT
Kevin Short
NZDF
Peter Hughes
PSC
In attendance
Information
Lil Anderson
TA
Tania Ott
PSC
Sarah Sparks
Community
Panel
Sir David Skegg
SPHAG
Sir Brian Roche
CRIAG
Ruth Fairhall
DPMC
Amber Bill
DPMC
Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Rob Huddart
DPMC
James Correia
DPMC
Aaron Wright
DPMC
Annaliese Parkin
DPMC
Official
Agenda and apologies
the
1. Christine Stevenson, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB),
welcomed participants to the discussion.
2. The Chair informed participants that their priorities and concerns would be
collected within the coming days, to shape the development of the System
under
Assurance Framework for 8 March.
Chair Updates
3. The Chair invited the independent chairs to provide an update on their respective
workstreams, and to reflect on recent developments with respect to COVID-19.
3.1. David Skegg underscored the importance of the continuing booster
programme in managing the impacts of Omicron, and that ensuring an
adequate supply of rapid antigen tests (RATs) wil be crucial in the
Released coming weeks. He highlighted that the Strategic COVID-19 Public Health
Advisory Group is currently considering the medium-term applicability of
public health measures, and mentioned that their ongoing effectiveness
depends on social license.
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3.2. Brian Roche echoed these sentiments, noting that the system is under
pressure with respect to testing and isolation, the need to advance on
Reconnecting New Zealanders, and the importance of clear and
consistent communication in the next phase of the response.
3.3. Rob Fyfe underlined the need to remain agile and proactive, increasing
staff absenteeism among businesses, and the impending move to Phase
3 of Omicron management. He reiterated earlier emphases on the
importance of public communications.
3.4. Sarah Sparks reaffirmed the role of clear communication and
connectedness with community stakeholders in fostering social cohesion,
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and commented on the public focus on isolation planning, housing, and
the psychosocial impacts of the pandemic. Welcoming recent funding
disbursed to social service providers, she highlighted that resources Act
remain stretched.
Update on COVID-19 Developments and Programme
4. The Chair called on Ashley Bloomfield to present recent COVID-19
developments and programming. He noted that the:
4.1. Outbreak trajectory is now following the anticipated pathway, with an
exponential rise in cases expected toward a peak in late March.
4.2. Movement between phases is spurring shifts in the testing approach, with
a greater focus on symptomatic cases and increasing supply of RATs.
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4.3. Vaccination and boosters remain vital in curbing death and severe il ness,
with 50% of children aged 5-11 vaccinated, 60% of eligible citizens
boosted, and rates among Maori and Pacifica continuing to climb.
4.4. Shift to Phase 3 is envisaged in the coming days.
Planning for Omicron Phase 3
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5. The Chair invited Aaron Wright to canvass agency preparedness for Omicron
Phase 3 and the socioeconomic impacts of the virus. He highlighted:
5.1. Response to date has been health-led, and recent workshops and
the
discussions have foregrounded the social and economic lens.
5.2. Impact of isolation orders for workplace absenteeism and business
continuity represents the central economic focus.
5.3. Social support and food access provides the core social focus.
5.4.
Action: the A3 supporting this item within the CCB Meeting Pack wil be
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used to monitor impacts going forward, particularly on self-isolation.
Members agreed to note the paper as a model for future monitoring,
rather than endorsing this particular iteration.
5.5. Daily cross-government check-ins are ongoing, to ensure that RATs are
directed to areas where they would best facilitate test-to-return to work.
5.6. Critical nature of supply chain resilience has been visible across the
globe, and national priority areas include seaports, the freight sector –
Released particularly truck drivers, and the primary sector workforce.
5.7. The system has been assessed as ready to enter Phase 3, though
workforce absenteeism remains an ongoing concern.
5.8. A map to monitor the status of food distribution networks is under
development.
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6. Discussions encompassed the need to ensure adequate supplies of RATs -
which wil be progressively rolled out in the coming weeks, the role of isolation
timeframes in preserving business continuity, the decommissioning of some
managed isolation and quarantine facilities, the management of ongoing
Omicron cases at the regional level and during winter, the upcoming shift in the
definition of close contacts to focus on household contacts, and the dynamic
relationship between the health, social, and economic aspects of the current
phase of the response.
7.
Action: Going forward, the need to review the COVID-19 Protection Framework
(CPF) and public health measures, and maintain oversight on workplace
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absenteeism were indicated.
Maori Engagement, Resources and Readiness
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TPK - Resourcing
8. The Chair invited Dave Samuels to provide a review of recent work on
resourcing for the Maori response. He highlighted:
8.1. Community involvement has been a core feature of the Maori response.
8.2. Overall, the response is tracking well and the focus is progressively
shifting to delivering Care in the Community for Maori in the next phase.
8.3. Clear communication wil be critical in facilitating understanding of
relevant public health measures going forward.
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8.4. Changes in funding for Maori initiatives are currently under consideration,
and four distinct pathways are proposed: direct funding injections through
MOH to Maori providers, channelling funding through Whanau Ora
agencies building on previous fund in October – which was administered
and coordinated by TPK and TA, mobilising resources through MPP for
the Pacific community, and a pathway to support Care in the Community
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and post-isolation needs.
TA – Engagement
the
9. The Chair called on Lil Anderson to provide an overview of Maori engagement
efforts. She noted:
21.1. The vital role of engagement in preventing and tackling discontent, and
fostering buy-in among stakeholders.
under
21.2. A dedicated strategy with iwi on identifying and managing disinformation
has been central in curbing its spread.
21.3. Continued engagement is facilitating the delivery of services nationwide.
21.4. This has been critical in managing internal borders and checkpoints, as
well as ensuring adequate social support coverage across regions.
21.5. The new approach is marked by a central focus on population needs as a
basis for engagement, rather than agency priorities, reflecting lessons
learned from previous work.
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21.6. Ministers Hipkins and Davies have regularly joined weekly discussions
with a pandemic response group, comprising 76 iwi chairs.
21.7. The importance of locking-in prior gains in engagement, and mobilising
these in the next phase of the response.
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Information
Official
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IN-CONFIDENCE
COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date
8 March 2022
Time
0800 to 0930hrs
Venue
MS Teams
Attendance
CCB Members
Carolyn Tremain
MBIE
Robyn Shearer
MOH
Chris Seed
MFAT
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(Chair)
Caralee McLeish
TSY
Cheryl Barnes
DPMC
Andrew Kibblewhite MOJ
Act
Brook Barrington
DPMC
Mark Bryant
CLO
Debbie Power
MSD
Peter Mersi
MOT
Peter Hughes
PSC
Tony Davies
NZDF
Apologies Ashley Bloomfield
MOH
Christine Stevenson NZCS
Rebecca Kitteridge
NZSIS
Una Jagose
CLO
Kevin Short
NZDF
Dave Samuels
TPK
In attendance
Sir David Skegg
SPHAG
Sir Brian Roche
CRIAG
Sarah Sparks
Community
Information Panel
Amber Bill
DPMC
Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Ruth Fairhall
DPMC
James Correia
DPMC
Aaron Wright
DPMC
Rob Huddart
DPMC
Official
Agenda and apologies
1. Carolyn Tremain, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB),
welcomed participants to the discussion.
the
Chair Updates
2. The Chair invited independent chairs to provide an overview of their respective
workstreams, and their impressions of recent developments in the response.
2.1. David Skegg underscored the need to monitor the Omicron outbreak and its
under
dynamics, noted the likely emergence of new variants and winter challenges,
and highlighted recent and ongoing work on self-isolation of incoming travellers
and employee vaccine mandates.
2.2. Sarah Sparks spoke to emerging discrepancies between government data
and lived experiences among Maori, and the need to strengthen connections and
support to disabled communities.
COVID-19 Developments and Programme
Released
3. The Chair called on Robyn Shearer to update members on the current Omicron
outbreak and relevant COVID-19 programming. She noted:
3.1. The national Omicron peak is approaching, with projections suggesting mid-
to late-March;
3.2. Workforce challenges are mounting;
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3.3. Length of hospitalisation has proved shorter than in previous outbreaks, but
the overall number is climbing;
3.4. DHBs are coping currently, and workforce is being mobilised toward areas in
which needs are most pronounced;
3.5. COVID-19 wil continue to circulate in the community, but high vaccination
rates are providing significant protection;
3.6. Mechanisms involved in managing the response wil be continually adjusted
depending on variant in question and public needs;
3.7. MOH is conducting future-focussed research to assess the six-nine month
time horizon;
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3.8. Winter planning represents one of the key focus areas going forward;
3.9. RAT distribution has expanded over the last week, and DHBs are working to
increase this in the coming week;
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3.10. Over 5,000 GPs are working actively to support patients at home, but many
continue to turn to the emergency department when positive cases are detected;
3.10. Emphasis is shifting to how results are recorded in the system, to establish
coherent oversight of pandemic impacts.
4. Members highlighted the need to ensure sufficient supply of RATs and
therapeutic treatments, and to facilitate the transition from an emergency
reaction to positive cases toward a self-management model in the majority of
instances.
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Managing Omicron Impacts: Workforce Absenteeism and Business Continuity
5. The Chair invited Aaron Wright to outline key chal enges and priorities with
respect to managing workforce absenteeism and ensuring business continuity.
He highlighted:
5.1. Close contact exemption scheme and the bubble of 1 have been the core
tools to manage absenteeism to date;
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5.2. The Director-General of Health can now approve returns to work for
individuals otherwise required to self-isolate;
5.3. A proposal to shorten isolati
the on times from 10 to seven days is currently
under consideration s9(2)(g)(i)
5.4. Behavioural factors such as caution and caring for family are prompting
absences from work, alongside formal requirements for positive cases;
5.5. Work is underway to ensure the resilience of logistics and transport
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networks, with key pinch points being felt at supermarkets, courier drivers, and
emergency services;
5.6.
Action: DPMC wil share an A3 providing greater detail around ongoing
work to tackle absenteeism after this meeting;
6. Members discussed ongoing disruptions to business continuity despite robust
planning and preparedness, and the need to strike an effective balance between
preserving public health and ensuring socioeconomic resilience. Examples were
raised from across the transport and logistics network, and members noted
Released
projections of 660,000 employees in isolation at the Omicron peak. Members
highlighted the differential impacts of employee absenteeism across sectors and
regions, and called for greater attention to redistributing capacity across the
system.
Strategic Work Underway towards the New Normal
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7. The Chair invited Cheryl Barnes and Ruth Fairhall to present strategic work
underway in post-peak planning and ongoing reviews of COVID-19 policy
settings. They raised:
7.1. The key focus on devoting strategic consideration to future issues to ensure
a systematic approach to policy settings after the Omicron peak;
7.2. The need to maintain sufficient system capacity to respond effectively to
new variants and changing circumstances, while preserving proportionality;
7.3. DPMC is engaging with interagency policy leads to formulate options;
7.4. Papers are due for delivery to SWIC on 16 March and Cabinet the following
Monday.
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8. Members highlighted the importance of focussing efforts around needs, ensuring
pragmatic consideration of system capacity, prioritising the protection of the most
vulnerable and devoting attention to pressure points as these arise. Broad Act
agreement was established on the key focus areas of public health settings and
equity in the next phase, and that independent advice should inform
considerations.
Action: DPMC wil pursue consultations with independent
advisory groups throughout the week, and these groups wil consider the suite of
public health measures in parallel.
9. Members underlined that differences of experience between returnees and the
host population may contribute to tensions in the coming months, the need for a
root and branch review of the existing COVID-19 architecture, that residual and
structural needs in terms of psychosocial wellbeing and socioeconomic
Information
protection wil become increasingly evident in the next phase, and the
importance of balancing the health response with social and economic elements.
Action: DPMC called for a discussion of considerations that require attention in
the longer-term, to ensure an adequate weighting of current and future needs.
Supporting Social Cohesion in the COVID-19 Response
Official
10. Members welcomed the timing and delivery of the social cohesion paper, and
underscored the need to maintain public license within the COVID-19 response.
the
System Assurance Framework: Current Risks and Issues
11. The Chair called on Amber Bil to provide an overview of the key elements of the
System Assurance Framework (SAF). Members discussed:
under
11.1. Reports on equity and data emerging from the Roche Group are prompting
the Minister to seek system assurance on these points.
Action: members
proposed the establishment of a feedback loop to ensure that CEs have access
to the assurance received.
11.2. The current SAF gathers key CE concerns and priorities;
11.3. That where possible, issues and mitigations raised in the SAF should be
framed in concrete and practical terms;
11.4. Ensuring the proportionality and proactiveness of the response was a
Released
central focus;
11.5. Facilitating the clarity of communications also represented a key theme;
11.6. Roche Group focussed on aligning system communications with people’s
lived experiences;
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IN-CONFIDENCE
COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date
8 March 2022
Time
0800 to 0930hrs
Venue
MS Teams
Attendance
CCB Members
Peter Mersi (Chair)
DPMC
Ashley Bloomfield
MOH
Ben King
MFAT
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Caralee McLiesh
TSY
Cheryl Barnes
DPMC
Carolyn Tremain
MBIE
Christine Stevenson
NZCS
Peter Hughes
PSC
Debbie Power
MSD
Act
Bryn Gandy
MOT
Una Jagose
CLO
Apologies
Brook Barrington
DPMC
Kevin Short
NZDF
Rebecca Kitteridge
NZSIS
Chris Seed
MFAT
Dave Samuels
TPK
In attendance
Sir David Skegg
SPHAG
Sir Brian Roche
CRIAG
Sarah Sparks
Community
Panel
Information
Amber Bill
DPMC
Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Tania Ott
PSC
Ruth Fairhall
DPMC
Julie Knauf
DPMC
Rob Huddart
DPMC
Anneliese Parkin
DPMC
Aaron Wright
DPMC
Official
Agenda and apologies
1. Peter Mersi, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB), welcomed
the
participants to the discussion.
Chair Updates
2. The Chair invited independent chairs to provide an overview of their respective
workstreams, and their impressions of recent developments in the response.
under
2.1. Sarah Sparks underscored the importance of continuity in the supply of
social and support services, and ensuring the clarity of public communications.
Action: raising the economic contribution of ethnic communities during the
pandemic, she noted that a supporting study would be circulated to members.
2.2. Brian Roche highlighted that CICRIAG will meet Minister Verrall this
afternoon to discuss testing and surveil ance arrangements following the
Omicron peak, with particular attention to the border. He also mentioned the
weekly CICRIAG reports circulated to members, and ongoing considerations on
Released
whether to maintain, disband or reconfigure the Group as it approaches the end
of its current mandate on 1 June.
2.5. David Skegg noted the latest SC19PHAG report on vaccine mandates
circulated last week, and that the Group was now turning to the question of post-
peak planning. He emphasised that this will signify a transition toward a ‘new
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normal’ rather than a return to business as usual, that a new variant will likely
emerge in the coming months, and that the effects of the pandemic on the
economy, education, social cohesion and trust wil outlast the health impacts.
3. The Chair concluded by underlining that the response is being decentralised to
the responsible line agencies, while maintaining capacity to respond rapidly
should new circumstances emerge.
COVID-19 Developments and Programme
4. The Chair informed members of the new format of updates on COVID-19
developments and programming, and opened the discussion to the agencies
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responsible for managing the health, social, and economic impacts of the
pandemic.
4.1. Ashley Bloomfield canvassed the key aspects of the health response, noting
Act
that:
o Cases and hospitalisations are beginning to recede, though severe cases
wil remain for some time and continue to diffuse throughout the country;
o It is reasonable to anticipate 3-5,000 cases per day for the medium term,
ongoing hospitalisations, and coincidence between COVID-19, flu and
other respiratory il nesses in winter;
o MOH wil provide advice on modelling winter impacts, to inform public
health settings;
o High vaccination rates and increasing immunity from natural infection
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have increased resilience to date, as well as robust advance planning;
o Vigilance needs to be maintained in relation to the continuing evolution of
the virus, as a new variant may emerge at any time and arrangements
need to be in place to adequately respond to it.
4.2. Debbie Power outlined the social support dimensions, including:
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o MSD has received 75,000 requests for support in this phase, and 25,000
in the last week alone;
o Wait times for contacts at call centres are approximately two minutes, and
the
responses are usually delivered within 24 hours;
o Under the leave support scheme, 83,000 applications have been
dispensed amounting to $86 million;
o Report back is due shortly on the transition to the new operating normal
for social support after the Omicron peak, while retaining surge capacity;
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o Continued investments and programmes are required to respond
effectively to the educational, psychosocial, and community impacts of
COVID-19.
4.3. Carolyn Tremain initiated discussion on the economic elements, highlighting:
o Work underway to bring business up to date with key rule changes;
o Clarifying communications around changing requirements;
o Businesses will need to pursue risk assessments to determine workplace
Released vaccination requirements under the new settings;
o Reworking border settings with exemptions in key sectors and 19,500
working visa holders due to enter from April under the working holiday
scheme, which will partly alleviate critical labour shortages;
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o Reopening tourism to Australia wil provide a significant economic boosts,
though workforce, operational capacity, and demand are expected to
remain below pre-pandemic levels in the near term;
o Reactivating Auckland fol owing the Omicron peak, though cost
escalations in key supply chains and employee absenteeism continue to
be concerning.
3.4. Caralee McLiesh continued the discussion of economic elements, with a
core focus on macroeconomic factors. She mentioned that:
o Macroeconomic impacts are unfolding largely as expected, with
largescale disruption on labour supply due to isolation requirements,
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reduced demand and behavioural impacts bearing on the economy;
o Auckland is bouncing back, with a return toward regular levels of
economic activity expected post peak;
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o Job Seeker applications continue to decline amid tight labour market
conditions, though uptake of economic supports has been high with more
than 100,000 applications received and $1 bil ion of support approved;
o Some firms report a 90% drop in revenue, though it is important to note
that many of these are sole traders;
o Leave support payments are high but declining;
o Overall, there is little evidence of economic scarring despite short term
pain, uneven impacts at the micro level, and potential for lagging effects;
o Significant shifts have occurred in the composition in the economy, with
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the shift from services to goods for example, and considerations are
ongoing regarding whether this is temporary or permanent;
o Fiscal constraints underline the need to move from broad-based support
to a more targeted approach in the endemic environment, focussed on
supply side factors where impacts are most pronounced.
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5. Members discussed the progress of winter planning and its coincidence with
health transition reforms, noted that primary care and hospitals wil remain under
pressure in the near term, highlighted the importance of clear communication
the
and the need to bridge the gap between public expectations and the ‘new
normal’, mentioned that flexible working arrangements wil be helpful in
managing pandemic impacts over the coming months, and underlined the need
for bottom-up and targeted approaches that tap into community providers.
Future Steady State Considerations
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5. The Chair opened discussions by noting that the future steady state should be
designed for endemicity but plan for the possibility for a surge response to a new
variant; consider which functions should be devolved, maintained, and
disbanded in the next phase; and tackle key questions of resourcing and timing.
Action: He proposed that the CCB should have oversight of this, supported by a
reframing of its terms of reference.
6. Members highlighted ongoing discussions around how long MIQ wil be needed
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in the midst of rapid shedding of facilities, and that reactivation plans are being
developed to respond in the event of a new variant that requires this. Members
noted that staff secondments for COVID-19 functions end in June, and
canvassed the possibility of extending these to ensure an orderly transition. It
was also raised that endemic COVID-19 is not endemic flu, that yearly deaths in
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comparative countries are roughly 3,500 per year as opposed to 500 from
influenza, and that vulnerable communities wil bear the brunt of this burden.
This reaffirms the need to convey that we are recalibrating to a new normal,
rather than returning to business as usual.
Readiness: Regional Responses to Omicron
7. The Chair invited Aaron Wright to speak to the regional responses to Omicron.
He mentioned:
7.1. Regional leads held a workshop to share experiences last week;
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7.2. Many signalled their support for the Regional Leadership Group (RLG) to
endure going forward, capturing key lessons from recent months and
providing a worthwhile connection between central and local government;
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7.3. Discussions highlighted the uneven impact of COVID-19 across regions,
with cities recovering as impacts are beginning to be felt in rural settings;
7.4. Indications suggest that regions wil request additional support in the
coming months; and
7.5. A strong sense of integration between DHBs and regional leads was
conveyed, supported by the adoption of dedicated NEMA guidelines.
Policy: s9(2)(g)(i)
8. s9(2)(g)(i)
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8.1. Retaining vaccine mandates for some groups of workers, and removing
them for educational workers from 4 April;
8.2. Removing the COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate (CVC) from the traffic light
framework while maintaining ability to reactivate if needed, and adding
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boosters to CVC will be announced tomorrow, in effect from 4 April;
8.3. Maintaining mass gathering requirements in the red setting, removing
outdoor capacity limits, and increasing indoor limits from 100-200;
the
8.4. Transitioning from requirements to recommendations under orange;
8.5. Removing QR code requirements but retaining businesses’ right to
display and use these under their discretion;
8.6. Engaging with key groups and updating communications channels to
facilitate transition, while MBIE and PSC are working on guidance for
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employers; and
8.7. Remaining under the red setting of the COVID-19 Protection Framework
(CPF) for now, with the next review to be held on 4 April.
9. Members highlighted that MOH and DPMC wil report back shortly on triggers to
move between colours in the COVID-19 Protection Framework (CPF), the
criticality of boosters particularly for vulnerable communities, and that workplaces
and courts wil have to consider the arrangements that are best suited for them
going forward.
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Reopening: Reconnecting New Zealanders Updates
10. The Chair called on Rob Huddart to provide brief update on recent activities
related to Reconnecting New Zealanders. He highlighted:
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COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date
5 April 2022
Time
0800 to 0930hrs
Venue
MS Teams
Attendance
CCB Members
Peter Mersi (Chair)
DPMC
Ashley Bloomfield
MOH
Ben King
MFAT
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Caralee McLiesh
TSY
Cheryl Barnes
DPMC
Carolyn Tremain
MBIE
Christine Stevenson
NZCS
Peter Hughes
PSC
Debbie Power
MSD
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Bryn Gandy
MOT
Una Jagose
CLO
Apologies
Brook Barrington
DPMC
Kevin Short
NZDF
Rebecca Kitteridge
NZSIS
Chris Seed
MFAT
Dave Samuels
TPK
In attendance
Sir David Skegg
SPHAG
Sir Brian Roche
CRIAG
Sarah Sparks
Community
Panel
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Amber Bil
DPMC
Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Tania Ott
PSC
Ruth Fairhal
DPMC
Julie Knauf
DPMC
Rob Huddart
DPMC
Anneliese Parkin
DPMC
Aaron Wright
DPMC
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Agenda and apologies
1. Peter Mersi, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB), welcomed
the
participants to the discussion.
Chair Updates
2. The Chair invited the independent chairs to share their perspectives and recent
developments in their respective Groups’ discussions.
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2.1. Brian Roche highlighted that the COVID-19 Independent Continuous
Review, Improvement and Advice Group (CICRIAG) continues to liaise
with Ministers and public officials to ensure that lessons and innovative
approaches are being integrated into the health response and at the
border and work underway to review the system response to date.
2.2. David Skegg noted that the Strategic COVID-19 Public Health Advisory
Group’s (SC19PHAG) recent advice on vaccine mandates has been
accepted by government and published in the New Zealand Medical
Released Journal, ongoing considerations regarding the future evolution of the virus
and how to respond to the emergence of new variants, and the need to
preserve public health capacity to continue to manage pandemic impacts.
2.3. Rob Fyfe mentioned uncertainty in the business landscape with particular
emphasis on the upcoming shift from red to orange settings, ongoing
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efforts to facilitate a return to the office and alleviate labour shortages,
and regional variations in consumer behaviour and economic activity.
COVID-19 Developments and Programmes
3. The Chair opened the discussion to the agencies responsible for managing the
health, social, and economic impacts of the pandemic.
3.1. Ashley Bloomfield canvassed the key aspects of the health response,
including:
o Our current COVID-19 and Omicron outbreak has largely peaked, but wil
continue to be central to considerations and activities over the next 2-3
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months;
o Planning for the July-September period is underway, which signifies a
broader focus on respiratory il nesses alongside COVID-19, the ongoing
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use of masks and stay at home advice, and shifts in current health and
social supports toward a ‘new normal’ model of care;
o Public communications wil be key in managing public expectations and
confidence, as we remain in a largescale outbreak; and
o Scenario-planning is in development for the potential emergence of a
new variant, and sets out tailored responses depending on its
characteristics.
3.2. Carolyn Tremain spoke to the economic elements, highlighting:
o Lack of understanding of the relevant rules on rehiring unvaccinated
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workers and how to implement post-COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate (CVC)
arrangements is producing an unsettled business outlook;
o MBIE is reaching out to a diversity of stakeholders to communicate
changes and reviewing the ‘bubble of one’ setting;
o Work is underway to kickstart tourism programmes, in concert with border
agencies;
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o Activity is subdued with respect to events transition payment scheme,
due to the changing requirements;
the
o Worker shortages remain a core concern, as Australia has experienced a
50% increase in job vacancies compared to pre-pandemic levels;
o Formalised processes are needed for business continuity in critical
industries;
o Bottlenecks and disruptions continue to beset global supply chains; and
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o Accredited employer work visa arrangements go live on 1 May and the
supporting information is already online, which wil facilitate in-bound
movement of skil ed migrants and carve out exceptions for workers in
critical industries.
3.3. Nic Blakeley set out the key considerations in the social sector. These
encompassed:
o Care in the Community continues to face falling demand, with pressure
easing in recent weeks;
Released o Food security represents the most pressing current need, with additional
funding proposed for food banks over the next year;
o Proposals are being raised for a gradual movement from providing social
support for all families self-isolating toward those who are directly infected
with COVID-19; and
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o Longer term recovery issues are moving to the forefront of
considerations, including food security, school attendance, social
cohesion, psychosocial wellbeing, and community resilience.
Adapting our Approach to Manage COVID-19
4. The Chair opened discussions on initial considerations for adapting our approach
to pandemic management in the next phase. He underscored the importance of
designing a system to account for a transition toward a steady state while
retaining the capacity to scale up efforts if required, progressively decentralising
responsibilities to agencies while maintaining centralised oversight as needed,
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and for responding effectively to a variety of scenarios. He prompted participants
to consider the role of the CCB in this process.
5. Members highlighted that it is critical to maintain clarity on accountability
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structures and decision rights in the next phase, enabling agencies to manage
the operationalisation of plans and the identification of areas needing
cooperation. Members added that Ministerial expectations, roles, responsibilities,
and rhythms wil be key in defining those of the CCB and agencies.
6. s9(2)(g)(i)
7. It was agreed that the CCB has offered an agile clearing house for issues to
date, supported discussions of concerns and priorities, and facilitated the
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examination of the structure and effectiveness of response arrangements to
ensure that these are fit for purpose. Broad support was indicated for a lower
cadence of CCB discussions, a reconsideration of membership, the potential for
a supporting group of officials to underpin the CCB’s work, and the recent
deactivation of the National Response Leadership Team (NRLT).
Action:
Members noted that the CCB wil continue to be vital in managing connections
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and information flows across agencies - particularly in view of the move from
centralised coordination to a decentralised ‘new normal’ - and called on DPMC to
review and adjust the CCB Term
the s of Reference to account for this transition.
8. Members underlined that the distribution of functions between the Ministry of
Health and Health NZ may materially impact the membership, role and
operations of the CCB in the next phase, and called for greater visibility on this.
Action: Ashley Bloomfield responded by raising a recent paper setting out future
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system structures between these agencies, and noted that this would be shared
with the CCB following the discussion.
9. The Chair concluded by confirming members’ agreement on the contours of
future transitional arrangements, most notably the need to redesign the system
to account for a sustainable steady state while retaining the capacity to scale up
efforts as needed.
Action: he established that the next steps are to obtain
Ministerial support for this overarching direction, and develop a follow-up paper
to set out the process for the transition.
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System Assurance Framework: Emerging Themes and Future Preparedness
10. The Chair invited Rachel Sutherland to review key insights emerging from the
most recent iteration of the System Assurance Framework (SAF). She noted:
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14.1. Strategy and planning represent the most prominent current focus, and wil
require consistent attention in light of ongoing shifts and changes;
14.2. Ensuring programme alignment wil be key in fostering business confidence
and public support, and work is underway to capture main inconsistencies;
14.3. Ef orts are advancing across agencies to capture key lessons and integrate
these into future arrangements;
14.4. Maintaining an all-of-government role in coordinating the next phase of the
response while decentralising responsibilities is of central importance;
14.5. DPMC is actively reconsidering the role of assurance throughout this
transition, and particularly the threshold for raising agency risks to the level of
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system consideration.
Action: a paper is due to be submitted at the next CCB on
3 May, which wil propose a new model of assurance and support the transfer of
increased responsibility for risk management to agencies.
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11. Members reaffirmed the importance of increasing the threshold of risks raised to
the CCB, and establishing the key elements of success as a framework for
identifying risks and conveying the assurance required.
Winter Planning and Preparedness
12. The Chair requested that Rachel Sutherland outline work on winter planning and
preparedness. She highlighted:
17.1. The paper catalogues the scale and scope of work underway across
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agencies;
17.2. The DPMC Policy Team is spearheading work on future planning, while the
Ministry of Health is advancing variant planning; and
17.3. A key consideration remains striking an effective balance between
centralised oversight and the progressive decentralisation of functions.
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Readiness for International Tourism
13. The Chair invited Aaron Wright to discuss readiness for international tourism. He
mentioned:
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18.1. The alleviation of constraints in other areas is freeing capacity for devoting
attention to international tourism;
18.2. A key concern is responding to travellers who contract COVID-19 during
their stay in New Zealand, with responsibilities currently remaining with the
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individual but less clear in the case of tourist groups and those requiring
repatriation from remote places for care;
14. Members highlighted the need to integrate these efforts with the traveller working
group, which is led by Heather Kirken.
Action: further consideration is needed
for those who are not capable for financially supporting their compliance with
relevant requirements, options for accommodation, clarity around distribution of
fiscal responsibility and government coverage of costs. Participants requested
that Aaron Wright follow up on these questions.
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Reconnecting New Zealanders Updates
15. The Chair called on Christine Stevenson and Rob Huddart to outline recent
developments in Reconnecting New Zealanders.
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COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date
03 May 2022
Time
0830 to 0930
Venue
MS Teams
Attendance
CCB members
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Peter Mersi (Chair)
DPMC
Christine Stevenson
NZCS
Carolyn Tremain
MBIE
Caralee McLeish
Treasury
Cheryl Barnes
DPMC
Ashley Bloomfield
MoH
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Bryn Gandy
MoT
Debbie Power
MSD
Dave Samuels
TPK
David Taylor
MFAT
Mac Leauanae
MPP
Andrew Milne
MIQ
Apologies
Brook Barrington
DPMC
Una Jagose
CLO
Kevin Short
NZDF
Andrew Kibblewhite
MoJ
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Peter Hughes
PSC
In attendance
Rachel Sutherland
DPMC
Julie Knauf
DPMC
Aaron Wright
DPMC
Sacha O’Dea
DPMC
Official
Amber Bil
DPMC
Ben McBride
DPMC
Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Hayden Glass
DPMC
Emma Francis
DPMC
the
Apologies and action log
1. Peter Mersi, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB), welcomed participants
to the discussion.
under
a)
Peter noted that Rebecca Kitteridge wil no longer attend the CCB meeting and
acknowledged Rebecca’s contribution to the Board.
b)
Peter acknowledged this being Cheryl Barnes’ last CCB meeting and thanked
her for her work leading the COVID-19 Response Group. Following Cheryl’s
departure, Ruth Fairhall wil step in to the DCE COVID-19 Response role.
COVID-19 System Transition Considerations
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2. s9(2)(f)(iv)
3. s9(2)(f)(iv)
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s9(2)(f)(iv)
4. Since the last CCB meeting, Ministers have endorsed the post-winter strategy, which is
stil under development.
5. s9(2)(f)(iv)
6.
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s9(2)(f)(iv)
7. s9(2)(g)(i)
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8. The members noted that more lead in time is required for any policy changes now that
passenger volumes are increasing.
9. The CCB reflected on what the remainder of 2022 wil bring, including a possible burden
on the healthcare system during the winter phase.
10. s9(2)(g)(i)
11. There is a need for clarity on what functions would need to be stood up regarding different
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scenarios, along with a plan to see how quickly these could be stood up.
12. It was suggested that a dashboard with key data for Ministers be compiled. This could
include key indicators, along with an inflection point where an action would be required, as
well as with how quickly the different functions would be able to be stood up.
13. Thought wil be given on how best to include the overall fiscal piece in the transition plan,
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along with the economic dimensions.
14.s9(2)(h)
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15. The CCB agreed that this plan provides Ministers with proposed institutional arrangements
for the future which:
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a)
Aligns with the strategic direction
b)
Adopts a more orthodox model of agency accountability
c)
Promotes a more sustainable mode of operation
d)
Provides assurance that the system can scale up and respond to scenarios such
as the emergence of a more virulent and transmissible variant (although this may
not necessarily be the same way as we have before)
e)
Captures the knowledge, skil s, and experience we have built over the last two
years
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16. The Chair wil update the CCB on the progress of this work at the next meeting.
Amendment to Draft Terms of Reference
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17. The Chair noted that the future of the advisory groups is currently under review as their
expiry dates are nearing. The focus of the CCB wil also naturally shift to focus on the
transition and ensuring that as functions get moved to the relevant agency, there is stil an
all of government response.
18. A proposal was put to the CCB to amend the remit in the draft Terms of Reference to
include:
a. Overseeing the development of the COVID-19 system transition plan to ensure it
supports a shift toward a more sustainable mode of operation, while retaining the ability
to be responsive to the global response to the pandemic, as well as changes in the
evolution and characteristics of the virus.
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19. CCB accepted the above change to the Terms of Reference to reflect their agreement to
oversee the COVID-19 response system transition, as well as agreeing that the Terms of
Reference remain in draft form until the future role of the CCB in the COVID-19 response
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is known. The Chair noted that as part of the transition, a proposal wil be made on what
the CCB governance wil look like going forward.
System Assurance Framework: Proposal for Future Assurance
20. At the CCB meeting on 5 April, winding down the System Assurance Framework (SAT)
currently being used by the Board was discussed. Rachel Sutherland presented a paper
to the CCB with a revised framework that allows CCB to have assurance over key
outcomes of the transition and be assured that the system is well positioned to transition
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accountability for parts of the system to responsible agencies and Chief Executives. Two
options for the future of assurance were provided for the CCB to discuss.
21. It was noted that option 2 wil require additional resourcing which is not available within
DPMC currently.
22. Option 1 was agreed, meaning that CCB accept the Success/Risk framework and use it
as a basis for self-managing assurance.
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Lesson Management Process for the Omicron Outbreak
the
23. The Chair invited Rachel Sutherland to give an overview of the lesson management
process for the Omicron outbreak. It was noted that:
a)
A workshop is proposed with the sector and senior officials to capture the learnings
from Omicron and the pivot from Delta to Omicron.
b)
The workshop wil take place around the end of May and would be most beneficial
under
if agencies had done their own lesson reviews prior.
c)
A short survey wil be done with National Response Group to capture their views
and compile into a brief report with the key insights highlighted, which wil then be
built into the future strategy and response.
d)
There wil be a report back to CCB by the end of June with insights on the lessons
and activities for the implementation, monitoring, and review of these insights.
Reconnecting New Zealanders Readiness and Reporting
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24. The Chair called on Christine Stevenson to outline recent developments in Reconnecting
New Zealanders, who noted:
a)
Improvements continue to be implemented to the New Zealand Traveller
Declaration (NZTD) system. 153,000 NZDTs have been issued so far.
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COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date
17 May 2022
Time
0830 to 0930
Venue
MS Teams
Attendance
CCB members
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Peter Mersi (Chair)
DPMC
Christine Stevenson
NZCS
Bryn Gandy
MoT
Ashley Bloomfield
MoH
Dave Samuels
TPK
David Taylor
MFAT
Act
Matthew Aileone
MPP
Andrew Milne
MIQ
Nic Blakeley
MSD
Chris Bunny
MBIE
Tania Ot (PSC)
Apologies
Brook Barrington
DPMC
Una Jagose
CLO
Debbie Power
MSD
Andrew Kibblewhite
MoJ
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Peter Hughes
PSC
Carolyn Tremain
MBIE
Mac Leauanae
MPP
Chris Seed
MFAT
In attendance
Rachel Sutherland
DPMC
Julie Knauf
DPMC
Official
Aaron Wright
DPMC
Sacha O’Dea
DPMC
Amber Bill
DPMC
Ben McBride
DPMC
Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Hayden Glass
DPMC
the
Jess Gray
DPMC
Agenda and apologies
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1. Peter Mersi, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB), welcomed participants
to the discussion.
Chair updates
2. The Chair invited the independent Chairs to provide an overview of their respective
workstreams and their impressions of recent developments in the response.
3. Sarah Sparks underscored the importance of continuity in the supply of social and
Released
support services to vulnerable communities and ensuring clarity of public
communications. Sarah noted:
3.1.
The ongoing need to for people to be vaccinated especially with the risk of the
flu and whooping cough this winter; to provide social supports such as food
packages; and re-engaging tamariki in school.
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3.2.
The good collaboration between community providers and the private sector.
But also noted clarity of funding arrangements for providers is needed going
forward as we transition our response posture.
3.3.
The tenure of the community panel is complete on the 30th of June (as per the
terms of reference). Sarah encouraged the members to consider how they
utilise a “community voice” going forward – both in the response and in other
sectors.
4. Professor David Skegg noted:
4.1. Internationally,
New Zealand has 3rd highest transmission in the world. The 7-day
average for COVID-19 related deaths is 17 per week. Ongoing thought should be 1982
given to how we mitigate fatalities across all age groups.
4.2. We are stil responding to the pandemic – as is the rest of the world. For
example, South Africa is entering its 5th wave with the BA 4 and BA 5 variant. We
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wil need to find a way to keep the community engaged with our pandemic
messaging.
4.3. The Group have provided comments on the new variants plan and MBIE have
engaged with them on future quarantine capacity.
4.4. The Group are concerned that the system for detecting new variants needs to be
as effective as possible, as they have previously advised in their letters to
Minister Verrall.
4.5. A report from the International Science Council called “Unprecedented and
unfinished” has been released. The focus of the report is not about health
services but all the other impacts; economic, education, environment society
which wil be much longer felt until the end of the decade. Member requested this
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is distributed widely to many departments. The Chair undertook to circulate the
report to the full PSLT.
5. Brian Roche commented that the CRIAG Group finishes on the 31st of May and are
currently finalising their current report. The challenges he observes are the level of
preparedness in a reformed health sector, and general fatigue – in the community and
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the response system.
6. Rob Fyfe touched on the themes from the business community in general and noted:
the
6.1. The USA is predicting air travel will pick-up in the third quarter of this year. The
expected travel for leisure is expected to be ahead of 2019 levels. Which
reinforces the sense that the public are ready to move on from the response
phase
6.2. With increasing arrivals into New Zealand, it wil be important to ensuring our
messaging is cogent
under and compelling regarding the ongoing pandemic and the
required public health measures.
6.3. Key issues for business in New Zealand are around access to labour supply and
staffing. We should expect a stressed environment over the next 6 months which
wil be compounded by any COVID-19 peaks, and clarity wil be needed with
respect to return to work practises.
7. The Chair thanked the Independent Advisory Chairs and closed the open session.
Updates on COVID-19 Surveil ance Strategy and variant planning
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8. Ashley Bloomfield provided an update on the surveil ance strategy and variant plan.
9. The variant plan covers a range of scenarios and Ministers had been engaged on these.
Ministers were mindful to ensure the levers that wil be used to respond in specific
scenarios are clear (and understood).
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IN CONFIDENCE
COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date
31 May 2022
Time
0830 to 0930
Venue
MS Teams
Attendance
CCB members
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Peter Mersi (Chair)
DPMC
Jamie Bamford
NZCS
Bryn Gandy
MoT
Robyn Shearer
MoH
Dave Samuels
TPK
David Taylor
MFAT
Act
Mac Leauanae
MPP
Carolyn Tremain
MBIE
Debbie Power
MSD
Peter Hughes
PSC
Nic Blakely
MSD
Andrew Kibblewhite
MoJ
Apologies
Brook Barrington
DPMC
Una Jagose
CLO
Mark Bryant
CLO
Chris Seed
MFAT
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Andrew Milne
MIQ
Chris Bunny
MBIE
Ashley Bloomfield
MoH
In attendance
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Rachel Sutherland
DPMC
Julie Knauf
DPMC
Aaron Wright
DPMC
Sacha O’Dea
DPMC
Amber Bil
DPMC
Ben McBride
DPMC
the
Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Caroll Douglass
DPMC
Jess Gray
DPMC
Chloe Thompson
DPMC
Apologies and action log
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1. Peter Mersi, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB), welcomed participants
to the discussion.
a. The Chair noted that Brian Roche is an apology for the meeting and that the COVID-
19 Independent Continuous Review, Improvement and Advice Group (CRIAG)
formally disbands on the 1st June and that the open session chairs wil be invited to the
next CCB as an opportunity for reflections.
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Chair updates
2. The Chair invited Independent Advisory Chairs to provide an overview of their respective
workstreams, and their impressions of recent developments in the response.
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COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date 14 June 2022
Time 0830 to 0930
Venue MS Teams
Attendance
CCB Members
Peter Mersi (Chair)
DPMC
Ashley Bloomfield
MOH
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Bryn Gandy
MOT
Rachel McLean
MFAT
Dave Samuels
TPK
Peter Hughes
PSC
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Debbie Power
MSD
Una Jagose
CLO
Bill Perry
NZC
Ruth Fairhall
DPMC
Apologies
Brook Barrington
DPMC
Chris Seed
MFAT
Christine Stevenson NZC
Mac Leauanae
MPP
Andrew Kibblewhite MOJ
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In attendance
Amber Bill
DPMC
Rob Huddart
DPMC
Aaron Wright
DPMC
Rob Fyfe
BLF
Rachel Sutherland
DPMC
Brian Roche
CRIAG
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Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Julie Knauf
DPMC
Jess Gray
DPMC
Sacha O’Dea
DPMC
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Carol Douglass
DPMC
David Skegg
SPHAG
Chloe Thompson
DPMC
Sarah Sparks
CP
Apologies and action log
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1. Peter Mersi, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB), welcomed
participants to the discussion. He noted apologies for Andrew Kibblewhite, Mac
Leauanae, Christine Stevenson, and David Taylor and acknowledged their
representatives.
Independent Chair Reflections
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2. The Chair invited Independent Advisory Chairs to provide reflections and an overview of
their respective workstreams and their impressions of recent developments in the
response.
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3. Sarah Sparks highlighted the value of the community panel, including because of its
diversity, and praised the transparent relationship with government through the
response. She noted there is stil inequity and uncertainty, but the community service
models work because they have the trust of the community, and they hold the local
knowledge and networks. Acknowledged DPMC for the unprecedented opportunity for
the panel to communicate the needs of their communities to government in real time.
4. The Chair acknowledged the strength of the diverse group and praised Sarah’s role as
Chair in bringing people together and uniting them towards a goal.
5. Sir Brian Roche noted the final COVID-19 Continuous Independent Review,
Improvement and Advice Group (CRIAIG) report has gone to the Minister. He
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emphasized that the role of the group had been about continuous improvement and
considering what could be done better. Brian noted the importance of continuing to have
conversations about what could be done better as the response evolves. Brian also
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commended the role DPMC Secretariat had played supporting the CRIAG.
6. The Chair thanked Brian for his role in CRIAG. He noted the importance of keeping a
forward looking perspective and agreed with the need to take stock of the lessons learnt
and consider these as the response moves forward.
7. Rob Fyfe reflected on the challenges that come when a group represents a diversity of
views. He also reflected on how connection and engagement between the business
community and government had changed during different phases of the response.
8. Rob highlighted some of the COVID-19 related issues that businesses are facing
currently, particularly related to workforce. He also touched on the global economic
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environment and what he has heard through engagement with international counterparts,
including that North America is anticipating social and economic disruption until early
2023.
9. The Chair thanked Rob and concurred with the importance for government to maintain
the agility present in the earlier phases of the COVID-19 response.
10. Professor David Skegg praised New Zealand’s response, the public service and the
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CRIAIG for their guidance. He reflected that there was no country that had been well
prepared for the pandemic. Despite this, people came together and the government
made bold decisions early, which has saved lives. For an international context he cited
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Scotland as an example which has a similar population but significantly higher mortality
rate. While the public health measures have impacted people, Scottish lives have been
far more affected.
11. David stressed the likelihood that new variants wil emerge, and that we are stil facing
high mortality and case rates, and that these are having an inequitable burden especially
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on Māori and Pacific communities. He pointed to the health system reforms as being an
additional challenge to overall health system response capacity. David endorsed praise
from the other Chairs for the DPMC secretariat.
12. The Chair thanked David and noted the Group had provided a platform for amplifying
science and ensuring evidence-based decision making. He agreed that even though the
response is evolving as the virus becomes endemic, we are stil dealing with the effects
of a pandemic.
13. The Chair thanked the Independent Chairs for the final time and closed the open
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session.
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Update on the COVID-19 Response
14. Ashley Bloomfield updated the CCB on the advice given to the Minister the day prior on
the COVID-19 Protection Framework (CPF), noting the justification for stringent
measures remaining in place through the winter period. Mask use and self-isolation are
the most important public health measures and should continue to be encouraged. He
noted that other countries are in similar positions as they approach winter and consider a
4th dose of the vaccine.
15. Ashley noted that New Zealand’s culminative mortality rate remains relatively low. He
noted that the majority of COVID-19 deaths for people under 60 are incidental, but that 1982
the rates are much higher among Māori. Ashley noted that work is underway to further
understand mortality rates.
16. Ashley noted the health system is also experiencing pressure due to seasonal influenza
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and stressed the importance of flu vaccinations.
17. Work is progressing on the 4th dose which wil soon be available for vulnerable
individuals. Guidance is also being updated on reinfection and testing and isolation
requirement, with advice going to Ministers shortly.
18. Caralee McLeish emphasised the need to keep self-isolation periods under close review,
pointing to their impact on labour supply. Ashley agreed that these would remain under
continuous review.
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Update on the Variant Plan
19. Ruth Fairhall thanked everyone for their contributions and noted the variant plan has
returned from Cabinet with recommendations around the future work and it wil be
recirculated later this week.
20. The Chair reminded the Board that the variant preparedness has a list of tools for
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reacting to a new variant, and that Chief Executives must be confident that they
understand what is needed to stand up these functions. The Chair requested feedback
on the transition plan, which is to be incorporated into the post winter strategy paper
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going to SWC on 29 June.
COVID-19 Legal framework
21.s9(2)(f)(iv)
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Success and Risk framework
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22.The Chair noted that members had discussed key risk areas with regard to the transition
plan, legal framework, institutional knowledge, adaptability and preparedness during the
meeting.
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COVID-19 Chief Executives Board Minutes
Date
28 June 2022
Time
0830 to 0930
Venue
MS Teams
CCB Members
Peter Mersi (Chair)
DPMC
Ashley Bloomfield
MOH
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Andrew Kibblewhite MOJ
Stuart Horne
MFAT
Debbie Power
MSD
Peter Hughes
PSC
Mac Leauanae
MPP
Una Jagose
CLO
Act
Andrew Milne
MBIE
Bill Perry
NZC
Tony Lynch
DPMC
Apologies
Brook Barrington
DPMC
Chris Seed
MFAT
Bryn Gandy
MOT
Dave Samuels
TPK
Carolyn Tremain
MBIE
Christine Stevenson NZC
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Caralee McLiesh
TSY
In attendance
Amber Bill
DPMC
Paul Ballantyne
DPMC
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Rachel Sutherland
DPMC
Julie Knauf
DPMC
Aaron Wright
DPMC
Sacha O’Dea
DPMC
the
Hamish Rogers
DPMC
Ben McBride
DPMC
Jess Gray
DPMC
Carol Douglass
DPMC
Rob Huddart
DPMC
Chloe Thompson
DPMC
Tania Ot
PSC
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Apologies and Action log
1. Peter Mersi, Chair of the COVID-19 Chief Executives’ Board (CCB), welcomed
participants to the discussion and noted apologies for David Taylor, Chris Seed, Mac
Leauanae, Christine Stevenson, Carolyn Tremain and David Samuels.
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Roundtable: Update on the COVID-19 Response
2. Ashley Bloomfield updated the members on the health response underlining the advice
given to Cabinet in consideration of the COVID-19 Protection Framework (CPF). Health
highlighted the importance of continued mask use and self-isolation to control
transmission and noted 7-day isolation period for negative household contacts is being
reviewed. The Omicron subvariant BA 4/ BA 5 is likely to become the dominant variant
and represents a quarter of border cases. He concluded that the current public health
measures in place are suitable.
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3. Ashley noted Health NZ’s new structure is now in place now that the post winter planning
is complete and stressed the importance of ensuring the elements to respond are in place.
Health NZ is committed to ensuring preparation for other virus strains such as influenza
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is strong.
4. The Chair thanked Ashley and noted the policy/operational interface with Health NZ is
critical and Ministers wil continue to require line of sight of response of delivery.
5. Debbie Power began her update with Care for the Community noting that decreasing
COVID-19 cases correlated to a drop in the referrals to providers. In August, Ministers
wil review funding and she highlighted the difficulties of giving visibility to Ministers on the
lag effect of COVID-19. Many of these issues were prevalent pre-pandemic but have been
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heightened during the response for example school attendance and family violence.
6. s9(2)(f)(iv)
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7. Bill Perry updated the group on travel declarations, Air Border Order and Maritime Order.
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7.1. Removal of pre-departure testing has simplified travel for most, removing many
social media responses and customer enquiries.
7.2. He noted plane capacity on routes is almost non-existent, with current visitor levels
to NZ at 8,500 people per day. Although the majority are going to Auckland,
Queenstown has had a spike with the ski season. Total visitors since the reopening
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of the border is at 850,000. Niue has reopened to air traffic for the first time today
28th June.
7.3. Maritime are preparing for cruise ships are reviewing a maritime travel declaration
noting a ship captain takes more responsibility than an air captain with the 4-5 day
travel time across the Tasman. Lastly, he noted the border sector agencies are
working together on workforce presence at the maritime border.
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8. Andy Milne updated the group that for the first time in 27 months, MIQ is no longer
operating. He noted most of the workforce had found new employment. MBIE is meeting
with Minister Verrall to understand business case opportunities for future quarantine
facilities.
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Lessons from the Omicron Response to date – June 2022
9. Rob Huddart noted the report was generally positive, but misinformation and disinformation
is a concern that wil extend beyond COVID-19. He noted the paper was not intended as
a proposal to request changes to the system.
Post Winter Strategy and COVID-19 Legal Framework
10.s9(2)(f)(iv)
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Update: Covid-19 System Transition Plan
11. s9(2)(f)(iv)
Chair’s Reflection and Future CCB
12. The Chair noted that the response to COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing and continues to
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impact on workforce. He stressed the importance of awareness of where we are in the
cycle, understanding the broader impact and being prepared to respond.
13. The Chair noted that the role of Chair shifts to the Chief Executive of DPMC, Tony
Lynch.
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Action: Distribution of finalised Terms of Reference.
COVID-19 Transition - Success and Risk Framework
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14. Rachel Sutherland commented that preparedness to respond is currently our greatest
risk. As MIQ transitions to National Quarantine Service, it is a reminder to all agencies
that knowledge retention is a key component of future plans.
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15. s9(2)(f)(iv)
Other Business
16. Peter Hughes acknowledged Peter Mersi’s leadership over the past for months in the
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role of Chief Executive, COVID-19 Al -of-Government Response. He thanked him for his
contribution and wished him well for his new role as Commissioner at Inland Revenue.
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