Kia ora 

 

Thank you for your email. The Ministry of Health is closed from Thursday
23 December 2021—Monday 10 January 2022. We will respond to your email
when the Ministry reopens. Thank you for your patience. 

 

OIA requests

Please note that under the Official information Act 1982, the days from 25
December 2021 to Saturday 15 January 2022 (inclusive), are not ‘working
days’ for the purposes of the law and therefore do not form part of the 20
working days required to respond.  For more information on this, please
visit the OIA calculator at: [1]ombudsman.parliament.nz/

 

COVID-19 information 

·    for information on the Government’s response to the COVID-19
pandemic, please go to [2]covid19.govt.nz 

·    for information about COVID-19 locations of interest:
[3]health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-health-advice-public/contact-tracing-covid-19/covid-19-contact-tracing-locations-interest

·    for information on COVID-19 testing sites:
[4]covid19.govt.nz/testing-and-tracing/covid-19-testing/where-to-get-tested/

·    for information on COVID-19 vaccination (including bookings) go to:
[5]health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines

·    for information on managed isolation, including exemptions from
managed isolation, please go to [6]miq.govt.nz 

 

Emergency services and health information 

·    if you are in an emergency situation, please dial 111 

·    if you require health advice or information, please
call Healthline free 24/7 on 0800 611 116. 

 

Mental health helplines 

If you require [7]mental health assistance please contact one of the
following free national helplines: 

·    1737: free text 24/7. Trained counsellors can offer support for
addiction issues, as well as advice on mental health 

·    the National Depression Helpline: free call 24/7 on 0800 111 757,
text 4202, or online at [8]depression.org.nz 

·    Lifeline: free call 24/7 on 0800 543 354 

·    Samaritans: free call on 0800 726 666. Confidential, non-religious,
and non-judgmental support

 

Ngā mihi 

OIA Services 

 

 

 

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Kia ora Maxwell,  

 

Thank you for your request for official information. The Ministry's
reference number for your request is: H202200036.  

 

As required under the Official Information Act 1982, the Ministry will
endeavour to respond to your request no later than 20 working days after
the day your request was received. If you'd like to calculate the
timeframe, you can use the Ombudsman's online calculator
here: [1]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/ 

 

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic response, the Ministry is experiencing
significantly higher volumes of queries and requests for information. If
we are unable to respond to your request within this time frame, we will
notify you of an extension of that time frame. 

 

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

 

Ngā mihi 

 

OIA Services 

Government Services 

Office of the Director-General 

Ministry of Health 

E: [2][email address] 

 

 

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

From: Maxwell <[FYI request #18092 email]>
Sent: Monday, 3 January 2022 16:18
To: OIA Requests <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Vaccination status of deaths
associated with Covid 19
 
Dear Ministry of Health,

I write as a New Zealand citizen.

Can I please request the vaccination status of all 51 deaths associated
with Covid-19 in the Delta outbreak to date (Mon 3 January 2022 - source:
MoH current cases:
[3]https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...).

The latest data made publicly available was in an MoH news update on 3
December 2021 (source:
[4]https://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/ne...)
despite more recent deaths having being reported in the news, e.g.

1)
[5]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...

2)
[6]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...

3)
[7]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...

Yours faithfully,

Maxwell

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

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FYI request #18092 email]

Is [Ministry of Health request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests
to Ministry of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
[8]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[9]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

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

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5. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
6. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
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9. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Maxwell,  

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act) on 3 January 2022 for: 

 

“Can I please request the vaccination status of all 51 deaths associated
with Covid-19 in the Delta outbreak to date?” 

 

The following link to the Ministry’s website provides statistics and
information on the vaccine status on the number of deaths associated with
COVID-19: [1]www.health.govt.nz/news-media/news-items/further-information-deaths-associated-covid-19. 

 

Further Information relating to deaths associated to COVID-19 and their
vaccine status is withheld in full under section 9(2)(a) to protect the
privacy of natural persons, including deceased natural persons. I have
considered the countervailing public interest in release in making this
decision and consider that it does not outweigh the need to withhold at
this time. 

 

As stated in the AEFI report, the Summary of reported deaths is the total
number of deaths reported to the Centre for Adverse Reactions and
Monitoring (CARM) at the University of Otago after the administration of
the Pfizer (Comirnaty) vaccine. If you have any concern about the Adverse
Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) with COVID-19 vaccines, Medsafe has
published its latest safety report on its website which you can look at:
[2]www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/safety-report-39.asp. This report includes
a section on the assessment of deaths. Medical assessments are used by
CARM to consider the plausibility that the vaccine caused a reaction that
may then have resulted in a fatal outcome. CARM does not determine the
cause of death, that is for the coroner. Therefore, the Ministry is also
refusing your request under section 18(c)(ii) as releasing the information
would constitute a contempt of court.  

 

As more than 90 percent of the people in New Zealand over the age of 12
have now received at least one dose of the Comirnaty vaccine, there is a
high probability that anyone who dies in New Zealand will have been
vaccinated.  This does not mean that their death is caused by or related
to the vaccine.  All deaths reported to CARM that have occurred after a
person has received a COVID-19 vaccination are reviewed to establish
whether there is a link to the vaccination. To date, the observed number
of deaths reported after vaccination is actually less than the expected
number of natural deaths.  CARM undertakes pharmacovigilance in New
Zealand under contract to the Ministry.   

 

The Ministry has recently published a response to an earlier request under
the Act that specifically addresses the difference between the reporting
of AEFI and certification of the cause of deaths. It is available at
[3]www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/information-release/h202117570_response_0.pdf 

 

I trust this fulfils your request. Under section 28(3) of the Act you have
the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any decisions made under this
request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at:
[4][email address] or by calling 0800 802 602. 

 

Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be
published on the Ministry of Health website at:
[5]www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases.  

 

 

Ngâ mihi 

 

OIA Services 

Government Services 

Office of the Director-General 

Ministry of Health 

E: [6][email address] 

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4. mailto:[email address]
5. http://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry...
6. mailto:[email address]

hide quoted sections

Thank you for your Official Information Act request. This is
an automatic reply to let you know we received it.

In accordance with the Act, we'll let you know our decision within no more
than 20 working days. If you'd like to calculate the timeframe, you can
use the Ombudsman's online calculator
here: [1]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic response, the Ministry is experiencing
significantly higher volumes of queries and requests for information. This
means we may take some time in responding to your request. The Ministry
regularly updates information about the COVID-19 situation and publishes
OIA responses considered to be of public interest:
[2]https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...

Please also refer to the Unite Against Covid-19 website for copies of
papers, minutes, and key advice for the decisions the Government has made
relating to COVID-19.

Sometimes we may need to clarify aspects of a request. You can expect to
hear from us soon if that is the case here.

Ngā mihi,

 

OIA Services

Government Services

Office of the Director-General

Ministry of Health

E: [3][email address]

 

 

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Tçnâ koe Maxwell 

 

Response to your request for official information 

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act) on 3 January 2022 for information relating to COVID-19 deaths. You
specifically requested: 

 

“… the vaccination status of all 51 deaths associated with Covid-19 in the
Delta outbreak to date?” 

 

The following link to the Ministry’s website provides statistics and
information on the vaccine status on the number of deaths associated with
COVID-19: 

[1]www.health.govt.nz/news-media/news-items/further-information-deaths-associated-covid-19. 

 

Further Information relating to deaths associated to COVID-19 and their
vaccine status is withheld in full under section 9(2)(a) to protect the
privacy of natural persons, including deceased natural persons. I have
considered the countervailing public interest in release in making this
decision and consider that it does not outweigh the need to withhold at
this time. 

 

As stated in the AEFI report, the Summary of reported deaths is the total
number of deaths reported to the Centre for Adverse Reactions and
Monitoring (CARM) at the University of Otago after the administration of
the Pfizer (Comirnaty) vaccine. If you have any concern about the Adverse
Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) with COVID-19 vaccines, Medsafe has
published its latest safety report on its website which you can look at:
[2]www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/safety-report-39.asp. This report includes
a section on the assessment of deaths. Medical assessments are used by
CARM to consider the plausibility that the vaccine caused a reaction that
may then have resulted in a fatal outcome. CARM does not determine the
cause of death, that is for the coroner. Therefore, the Ministry is also
refusing your request under section 18(c)(ii) as releasing the information
would constitute a contempt of court.  

 

As more than 90 percent of the people in New Zealand over the age of 12
have now received at least one dose of the Comirnaty vaccine, there is a
high probability that anyone who dies in New Zealand will have been
vaccinated.  This does not mean that their death is caused by or related
to the vaccine. All deaths reported to CARM that have occurred after a
person has received a COVID-19 vaccination are reviewed to establish
whether there is a link to the vaccination. To date, the observed number
of deaths reported after vaccination is actually less than the expected
number of natural deaths. CARM undertakes pharmacovigilance in New Zealand
under contract to the Ministry.   

 

The Ministry has recently published a response to an earlier request under
the Act that specifically addresses the difference between the reporting
of AEFI and certification of the cause of deaths. It is available at
[3]www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/information-release/h202117570_response_0.pdf 

 

I trust this fulfils your request. Under section 28(3) of the Act, you
have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any decisions made under
this request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at:
[4][email address] or by calling 0800 802 602. 

 

Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be
published on the Ministry website at:
[5]www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases.  

 

 

Ngâ mihi 

 

OIA Services 

Government Services 

Office of the Director-General 

Ministry of Health 

E: [6][email address] 

 

****************************************************************************
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legal privilege.
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distribute or copy this message or attachments.
If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender
immediately and delete this message.
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References

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2. http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/safe...
3. http://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/d...
4. mailto:[email address]
5. http://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry...
6. mailto:[email address]

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