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]

 

 

****************************************************************************
Statement of confidentiality: This e-mail message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege.
If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate,
distribute or copy this message or attachments.
If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender
immediately and delete this message.
****************************************************************************

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

This e-mail message has been scanned for Viruses and Content and cleared
by the Ministry of Health's Content and Virus Filtering Gateway

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

References

Visible links
1. http://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&a...
2. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
3. mailto:[email address]

hide quoted sections

Kia ora DG,

 

Thank you for your email. The variants of COVID-19 (including the Delta
and Omicron variants) are determined by Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS).
Detailed information on genome sequencing can be found on the genome
sequencing Q&A on ESR’s website at the following link:
[1]https://www.esr.cri.nz/our-expertise/cov...

 

This is not completed for every case. Until the Delta community outbreak,
WGS was attempted on all positive cases in New Zealand. It is not always
possible to obtain sequence from a case, for example, in historical cases
where there is very little genetic material present.

 

When it is not feasible to sequence all cases, priorities for WGS of cases
are determined depending on the current situation, for example, in a
community outbreak setting understanding how cases are linked may be
prioritised along with cases detected at the border (to monitor for new
variants). When there are fewer community cases, the priority may be the
border workers and related cases.

 

Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to
review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be
contacted by email at: [2][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602. 

 

Ngâ mihi

 

OIA Services Team

 

[3]Ministry of Health information releases

[4]Unite against COVID-19

 

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

From: DG <[5][FOI #18219 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 18 January 2022 08:18
To: OIA Requests <[6][email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Testing for Covid19 variants

 

Dear Ministry of Health,

Can you please tell me:

1) What process is used to be able to distinguish between the different
Covid-19 variants for each positive case (EG: Delta, Omicron)?
2) Is this done for every positive case?
3) If not, why not?

Yours faithfully,

DG

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

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[7][FOI #18219 email]

Is [8][Ministry of Health request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to Ministry of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
[9]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:
[10]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.

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

****************************************************************************
Statement of confidentiality: This e-mail message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege.
If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate,
distribute or copy this message or attachments.
If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender
immediately and delete this message.
****************************************************************************

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

This e-mail message has been scanned for Viruses and Content and cleared
by the Ministry of Health's Content and Virus Filtering Gateway

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

References

Visible links
1. https://www.esr.cri.nz/our-expertise/cov...
2. mailto:[email address]
3. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
4. https://covid19.govt.nz/
5. mailto:[FOI #18219 email]
6. mailto:[email address]
7. mailto:[FOI #18219 email]
8. mailto:[Ministry of Health request email]
9. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
10. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...

hide quoted sections