Thank you for your email.

 

Please accept this as acknowledgement that your email has been received by
my office.

 

General COVID-19 information and testing

All the latest COVID-19 information can be found at [1]covid19.govt.nz

For information on testing go
to [2]https://covid19.govt.nz/testing-and-trac...

You can also call Healthline free on 0800 611 116 for health advice and
information at any time.

 

Vaccination

To get your COVID-19 vaccination head
to [3]bookmyvaccine.covid19.health.nz or to the [4]Healthpoint website to
find a vaccination site near you.  

Getting your booster is as important as ever. Even if you aren’t due yours
yet, book it in now at the website above.

COVID-19 Protection Framework

The COVID-19 Protection Framework has been simplified. For information
about what to do at Orange go
to: [5]https://covid19.govt.nz/traffic-lights/l...

If you have questions about the traffic light system, you can [6]make an
enquiry here.    

 

We appreciate your patience. 

Thanks again.
Authorised by Chris Hipkins MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

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

References

Visible links
1. https://covid19.govt.nz/
2. https://covid19.govt.nz/testing-and-trac...
3. https://bookmyvaccine.covid19.health.nz/
4. https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/covid-19-v...
5. https://covid19.govt.nz/traffic-lights/l...
6. https://covid19.govt.nz/about-this-site/...

Kia ora J Bruning,

 

Thank you for your request for official information. The Minister's Office
reference number for your request is: CHOIA280

 

Your request has been logged and you can expect a reply no later than 5
July 2022 as required under the Official Information Act 1982.

 

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

 

Ngā mihi,

 

[1]cid:image001.jpg@01D433B3.8E157340 Daniel
Martin
Health
Private
Secretary

Office of
Hon Chris
Hipkins   

Minister
for
COVID-19
Response |
Minister
of
Education
| Minister
for the
Public
Service |
Leader of
the House

Parliament
Buildings,
Private
Bag 18041,
Wellington
6160, New
Zealand

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: J Bruning [[2]mailto:[FOI #19582 email]]

Sent: Friday, 3 June 2022 3:00 PM

To: C Hipkins (MIN) <[3][Chris Hipkins request email]>

Subject: Official Information request - COVID-19 - masking OIA0750

 

Dear Chris Hipkins,

 

The Parliamentary Counsel Office recently added more secondary legislation
concerning COVID-19 rules relating to community mask wearing.

 

COVID-19 Public Health Response (Protection Framework) Amendment Order (No
8) 2022

COVID-19 Public Health Response (Protection Framework) Amendment Order (No
9) 2022

 

Even though secondary legislation does not receive public and
parliamentary scrutiny before it is released, the legislation is required
to have a sound evidential and policy basis in order to demonstrate that
the legislation is neither arbitrary nor tyrannical. Please provide
information, reports, data, addenda, emails held with the Minister for
COVID-19 response:

 

a.  General data (including reviews of the peer reviewed scientific
literature) demonstrating that community-based masking prevents
hospitalisation and death from respiratory viruses including coronaviruses
and influenza.

 

b.  All recent analyses provided to yourself on the evidence in the
published and peer reviewed scientific literature on the efficacy of mask
wearing in communities directly relating to the period of the COVID-19
pandemic November 2019 – May 3, 2022,  and the capacity for masking as
intervention to prevent to (a) prevent transmission of Sars-Cov-2
infection (b) prevent hospitalisation and death from Sars-Cov-2.

  (i) Please confirm that literature reviews of the scientific literature
have been undertaken to understand & evaluate the evidence in the
scientific literature over this period.

 

c. Data showing breakdown by decade, age 20-29 etc., the percentage of the
New Zealand population in these brackets or equivalent, that have been
previously infected with Sars-Cov-2.

 

d. Data demonstrating that in communities that have already been exposed
to COVID-19, that masking makes a meaningful difference in preventing
hospitalisation and death.

  (i) Please confirm that literature reviews of the scientific literature
have been undertaken to understand & evaluate the evidence in the
scientific literature over this period.

 

d. All reports, policies and analyses (including literature reviews of the
peer reviewed scientific literature) that review/consider the potential
for harm as a consequence of compulsory mask wearing in educational
institutions. This includes harm arising in mental health, issues for
those with hearing loss, potential for developmental delays and the
potential for increased truancy and uptake in early leavers due to the
requirement. This question asks that the data is broken down to identify
that the Minister has considered this risk profile at pre-school level,
primary level, intermediate level, secondary level and tertiary level.

  (i) Please confirm that literature reviews of the scientific literature
have been undertaken  to understand & evaluate the evidence in the
scientific literature over this period.

 

Please note that any response suggesting that this request should be
directed to the Ministry of Health will not be accepted, as this Official
Information Act request directly relates to the production of the
legislation noted above.

 

Therefore, this request considers that in order to take the step of
formalising exemption passes, the Minister would have a scientifically
sound basis for the evidence on masking preventing hospitalisation and
death in communities.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

J Bruning

 

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

 

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

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[4][FOI #19582 email]

 

Is [5][Chris Hipkins request email] the wrong address for Official
Information requests to Chris Hipkins? If so, please contact us using this
form:

[6]https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[7]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

 

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.

 

 

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

 

 

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

References

Visible links
2. mailto:[FOI #19582 email]
3. mailto:[Chris Hipkins request email]
4. mailto:[FOI #19582 email]
5. mailto:[Chris Hipkins request email]
6. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
7. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Kia ora,

 

Please find attached the Ministers response to your request for official
information.

 

Ngā mihi,

 

Daniel Martin

Health Private Secretary | Office of Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall

Minister for COVID-19 Response

Minister of Research, Science and Innovation
Minister for Seniors

Associate Minister of Health

Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand

 

 

 

 

 

From: Daniel Martin
Sent: Monday, 13 June 2022 3:50 PM
To: [FOI #19582 email]
Subject: RE: Official Information request - COVID-19 - masking OIA0750
(CHOIA280)

 

Kia ora J Bruning,

 

Thank you for your request for official information. The Minister's Office
reference number for your request is: CHOIA280

 

Your request has been logged and you can expect a reply no later than 5
July 2022 as required under the Official Information Act 1982.

 

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

 

Ngā mihi,

 

[1]cid:image001.jpg@01D433B3.8E157340 Daniel
Martin
Health
Private
Secretary

Office of
Hon Chris
Hipkins   

Minister
for
COVID-19
Response |
Minister
of
Education
| Minister
for the
Public
Service |
Leader of
the House

Parliament
Buildings,
Private
Bag 18041,
Wellington
6160, New
Zealand

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: J Bruning [[2]mailto:[FOI #19582 email]]

Sent: Friday, 3 June 2022 3:00 PM

To: C Hipkins (MIN) <[3][Chris Hipkins request email]>

Subject: Official Information request - COVID-19 - masking OIA0750

 

Dear Chris Hipkins,

 

The Parliamentary Counsel Office recently added more secondary legislation
concerning COVID-19 rules relating to community mask wearing.

 

COVID-19 Public Health Response (Protection Framework) Amendment Order (No
8) 2022

COVID-19 Public Health Response (Protection Framework) Amendment Order (No
9) 2022

 

Even though secondary legislation does not receive public and
parliamentary scrutiny before it is released, the legislation is required
to have a sound evidential and policy basis in order to demonstrate that
the legislation is neither arbitrary nor tyrannical. Please provide
information, reports, data, addenda, emails held with the Minister for
COVID-19 response:

 

a.  General data (including reviews of the peer reviewed scientific
literature) demonstrating that community-based masking prevents
hospitalisation and death from respiratory viruses including coronaviruses
and influenza.

 

b.  All recent analyses provided to yourself on the evidence in the
published and peer reviewed scientific literature on the efficacy of mask
wearing in communities directly relating to the period of the COVID-19
pandemic November 2019 – May 3, 2022,  and the capacity for masking as
intervention to prevent to (a) prevent transmission of Sars-Cov-2
infection (b) prevent hospitalisation and death from Sars-Cov-2.

  (i) Please confirm that literature reviews of the scientific literature
have been undertaken to understand & evaluate the evidence in the
scientific literature over this period.

 

c. Data showing breakdown by decade, age 20-29 etc., the percentage of the
New Zealand population in these brackets or equivalent, that have been
previously infected with Sars-Cov-2.

 

d. Data demonstrating that in communities that have already been exposed
to COVID-19, that masking makes a meaningful difference in preventing
hospitalisation and death.

  (i) Please confirm that literature reviews of the scientific literature
have been undertaken to understand & evaluate the evidence in the
scientific literature over this period.

 

d. All reports, policies and analyses (including literature reviews of the
peer reviewed scientific literature) that review/consider the potential
for harm as a consequence of compulsory mask wearing in educational
institutions. This includes harm arising in mental health, issues for
those with hearing loss, potential for developmental delays and the
potential for increased truancy and uptake in early leavers due to the
requirement. This question asks that the data is broken down to identify
that the Minister has considered this risk profile at pre-school level,
primary level, intermediate level, secondary level and tertiary level.

  (i) Please confirm that literature reviews of the scientific literature
have been undertaken  to understand & evaluate the evidence in the
scientific literature over this period.

 

Please note that any response suggesting that this request should be
directed to the Ministry of Health will not be accepted, as this Official
Information Act request directly relates to the production of the
legislation noted above.

 

Therefore, this request considers that in order to take the step of
formalising exemption passes, the Minister would have a scientifically
sound basis for the evidence on masking preventing hospitalisation and
death in communities.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

J Bruning

 

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

 

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

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[4][FOI #19582 email]

 

Is [5][Chris Hipkins request email] the wrong address for Official
Information requests to Chris Hipkins? If so, please contact us using this
form:

[6]https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[7]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

 

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.

 

 

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

 

 

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

References

Visible links
2. mailto:[FOI #19582 email]
3. mailto:[Chris Hipkins request email]
4. mailto:[FOI #19582 email]
5. mailto:[Chris Hipkins request email]
6. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
7. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections