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Our standard hours are 7am-5pm Monday to Friday.

Need medical help? Call Healthline 0800 611 116 (or in an emergency dial
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Need to talk? Call or text 1737
To find more about the Ministry, please visit our website:
[1]www.health.govt.nz
If you have any health related concerns about COVID-19 or have symptoms of
COVID-19, please ring Healthline on 0800 358 5453
For information and the latest updates about COVID-19 please visit:
[2]https://covid19.govt.nz/

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http://www.health.govt.nz/
2. https://covid19.govt.nz/
https://covid19.govt.nz/

This is an auto-reply to acknowledge the receipt of your email.

Our standard hours are 7am-5pm Monday to Friday.

Need medical help? Call Healthline 0800 611 116 (or in an emergency dial
111)
Need to talk? Call or text 1737
To find more about the Ministry, please visit our website:
[1]www.health.govt.nz
If you have any health related concerns about COVID-19 or have symptoms of
COVID-19, please ring Healthline on 0800 358 5453
For information and the latest updates about COVID-19 please visit:
[2]https://covid19.govt.nz/

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References

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1. www.health.govt.nz
http://www.health.govt.nz/
2. https://covid19.govt.nz/
https://covid19.govt.nz/

Kia ora M

Thank you for your email of 11 July 2022 requesting information relating
to COVID-19 vaccinations. 

 

As part of the health and disability system reforms, as of 1 July 2022 the
functions previously under the Manatū Hauora National Immunisation
Programme have transferred to Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand (Te Whatu
Ora). As the matters you have raised now fall under the functions of Te
Whatu Ora, our agency will respond to your request which has been
considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). I shall
quote and respond to each part of your request below. 

 

What specific advice is provided to the public by you (The collective "We"
that the Spokesperson refers to in the STUFF quote), in relation to this
COVID-19 Vaccine effectiveness and safety? (This question is not about
general comments on vaccine safety and effectiveness but rather about the
specific advise such as but not limited to Health warnings, lists of known
adverse events, potentials adverse events liked to the vaccine, advice on
when to seek medical advice from a doctor etc). 

 

Where can this advice be found? Please provide links, (and a list of that
specific advice if the links include unrelated
content/advice/information)? 

 

Information relating to COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness and safety is
available on the Medsafe website at the following links. This includes
information about adverse events following immunisation (AEFI).  

*  [1]www.medsafe.govt.nz/Medicines/infoSearch.asp 
* [2]www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/safety-monitoring.asp 
* [3]www.medsafe.govt.nz/safety/SafetyCommunications.asp  

 

What specific advice is provided to health authorities? Please provide
links, (and a list of that specific advice if the links include unrelated
content/advice/information)? 

 

Where can advice be found, if publicly available, if not publicly
accessible provide the current advice? 

 

Please provide a list of ALL the health sector authorities and other
organisations that receive this advice. If they do not all get the same
advice then what advice do they each receive? 

 

Information relating to COVID-19 information, which is provided to health
authorities, is publicly available on the Manatū Hauora website: 

* [4]www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-information-health-professionals/covid-19-advice-all-health-professionals 
* [5]www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines/covid-19-vaccine-information-health-professionals 
* [6]www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines/covid-19-vaccine-information-health-professionals#aefi 

What information on (COVID_19) Vaccine safety is being kept?(provide links
to or provide the information). 

What information on (COVID_19) Vaccine effectiveness is being
kept?(provide links or provide the studies). 

 

Information relating to the safety and effectiveness of the COVID -19
vaccination can be found at:  

 

The Coronavirus Immunisation
handbook: [7]www.health.govt.nz/our-work/immunisation-handbook-2020/5-coronavirus-disease-covid-19. This
also provides references to scientific studies conducted regarding
COVID-19 and the vaccine.   

 

The vaccine
datasheet: [8]www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/Datasheet/c/comirnatyinj.pdf . Medsafe
also publishes up to date information regarding the Comirnaty vaccine,
including its clinical efficacy and
safety: [9]www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/PUArticles/June2021/Spotlight-on-Comirnaty-vaccine.html.   

   

Ministry webpage regarding vaccine safety and
efficacy: [10]www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines/covid-19-vaccine-effectiveness-and-protection   

  

The Ministry also regularly updates the Science News page for up to date
information regarding COVID-19 and the
Vaccine: [11]https://www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-nove...

 

Information relating to variants of concern is published every 2 to 3
weeks on the Ministry’s website. It is available at
[12]www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-resources-and-tools/covid-19-science-news 

 

How is this information being collected and who is collecting it? 

 

The National Immunisation Programme (NIP) and Medsafe lead national
collection and reporting of vaccine safety data. The Public Health Agency
has contracted with Airfinity, an international organisation to provide
weekly presentations and bi-weekly reports on vaccine effectiveness and
safety. We also conduct media scans on a regular basis, and collate
evidence briefs on specific vaccine related topics as requested from
Policy, NIP, the Director-General or the Minister. 

 

How is this information being evaluated/assessed to determine vaccine
effectiveness and safety? 

 

International studies/data on vaccines vary in terms of methodology used.
Science and Technical Advisory  (STA) within Manatū Hauora assesses
limitations of data and studies we report on including methods of
collection (e.g., limited sample size), analysis and reporting. The
information collated is frequently presented to the COVID-19 Vaccine
Technical Advisory Group (CVTAG) (consisting of experts in immunology and
epidemiology) that provide further advice and recommendations on vaccines.
STA are also in the process of assessing emerging vaccines against safety
and effectiveness. Criteria used to assess vaccines include, and are not
limited to safety and reactogenicity, vaccine effectiveness against
infection, transmission, hospitalisation, severe disease and death,
duration of protection, breadth of immunity, vaccine efficacy and
immunogenicity. 

 

What are the International Studies that are being used for comparison to
the New Zealand data and were can they be found, (provide links or provide
the studies)? 

 

All international studies and New Zealand data used to guide previous
CVTAG recommendations have been published here:
[13]www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/leadership-ministry/expert-groups/covid-19-vaccine-technical-advisory-group-cv-tag.

I trust the information provided is of assistance. You are advised of your
right to also raise any concerns with the Office of the Ombudsman.
Information about how to do this is available at:
[14]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602. 

Ngā mihi 

  

OIA Services Team 

M[15]inistry of Health information releases 
U[16]nite against COVID-19 

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References

Visible links
1. http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/Medicines/inf...
2. http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/safe...
3. http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/safety/Safety...
4. http://www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel...
5. http://www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel...
6. http://www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel...
7. https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/immu....
8. https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/Datash...
9. https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/PUArti...
10. https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...
11. https://www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-nove...
12. http://www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel...
13. http://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry...
14. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
15. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
16. https://covid19.govt.nz/