133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
14 September 2022
Lisa
By email: [FYI request #20256 email]
Ref:
H2022010466
Tēnā koe Lisa,
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manatū Hauora
(Ministry of Health) on 17 August 2022 for information regarding long COVID. You requested:
1. Please confirm how long COVID cases are identified, coded and recorded.
2. Please confirm the number of long COVID cases in New Zealand since we have started
recording this information and break into age groups in 10 year brackets.
3. Please confirm the vaccine status of the long COVID cases using unvaccinated (no
COVID vaccine received), partially vaccinated (1 COVID vaccine received), fully
vaccinated (2 COVID vaccines received) and boosted (2 COVID vaccines and at least 1
booster received).
There are currently two clinical definitions which come under the wider umbrella of ‘long COVID’
•
Ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 – Signs and symptoms of COVID-19 from 4 weeks
up to 12 weeks.
•
Post COVID-19 syndrome – Signs and symptoms that develop during or after an
infection consistent with COVID-19, continuing for more than 12 weeks and are not
explained by an alternative diagnosis.
Coding is currently being rolled out across the health sector. Manatū Hauora expects to begin
reporting on long COVID conditions in the next 2 months, once there is regular use of the code
allowing this information to be tracked. Therefore, your request is refused under section 18(g)(i)
as the information requested is not held by Manatū Hauora at this time. You may wish to make
a new request for this information at the end of the year.
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:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Martin Chadwick
Chief Al ied Health Professions Officer
Al ied Health Professions Office
Page 2 of 2