29 November 2022 
 
 
S Hill 
[FYI request #20907 email] 
 
Ref: OIA-2022/23-0332 
Dear S Hill 
 
Official Information Act request regarding reasoning for COVID-19 restrictions 
 
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request, partially transferred from 
Te Whatu Ora on 14 November 2022. You requested: 
 
“What was the reason for locking down society until the threshold of 90% 
vaccination was achieved if the Vaccine was not proven to reduce transmission 
of the COVID-19 virus?” 
 
I am interpreting your question to be about the transition from the COVID-19 Alert Levels to 
the  COVID-19  Protection Framework (the Framework) in  December 2021. Before the 
Framework was put in place, Cabinet removed the 90% vaccination targets that were set to 
transition the country to the Framework. More information regarding this decision by Cabinet 
can be found in the Cabinet Paper Implementing the COVID-19 Framework  which  is 
available on the Unite Against COVID-19 (UAC) website: 
COVID-19-Implementing-the-COVID-19-Protection-Framework.pdf (covid19.govt.nz) 
 
For further information regarding the Framework and decision-making, please refer to 
documents published on the Alert Level System and COVID-19 Protection Framework page 
on the UAC website:  
https:/ covid19.govt.nz/about-our-covid-19-response/proactive-releases/alert-levels-and-
restrictions/ 
 
Accordingly, I am refusing this part of your request under section 18(d) of the Act, as the 
information requested is publicly available.  
 
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under 
section 28(3) of the Act. 
 
This response may  be published on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s 
website during our regular publication cycle. Typically, information is released monthly, or as 
otherwise determined. Your personal information including name and contact details wil  be 
removed for publication. 
 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
 
 
Katrina Casey 
Deputy Chief Executive 
COVID-19 Group 
 
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011 
4671280 
 
  64 4 817 9698  www.dpmc.govt.nz 
 

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