Accuracy of Deaths Attributed to Covid-19, Timeframes & Processes
Chris McCashin made this Official Information request to Ministry of Health
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From: Chris McCashin
Dear Ministry of Health,
Given the Ministry of Health previously allocated a gunshot death to the Covid-19 death statistics is the Ministry of Health confident that they have an accurate data set attributing deaths to Covid-19?
Can the Ministry of Health please provide the following
- Process documents, sequence of events, pathology tests, any and all tests done to determine that the deceased should be classed as a death attributed to Covid-19
- Average time taken for the deceased to be classified as a death attributed to Covid-19, eg from the time they die to when they are added to the statistical dataset
- The Medsafe report states that deaths are removed from the dataset if a person dies after 28 days from a positive test and the death subsequently turns out to be unrelated to Covid-19. Based on that information can you confirm the timeframe. How long is it after a positive Covid-19 test are persons automatically put into the death attributed to Covid-19? 40 days? 50 days? 60 days? 70 days? One year?
- If a person does die and is automatically put into the category above what is the average time taken for the death to be determined and either added / kept in / or removed from the dataset?
- Can you also provide total number of influenza deaths 2000 - 2022 per month and also total number of Covid deaths last few years per month
In conclusion can the Ministry of Health confirm they can accurately determine a death attributed to Covid, do this in a timely manner, complete all the PM analysis (if any) and be confident that the person died from Covid 100% and have all the tools / information to do so?
And if there is any doubt is it Ministry of Health policy to include it as a death from Covid as best practice? Or can the Ministry of Health as noted above 100% confirm the cause of death?
Please respond on Ministry of Health letterhead.
Yours faithfully,
Chris
From: OIA Requests
Kia ora Chris,
Thank you for your request for official information received on 8
February 2023 requesting:
“- Process documents, sequence of events, pathology tests, any and all
tests done to determine that the deceased should be classed as a death
attributed to Covid-19
- Average time taken for the deceased to be classified as a death
attributed to Covid-19, eg from the time they die to when they are added
to the statistical dataset
- The Medsafe report states that deaths are removed from the dataset if a
person dies after 28 days from a positive test and the death subsequently
turns out to be unrelated to Covid-19. Based on that information can you
confirm the timeframe. How long is it after a positive Covid-19 test are
persons automatically put into the death attributed to Covid-19? 40 days?
50 days? 60 days? 70 days? One year?
- If a person does die and is automatically put into the category above
what is the average time taken for the death to be determined and either
added / kept in / or removed from the dataset?
- Can you also provide total number of influenza deaths 2000 - 2022 per
month and also total number of Covid deaths last few years per month
In conclusion can the Ministry of Health confirm they can accurately
determine a death attributed to Covid, do this in a timely manner,
complete all the PM analysis (if any) and be confident that the person
died from Covid 100% and have all the tools / information to do so?
And if there is any doubt is it Ministry of Health policy to include it as
a death from Covid as best practice? Or can the Ministry of Health as
noted above 100% confirm the cause of death?"
The Ministry of Health has decided to extend the period of time available
to respond to your request under section 15A of the Official Information
Act 1982 (the Act) as consultations are necessary to make a decision on
the request are such that a proper response to the request cannot
reasonably be made within the original time limit.
You can now expect a response to your request on, or before, 16 March
2023.
You have the right, under section 28 of the Act, to ask the Ombudsman to
review my decision to extend the time available to respond to your
request.
Ngâ mihi
OIA Services Team
Manatû Hauora | Ministry of Health
M[1]inistry of Health information releases
U[2]nite against COVID-19
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References
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1. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
2. https://covid19.govt.nz/
From: OIA Requests
Kia ora Chris,
Please find attached a response to your request for information.
Ngā mihi
OIA Services Team
Manatū Hauora | Ministry of Health
M[1]inistry of Health information releases
U[2]nite against COVID-19
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References
Visible links
1. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
2. https://covid19.govt.nz/
From: Chris McCashin
Dear OIA Requests,
Can I please request some additional information in excel format, assume this should be easy to produce.
Date of vaccination(s), Date of positive Covid test, Date of death
Can you also do a transfer to the other agency requesting the influenza numbers I have asked for.
Yours sincerely,
Chris McCashin
From: OIA Requests
Kia ora Chris
Thank you for your request under the OIA, received on 9 March 2023,
As required under the Official Information Act 1982, the Ministry will
endeavour to respond to your request no later than [1]20 working days
after the day your request was received. If we are unable to respond to
your request within this time frame, we will notify you of an extension of
that time frame. If you have any queries related to this request, please
do not hesitate to get in touch.
Ngā mihi
OIA Services Team
Manatū Hauora
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From: OIA Requests
Kia ora Chris,
Please find attached a response to your request for information.
Ngā mihi
OIA Services Team
Manatū Hauora | Ministry of Health
M[1]inistry of Health information releases
U[2]nite against COVID-19
show quoted sections
References
Visible links
1. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
2. https://covid19.govt.nz/
From: hnzOIA
Tēnā koe,
Thank you for contacting Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ. This is an automatic
reply to confirm that we have received your email. Depending on the
nature of your request you may not receive a response for up to 20 working
days. We will try to respond to your query as quickly as possible.
s information that is identified to be of general public interest, the
response may also be published on our website. If we e response to your
OIA request, all personal information, including your name and contact
details will be removed.
Ngā mihi
Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ.
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From: Chris McCashin
Dear hnzOIA,
Please respond with this information it is now overdue
Yours sincerely,
Chris McCashin
From: hnzOIA
Tēnā koe Chris
Thank you for your email asking for the following information under the
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
“Can I please request some additional information in excel format, assume
this should be
easy to produce. Date of vaccination(s), Date of positive Covid test, Date
of death
Can you also do a transfer to the other agency requesting the influenza
numbers I have
asked for.”
This email is to let you know that Te Whatu Ora needs more time to make a
decision on your request.
The Act requires that we advise you of our decision on your request no
later than 20 working days after the day we received your request.
Unfortunately, it will not be possible to meet that time limit and we are
therefore writing to notify you of an extension of the time to make our
decision, to 1 May 2023.
This extension is required because the consultations of information is
such that necessary to make a decision on your request are such that a
proper response cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit.
If you have any questions, please contact us at [1][email address]
If you are not happy with this extension, you have the right to make a
complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available
at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Nāku iti noa, nā
[insert your contact details]
Ministerial Services
Government, Partnership & Risk
Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
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1. mailto:[email address]
From: Chris McCashin
Dear hnzOIA,
Can you please provide this information as it is now overdue.
Yours sincerely,
Chris McCashin
From: hnzOIA
Dear Chris McCashin,
Please accept my sincerest apologies about the delay in getting the
information you have requested.
Your request is currently being finalised and should be with you within
the next 2 – 5 working days (if not earlier).
Please note, your request is of the highest priority, and we are working
as fast as we can to get this to you. We appreciate your for your
patience.
In the meantime, if you have any other questions, please get in touch on
[1][email address]
John (Sione) Tuita-Alofi
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1. mailto:[email address]
From: Chris McCashin
Dear hnzOIA,
This has now been outside the 2-5 days so can a response please be provided.
Yours sincerely,
Chris McCashin
From: Chris McCashin
Dear hnzOIA,
On 3 May 2023 I received a response saying my request would be 2-5 days. This is still outstanding. Please provide a response ASAP.
Yours sincerely,
Chris McCashin
From: hnzOIA
Kia ora Chris,
We apologise for the delay in responding to your request. Thank you for
your request for information regarding vaccinations and deaths related
covid-19. Please find attached our response attached.
If you have any questions, please get in touch at
[1][email address].
Ngā mihi,
Te Whatu Ora Ministerial Team
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1. mailto:[email address]
From: Chris McCashin
Dear hnzOIA,
I’ve made a complaint to Ombudsman - I don’t require any personal information. You can code this anyway you wish - l just require raw data in excel format.
Yours sincerely,
Chris McCashin
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