Injury Events from COVID-19 Vaccine by Age, Month and Dose

Chris Johnston made this Official Information request to Health New Zealand

Response to this request is long overdue. By law Health New Zealand should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.

From: Chris Johnston

Dear Health New Zealand,

This OIA seeks to establish if there has been an over proportional increase in Events within the NZ Health System as a result of the COVID-19 vaccination programme by Dose.

Please provide a machine readable dataset in csv format under the same Principles and Ways of Working as OIA https://fyi.org.nz/request/25021-number-...

A template dataset will be the basis for providing results – one metric at a time. This should enable a DBA/SQL analyst to write relatively efficient code.

TEMPLATE DATASET

Col1: Month of Dose - from 1 Jan 2019 to 31 Jan 2024 inclusive

Col2: Age at Dose - "0 to 30", "31 to 60", "61 to 80", "81+".

Col3: Last COVID-19 dose number: 0 where no dose was ever received.

Col4: Denominator:
a) If Col3=0 then Number of unvaccinated people in the “ealth Service User Population” as at the end of the month in Col1
b) If Col3>0 then the Number of people vaccinated in the month in Col1

Col5: Events <=30 days – the metrix that occurs within 30 days from the last dose in Col 3

Col6: Events <=90 days – as per Col5 but for 31 to 90 days

Col7: Events <=180 days – as per Col5 but for 91 to 180 days

Col8: Events <=365 days – as per Col5 but for 181 to 365 days

Col9: Events 366+ days – as per Col5 but for more than 365 days

METRICS

Each of the following metrics should vbe delivered a seperate csv file.

M1) Miscarriages in Hospital (ICD-10 codes under O03)
a) Do not worry if there are numbers in 366+ as this may indicate a problem with a subsequent pregnancy as a result of a dose.

M2) Person-Days of Mother from Last Dose
a) If Col3=0 then this is the number of person-days from 1 Jan 2019
b) If Col3>0 then this is the number of person-days from the last dose to the date of admission
c) Do not worry if there are numbers in 366+ as this may indicate a problem with a subsequent pregnancy as a result of a dose.

M3) Number of ER visitis (All Cause)

M4) ER visits (ICD-10 under I51 Cardiac)

M5) ER visits (ICD-10 under I60 through I69) Stroke Cranial

M6) Hospital Discharge Events – please specfiy whether this includes ER visits/discharges

M7) Hospital Inpatient Days

M8) Hospital Outpatient Events

M9) GP Visits

M10) Unique (Distinct) Count of People (NHI Numbers) across M1 to M9

NOTES:
N1) Suppression for <5 applies.

N2) Where a person generates a metric across multiple doses then the metrics that applied to those dose periods need to be applied. So a hospital stay where a 2nd dose was administered might a night beforehand (or even a previous admission) for for the first dose and a few nights after the 2nd dose if there were further complications.

Please Consult if there are any queries that may enable me to explain and/or simplify the question being asked above.

Yours faithfully,

Chris Johnston

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From: hnzOIA
Health New Zealand

Tēnā koe, 

 

Thank you for contacting Health NZ, Te Whatu Ora. This is an automatic
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Ngā mihi

 

Health NZ, Te Whatu Ora.

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From: hnzOIA
Health New Zealand


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Kia ora Chris

Thank you for your requests for official information, received on 26
February 2024 for: 
 
- Request - HNZ00039074
 
Please provide a machine readable dataset in csv format under the same
Principles and Ways of Working as OIA
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
A template dataset will be the basis for providing results – one metric at
a time. This should enable a DBA/SQL analyst to write relatively efficient
code.
TEMPLATE DATASET
Col1: Month of Dose - from 1 Jan 2019 to 31 Jan 2024 inclusive
Col2: Age at Dose - "0 to 30", "31 to 60", "61 to 80", "81+". 
Col3: Last COVID-19 dose number: 0 where no dose was ever received.
Col4: Denominator:
a) If Col3=0 then Number of unvaccinated people in the “ealth Service User
Population” as at the end of the month in Col1
b) If Col3>0 then the Number of people vaccinated in the month in Col1
Col5: Events <=30 days – the metrix that occurs within 30 days from the
last dose in Col 3
Col6: Events <=90 days – as per Col5 but for 31 to 90 days
Col7: Events <=180 days – as per Col5 but for 91 to 180 days
Col8: Events <=365 days – as per Col5 but for 181 to 365 days
Col9: Events 366+ days  – as per Col5 but for more than 365 days
METRICS
Each of the following metrics should vbe delivered a seperate csv file.
M1) Miscarriages in Hospital (ICD-10 codes under O03)
a) Do not worry if there are numbers in 366+ as this may indicate a
problem with a subsequent pregnancy as a result of a dose.
M2) Person-Days of Mother from Last Dose
a) If Col3=0 then this is the number of person-days from 1 Jan 2019
b) If Col3>0 then this is the number of person-days from the last dose to
the date of admission
c) Do not worry if there are numbers in 366+ as this may indicate a
problem with a subsequent pregnancy as a result of a dose.
M3) Number of ER visitis (All Cause)
M4) ER visits (ICD-10 under I51 Cardiac) 
M5) ER visits (ICD-10 under I60 through I69) Stroke Cranial 
M6) Hospital Discharge Events – please specfiy whether this includes ER
visits/discharges
M7) Hospital Inpatient Days
M8) Hospital Outpatient Events
M9) GP Visits
M10) Unique (Distinct) Count of People (NHI Numbers) across M1 to M9
NOTES:
N1) Suppression for <5 applies.
N2) Where a person generates a metric across multiple doses then the
metrics that applied to those dose periods need to be applied.  So a
hospital stay where a 2nd dose was administered might a night beforehand
(or even a previous admission) for for the first dose and a few nights
after the 2nd dose if there were further complications.
 
- Request - HNZ00039162
 
1) Can you please confirm the total number of COVID vaccination records
(doses) that were covered by the dataset? Also break this down by Month
and Dose Number.
So Col1 = Month of Dose, Col 2 = Dose Number, Cold 3 = Number Vaccinated.
 10 people given dose 3 in Feb 2023 would generate a record like
"202302,3,10".  The dataset would have a final record that read: "Total,
Total, <total number of doses>"
2) Please provide the number of people in the "Health Service User
Population" as at the end of each month from from 1 Jan 2019 to 31 Jan
2024 inclusive.  Note that this should be consistent with the definition
requested in an earlier request in this OIA trail. This term was used by
Health NZ in its response so it needs to be quantified as a denominator.
3) Can you please confirm that the deaths in each category do not include
the deaths in previous dose categories.  For example do the 169 deaths in
2022-11 for 41-60 years olds after 3 doses that are marked "<=365" exclude
the <5 deaths in  the "<=180" category and the <5 in the "<=90" category
in the 4th column.  The numbers in the Dose 4 category for the same month
seem to confirm that this is the case but we want to confirm (i.e. 8 for
"<365" is less than the the 24 Count for "<1=180".
4) There seems to be a discrepancy between the total deaths in this OIA
and the stats at this data source:
infoshare.stats.govt.nz
fyi.org.nz/request/25021.
This discrepancy grows in time as shown in a graph on these posts on X:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Can Health NZ please confirm that the total death stats are accurate
compared to the Infoshare site - especially if you are the source of the
information at Stats as well as this OIA?
5) Are the deaths up to 31 Dec 2023 inclusive rather than 1 Dec 2023 as
stated in the Summary tab of the OIA spreadsheet response?
AUGMENTED DATASET.
6) Can the following dataset based on Ticket Reference RT-268 please be
provided.
Col1: Month of Death - from 1 Jan 2019 to 31 Jan 2024 inclusive
Col2: Age at Death - Redefine to "0 to 30", "31 to 60", "61 to 80", "81+".
Col3: Last COVID-19 dose number - keep as is
Col4: Days between last vaccination and death - leave as is
Col5: Count of Deaths - re-label
Col6: Total of Person-Days -
a) Where Dose = 1 to n: The number of "person-days" to the date of death
for the people who died in that month since their last dose. So if only 2
people died in a month for a Dose, age group and timeframe then Col5 would
be "<5" but if they dies 60 and 40 days after their last dose then
"person-days" would be 100.
b) Where Dose = 0: The number of person-days from 1 Jan 2019 to the date
of death.
c) This does not reveal identity but allows %'s to be calculated.  Age
groups have also been redefined/merged to minimise the occurrence of
"<5"'s.
7) For the dataset in (6) please also provide additional rows for Age
Group Totals. This is to ensure that we can reconcile and validate the
accuracy of the numbers being returned.  Therefore we expect rows like:
No Dose Summary: "Total,0 to 30, 0, Total, <Total Count of Deaths>,<Total
Person-Days>" 
At Least 1 Dose Summary: "Total,0 to 30, 1 to n, Total, <Total Count of
Deaths>,<Total Person-Days>" 
... and similar for other Age Groups
This is a follow up to this OIA on PROCESS AND COMMUNICATIONS
1) Please provide all documentation of involvement of an Ethics Committee
in relation to any COVID Vaccine safety signal and/or vaccine
injuries/death and/or this OIA since 1 Dec 2024.  Without limiting by
example, an Ethics Committee referral/discussion/finding may have
considered issues such as the level of evidence of a safety signal,
whether to notify other agencies, and/or the public.
2) Please provide all communications related to, or discussing or as a
result of this OIA since this OIA was received by the Ministry of Health
to the date it was transferred to Health NZ.
3) Please provide all communications related to, or discussing or as a
result of this OIA since this OIA was referred to Health NZ to the date
this OIA was responded to on 16 Feb 2024.
4) Please provide all communications related to, or discussing or as a
result of this OIA (in whole or in part) since this OIA was responded to
on 16 Feb 2024.
5) Where other OIAs have referred to this OIA please provide a simple list
and details of each request.
For all items above "Communications" refers to Records within Health NZ,
with any Minister, or any other agency - whether electronic or paper based
- including minutes/notes by officials. Where any part of an email chain
is relevant, then the whole email chain is requested.
 
After scoping your requests with the relevant parts of the organisation,
it appears that your requests would require a substantial amount of work
to collate. Are you able to refine your requests in order for us to
collate the information in a manner that is feasible.

We look forward to receiving your response. 

Ngâ mihi

Jeremy Short (He/Him)
Senior Advisor | Ministerial Services
 
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

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From: Chris Johnston

Dear hnzOIA,

Thanks for your reply

Each request is separate and distinct, but follows from the original OIA.

If it helps, please focus on the datasets. I can follow up with the other items later.

My estimation is that each of the datasets should take no longer than the dataset in the original request - which was acceptable as an OIA to Health NZ in that it completed it satisfactorily.

In fact the augmentation dataset should be marginal effort given that it builds directly upon the original query.

Where there is still a problem I may be able to assist you better in your Consultation with me if you can provide the effort that you have identified is required for each element. If a conversation would assist then please let me know a contact person to phone.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Johnston

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From: hnzOIA


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Kia ora Chris,
 
Please find attached our response to your Official Information Act
requests.
 
If you have any questions, please get in touch at
[1][email address
 
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a
complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available
at [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.

Ngā mihi,

Jeremy Short (He/Him)
Senior Advisor | Ministerial Services

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
 
Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
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References

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From: Chris Johnston

Dear hnzOIA,

Thanks for your reply.

Your Consultation is incomplete as you failed to clarify my response which you have clearly not understood,.....

"If it helps, please focus on the datasets. I can follow up with the other items later."

....nor have you responded to the question posed.

"Where there is still a problem I may be able to assist you better in your Consultation with me if you can provide the effort that you have identified is required for each element. If a conversation would assist then please let me know a contact person to phone."

Your Consultation needs to be reasonable and undertaken in good faith.

By "focus on the datasets" I meant:
- HNZ00039074 - Items 6 and 7 and
- HNZ00039162

Please let me know whether these items are able to be produced, or provide me with a contact person with whom I can discuss to come to a reasonable agreement.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Johnston

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