2 March 2021 Vaccination advice, BORA and medicine approval/safety/quality

Erika Whittome made this Official Information request to Public Service Commission

Currently waiting for a response from Public Service Commission, they must respond promptly and normally no later than (details and exceptions).

From: Erika Whittome

Dear Public Service Commission,
I refer to the advice "COVID-19 Workforce Vaccinations Guidance" on your website dated 2 March 2021:

https://web.archive.org/web/202105121412...

It says :
" On 3 February 2021, Medsafe the medicines safety authority approved the first Covid-19 vaccine for use in New Zealand. It has been robustly assessed to ensure it meets international standards and local requirements for quality and safety."

1. Please share the information on this medicine approval which the Public Service Commission received that said the medine was approved.

2. Please share the assessment which the Public Service Commission relied on to say that the medicine was robustly assessed for quality and safety.

The advice lauds vaccination and suggests making it a condition of employment agreements, for example:
"Expect: set an expectation that all staff should be vaccinated
Communicate an expectation that all staff who are able to be vaccinated will be vaccinated."

"For at-risk workforces, consider introducing a requirement for new employees to be vaccinated into employment agreements by agreement with any relevant unions."

"Vaccines should be administered in the workplace where possible"

3. Please share the analysis on the justified limitations on the NZ Bill of Rights 1990 which discusses the right to refuse medical treatment. I am requesting all the information (emails, correspondence, policy documents, meeting minutes etc) dated up to 2 March 2021 on the complete analysis of this demonstrably justified limitation on the Bill of Rights 1990.

Yours faithfully,

Erika Whittome

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From: Enquiries
Public Service Commission

Kia ora Erika

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of
your OIA request below.

We will endeavour to respond to your
request as soon as possible and in any event no later than 20 working days
after the day your request was received. If we are unable to respond to your
request by then, we will notify you of an extension of that timeframe.

If any additional factors come to light
which are relevant to your request, please do not hesitate to contact us so
that these can be taken into account.

Our letter notifying
you of our decision on your request will confirm if we intend to publish the
letter (with your personal details removed) and any related documents on the Te
Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission’s website.

Ngâ mihi nui

Enquiries Team
îmçra: [email address]

Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission
http://www.publicservice.govt.nz/ | http://www.govt.nz/

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