Dear New Zealand Defence Force,

This is a follow-up request under the Official Information Act 1982, referencing your response dated 30 March 2026 to OIA request 33924 (OIA-2026-5687) and the earlier response dated 15 January 2026 to request 33203.
In the 30 March 2026 response you stated that:
The routine annual review of the NZDF baseline vaccination schedule was completed by 5 February 2026.
The NZDF Vaccination Treatment Protocols were re-issued on 4 February 2026 (version 5.00) with no change to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement.
However, “the requirement is now under further review” because of the change in the New Zealand Ministry of Health Immunisation Handbook dated 11 March 2026.
Please provide the following information:
All documents, minutes, briefings, emails, risk assessments, decision records, or other material created or considered as part of this further review, including any assessment of how the 11 March 2026 Immunisation Handbook changes (particularly the risk-stratified approach and reduced routine recommendation for additional doses in healthy adults aged 30–64) apply to NZDF serving members and recruits.
The current exact text of Defence Health Rule 31 (post-4 February 2026) and the full Vaccination Treatment Protocols version 5.00 (re-issued 4 February 2026).
The timeline for the further review, including any expected completion date, interim findings, or next steps.
Any NZDF-specific analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 baseline requirement on recruitment, retention, or operational readiness, undertaken in light of the 11 March 2026 Handbook update.
Any documents relating to consideration of reinstatement or re-enlistment pathways for the personnel previously discharged for non-compliance with the COVID-19 vaccination requirement (~164 as previously referenced), in the context of the further review.
If, for any part of this request, you consider that specific documents do not exist, please explain why a formal further review of a baseline health requirement (triggered by an official change in national clinical guidance) would not have generated any written records, minutes, or decision documentation.
Given the public interest in NZDF personnel policy, force readiness, and recruitment at a time of known workforce pressures, I request that this response — and any documents released — be considered for proactive publication on www.nzdf.mil.nz.

Thank you.
Regards,
Mr Richards