133 Molesworth
Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
27 October 2021
Robin Benson
By email: [FYI request #16894 email]
Ref:
H202113152
Tēnā koe Robin
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to the Ministry of
Health (the Ministry) on 27 September 2021 for:
“Please provide definitions or other determinative factors of Covid19 vaccinated vs
unvaccinated that are used and wil be used in NZ to differentiate between these.”
In relation to New Zealand's COVID-19 vaccination programme, using the Pfizer vaccine,
the Ministry considers vaccination status as the fol owing:
• Someone who is unvaccinated has not received any vaccination;
• Someone who has received one dose is partly vaccinated; and
• Someone who has received two doses is fully vaccinated.
While these are the Ministry's definitions, it has no control over the descriptors used by
others. There is more information about COVID-19 vaccines at:
www.health.govt.nz/our-
work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines/covid-19-how-
vaccine-works.
The definitions used at the border, where someone has been vaccinated overseas, are the
same as those used for people vaccinated in New Zealand, namely that one dose means a
person is partly vaccinated and two doses means they are fully vaccinated. However, if the
person has received the Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine overseas (which is a single-
dose vaccine), they are deemed fully vaccinated with one dose.
Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-
official-information-act-requests.
Nāku noa, nā
Fiona Michel
Acting National Director
COVID-19 Vaccine and Immunisation Programme
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