Kia ora Richard,  

  

Thank you for your request for official information. The Ministry's
reference number for your request is: H2022012603.  

  

As required under the Official Information Act 1982, the Ministry will
endeavour to respond to your request no later than 20 working days after
the day your request was received. If you'd like to calculate the
timeframe, you can use the Ombudsman's online calculator
here: [1]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/  

  

If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch. 

 

Ngā mihi 

  

OIA Services Team 

M[2]inistry of Health information releases 
U[3]nite against COVID-19 

 
------------------- Original Message -------------------
From: Richard Wang <[FOI #20552 email]>;
Received: Wed Sep 14 2022 08:53:44 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
To: OIA Requests <[email address]>; OIA <[email address]>;
Subject: Official Information request - Change to COVID updating frequency

Dear Ministry of Health,

I understand that you are changing from reporting COVID numbers daily, to
reporting weekly. People are questioning why this change, which both
systematically reduces the PR impact of daily reporting COVID death
numbers resulting from the failure to keep COVID out of New Zealand, and
increases the friction for researchers monitoring for the inevitable boom
in case numbers, was made.

1) Please provide all information held by MoH in regards this decision,
preferably in electronic form, this should include internal reports and
communications with other agencies and ministers.
2) The Official Information Act does not only cover documents, but
information held by employees of an agency subject to such. In discussions
regarding the change from daily to weekly reporting, was the impact on
public perception of weekly reporting vs. daily reporting mentioned by any
participant at any point, and if so, in what context?

Cheers,
Richard Wang

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This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

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Is [Ministry of Health request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests
to Ministry of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
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Kia ora Richard,

Thank you for your request for official information, received on 14
September 2022 requesting:

“I understand that you are changing from reporting COVID numbers daily, to
reporting weekly. People are questioning why this change, which both
systematically reduces the PR impact of daily reporting COVID death
numbers resulting from the failure to keep COVID out of New Zealand, and
increases the friction for researchers monitoring for the inevitable boom
in case numbers, was made.

1) Please provide all information held by MoH in regards this decision,
preferably in electronic form, this should include internal reports and
communications with other agencies and ministers.

2) The Official Information Act does not only cover documents, but
information held by employees of an agency subject to such. In discussions
regarding the change from daily to weekly reporting, was the impact on
public perception of weekly reporting vs. daily reporting mentioned by any
participant at any point, and if so, in what context?”

 

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, 3 November
2022.

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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Kia ora Richard,

Thank you for your request for official information, received on 14
September 2022 requesting:

“I understand that you are changing from reporting COVID numbers daily, to
reporting weekly. People are questioning why this change, which both
systematically reduces the PR impact of daily reporting COVID death
numbers resulting from the failure to keep COVID out of New Zealand, and
increases the friction for researchers monitoring for the inevitable boom
in case numbers, was made.

1) Please provide all information held by MoH in regards this decision,
preferably in electronic form, this should include internal reports and
communications with other agencies and ministers.
2) The Official Information Act does not only cover documents, but
information held by employees of an agency subject to such. In
discussions regarding the change from daily to weekly reporting, was the
impact on public perception of weekly reporting vs. daily reporting
mentioned by any participant at any point, and if so, in what context?”

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, 3 November
2022.

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. The Ombudsman may be contacted
by email at: [1][email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.

Ngâ mihi 

OIA Services Team

Manatû Hauora | Ministry of Health

M[2]inistry of Health information releases 
U[3]nite against COVID-19 

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Kia ora Richard
 
 
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act) to Manatû Hauora on 14 September 2022 for information regarding
COVID-19 reporting. You requested:

“I understand that you are changing from reporting COVID numbers daily, to
reporting weekly. People are questioning why this change, which both
systematically reduces the PR impact of daily reporting COVID death
numbers resulting from the failure to keep COVID out of New Zealand and
increases the friction for researchers monitoring for the inevitable boom
in case numbers, was made.

1) Please provide all information held by MoH in regards this decision,
preferably in electronic form, this should include internal reports and
communications with other agencies and ministers.
2) The Official Information Act does not only cover documents, but
information held by employees of an agency subject to such. In discussions
regarding the change from daily to weekly reporting, was the impact on
public perception of weekly reporting vs. daily reporting mentioned by any
participant at any point, and if so, in what context?”
 
On 13 October 2022, the due date for responding to your request was
extended pursuant to section 15A of 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. Please
accept our apologies for the delay in communicating a decision on your
request.

At this stage, two documents have been identified within scope of your
request. These are being released to you with some information withheld
under section 9(2)(a) of the Act, to protect personal privacy.
Unfortunately, additional time is required to administratively process the
release of the documents. Manatû Hauora endeavours to release this
information to you as soon as possible, and no later than  17 November
2022.
 
Turning to the second part of your request, please note the move to weekly
reporting reflects the change in the pandemic response and brings
reporting of COVID-19 data more into line with the reporting of other
communicable diseases, which are reported on either weekly (influenza
during the annual flu season) or monthly (for other notifiable diseases).

Other countries, such as Australia, have made a similar decision to adjust
COVID-19 reporting frequencies. Australia is moving to weekly reporting
from the end of this week. The weekly figures will continue to include
seven-day averages for case numbers, deaths and hospitalisations. As you
have noted, from late September Manatû Hauora started publishing each week
its analysis of trends and insights based on the latest collected COVID-19
data.

Manatû Hauora will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation, as we have
done since the start of the pandemic, and more frequent reporting can be
reactivated in future, should that be required.

I trust this information partially fulfils your request.
 
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: [1][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602.
 
Ngâ mihi
 
OIA Services Team
 
[2]www.health.govt.nz
[3]Ministry of Health information releases
[4]OIA request rules and guidelines
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Kia ora Richard

 

Please find attached the 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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