133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
17 November 2022
Richard Wang
By email: [FYI request #20552 email]
Ref: H2022012603
Tēnā koe Richard
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manatū 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 that 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.
Two documents have been identified within scope of your request, as itemised in the appendix
overleaf. Where information is withheld under section 9 of the Act, I have considered the
countervailing public interest in release in making this decision and consider that it does not
outweigh the need to withhold at this time.
The move to reporting COVID-19 data on a weekly basis reflects the change in the pandemic
response and the frequency of reporting aligns 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 the frequency of
COVID-19 reporting. 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. In addition, from late September Manatū Hauora started publishing each week
its analysis of trends and insights based on the latest collected COVID-19 data.
It’s important to note that while we have moved to reporting weekly rather than daily, daily case
data has continued to be publicly available to media and research organisations.
Manatū 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 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:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Manatū Hauora website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-
official-information-act-requests. Nāku noa, nā
Dr Andrew Old
Deputy Director-General
Public Health Agency | Te Pou Hauora Tūmatanui
Page 2 of 3
Appendix 1: List of documents for release
#
Date
Document details
Decision on release
1
26 August 2022
Memo:
Discontinuing the Daily
Released in full
COVID-19 Situational Report
2
9 September 2022
Memo:
COVID-19 Weekly
Released with some
Situation Report: Joint Paper
information withheld under the
from Te Whatu Ora and Public
following sections of the Act:
Health Agency, Manatū Hauroa
• 9(2)(a) – to protect
personal privacy;
• 9(2)(g)(i) – to maintain
the effective conduct of
public affairs through
the free and frank
expression of opinions
by or between or to
Ministers of the Crown
or members of an
organisation or officers
and employees of any
public service agency
or organisation in the
course of their duty.
Page 3 of 3
