18 June 2024
C182306
Colin Whiting
[FYI request #25058 email]
Tēnā koe Colin,
Thank you for your email of 21 May 2024 to the Department of Corrections – Ara Poutama
Aotearoa, requesting clarification on a response previously provided to you relating to
COVID-19 exemption clauses (Our reference C177729 & C176430). Your request has been
considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).
You requested:
For those fully vaccinated staff who were granted the 14 day 'special leave' prior to
15th May 2022, was this 'special leave' for frontline staff who had contracted
Covid19 and were therefore absent as being sick, or was it also for any staff member
who had tested positive for Covid19 without showing any symptoms, and therefore
not being absent as sick?
Or did both of these above categories qualify for the 14 day 'special leave', awaiting
the outcome of a Booster Exemption or extension application, submitted to the
Director General of The Ministry Health?
Both categories qualified for the 14-day special leave.
Once a staff member had contracted or tested positive for Covid19, and a Booster
Exemption was submitted to the Director General of The Ministry of Health, was their
booster date extended for 6 months following the time they had tested positive for
Covid19, or for 6 months extending on from the date of their next Booster?
Prior to 15 May 2022, the due date for a COVID 19 booster vaccine would be extended by
three months from the date that a staff member first tested positive for COIVD 19.
NATIONAL OFFICE, WELLINGTON
Mayfair House, 44 – 52 The Terrace, Wellington, 6011, Private Box 1206, Wellington 6140,
Phone +64 4 460 3000
www.corrections.govt.nz
2
Can you also clarify that the Booster extension was for 6 months and not the 3
months, as mentioned in an earlier paragraph of your reply quoted below?
"As you are aware, the Ministry of Health advised that people who tested positive for
COVID19 should wait three months after they test positive before receiving their
booster vaccination."
As we have previously advised, under the Vaccinations Order prior to 15 May 2022, staff
who tested positive for COVID-19 were unable to return to work inside the security
perimeter of a prison for up to three months without a Ministry of Health temporary
medical exemption
. Furthermore,
prior to 15 May 2022, the due date for a COVID-19
booster vaccine would be extended by three months from the date said staff member first
tested positive for COIVD-19.
Finally, how many successful Covid19 Booster Exemptions ("temporary medical
exemption") were granted by The Director General of the Ministry of Health, for
Corrections Staff prior to May15th 2022? (Subtracted from the overall 220 following
May 15) Also how many Corrections staff were unsuccessful in being granted the
"temporary medical exemption" for the Covid19 Booster prior to May 15th 2022,
from The Director General of The Ministry of Health?
169 Corrections staff members were granted a temporary medical exemption by the
Director General of the Ministry of Health prior to 15 May 2022. No staff were unsuccessful
in being granted a temporary medical exemption.
Please note that this response may be published on Corrections’ website. Typically,
responses are published quarterly, or as otherwise determined. Your personal information
including name and contact details wil be removed for publication.
I trust the information provided is of assistance. I encourage you to raise any concerns
about this response with Corrections. Alternatively, you are advised of your right to also
raise any concerns with the Office of the Ombudsman. Contact details are: Office of the
Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wel ington 6143.
Ngā mihi
Nic Barkley
Manager Ministerial Services
People and Capability