Written by Jessie Zhang
New Zealand allowed over 11,000 of its key health staff to get COVID-19 vaccination exemptions while urging the public to get vaccinated
The New Zealand Ministry of Health allowed thousands of its health workers to receive Covid vaccination exemptions while simultaneously encouraging the public to get vaccinated, a report has found.
An Official Information Act (OIA) inquiry was made about exemptions approved in 2021 when they were available for those not vaccinated against COVID-19.
The OIA in New Zealand functions similarly to the U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), providing the public with access to government information.
A total of 478 exemption applications were received between Nov. 13, 2021, and Sept. 25, 2022, with 103 applications granted, covering approximately 11,005 workers, NZ Health’s outbreak response director Matt Hannant replied.
A follow-up correspondence confirmed that all of the 11,005 exempt workers were from health-related industries.
He noted that the exact number of workers couldn’t be estimated, as an organization could submit an application to cover more than one worker.
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