Pursuant to section 32 of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 and section 103 of the Crown Entities Act 2004, the Minister of Health gives the following direction to every District Health Board.

Part A

Information About This Direction

A1 Title

This is the COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Direction 2022.

A2 Commencement

This direction comes into force on 1 January 2022, following the expiry of the COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Direction 2021.

A3 Duration

This direction expires and is revoked on 31 December 2022, unless earlier extended or revoked by the Minister of Health by notice in the New Zealand Gazette.

A4 Direction Does Not Have Retrospective Effect

This direction does not have retrospective effect.

A5 Purpose of This Direction

The purpose of this direction is to specify the persons who are eligible to receive publicly funded COVID-19 vaccination under the Act.

A6 Relationship with the Health and Disability Services Eligibility Direction 2011

This direction applies in addition to, and does not revoke, the Health and Disability Services Eligibility Direction 2011.

To the extent that any clause is inconsistent with the Eligibility Direction 2011, this Direction shall prevail.

Part B

Persons Who are Eligible to Receive COVID-19 Vaccination Funded Under the Act

B1 Eligibility

(1) A person is eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccination funded under the Act if the person is in New Zealand at the time.

(2) A person is eligible under clause (1) whether or not the person is otherwise eligible for publicly funded health services under the Health and Disability Services Eligibility Direction 2011.

B2 Ministry to Determine Eligibility

(1) The Ministry of Health must, if requested in writing to do so, determine any question or dispute concerning whether a person is eligible to receive services funded under the Act.

Schedule

Definitions

Act means the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000

COVID-19 vaccination refers to all services and consumables associated with an eligible individual receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccine means a vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 given consent, or provisional consent, by the Minster of Health for sale, supply or use in New Zealand under the Medicines Act 1981.

New Zealand—

1. includes all waters within the outer limits of the territorial sea of New Zealand as defined in section 3 of the Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone Act 1977; but
2. does not include the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, or the Ross Dependency.

Dated at Wellington this 20th day of December 2021.

Hon ANDREW LITTLE, Minister of Health.