Pursuant to section 5(3)(a) of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020, I, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, Director-General of Health, determine the criteria in Schedule 1 below as specified COVID-19 vaccination exemption criteria:
Schedule 1
| Category |
Criteria Details |
| 1 |
Acute illness |
1A. COVID-19 Infection |
- PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (within the last three months).
Note: Chronic symptoms following COVID-19 (“Long COVID”) is not a contraindication to COVID-19 vaccine but does warrant a clinical discussion with the patient regarding the benefits and risks. |
| 1B. Acute moderate to severe (non-COVID) illness |
- Documented acute moderate to severe illness (e.g., severe pneumonia); and
- advised to defer vaccination by a vaccination specialist (advice available to health care providers at IMAC, 0800IMMUNE@auckland.ac.nz).
|
| |
1C. High Dose Immunosuppression |
- Receiving high dose immunosuppressive treatment and vaccination would be more effective if deferred for a short period (several weeks) (eg. vasculitis).
|
| 2 |
Previous reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine |
2A. Significant Adverse Reaction to previous dose |
- Significant adverse reaction (eg. diagnosed anaphylaxis) attributed to a previous dose of the same COVID-19 vaccine with no other cause identified; and
- inappropriate to rechallenge with same COVID-19 vaccine; and
- no alternative appropriate COVID-19 vaccine available.
Note: An adverse reaction is considered significant for the purposes of these criteria if it:
- requires in-patient hospitalisation or prolongation of existing hospitalisation or results in persistent or significant disability/incapacity; and
- has been reported to CARM; and
- has been determined following review by, and/or on the opinion of a relevant medical specialist that the risk of vaccination is greater than the potential benefits.
|
| 3 |
Pre-existing condition impacting on vaccination |
3A. Vaccine administration needs a supportive arrangement to meet individual care requirements |
- Lead health practitioner has identified individual care requirements to support vaccine administration and the individual is unable to attend at an open access vaccination site; and
- lead health practitioner needs time to arrange a suitably supportive environment or specialised care to administer the vaccine.
|
| 3B. Pre-existing diagnosis impacting on COVID-19 vaccination |
- Pre-existing diagnosis is a contra-indication to specific COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., pericarditis/myocarditis for Pfizer), and
- no alternative appropriate COVID-19 vaccine available.
|
| 3C. Terminal illness |
- Life expectancy of less than 6 months
|
| 4 |
Vaccine Trials |
4A. Non-Placebo participant in a vaccine trial |
- Those who are verified as having two doses of the trial vaccine (i.e., non-placebo) in any approved COVID-19 vaccine trial in Aotearoa New Zealand.
|
Dated at Wellington this 17th day of January 2022.
Dr ASHLEY BLOOMFIELD, Director-General of Health, Ministry of Health.
Note: This notice revokes and replaces the notice dated 12 November 2021 and published in the New Zealand Gazette, 12 November 2021, Notice No. 2021-go4910.
Gazette.govt.nz