The Ministry of Health has confirmed 15 people living in the Southern District Health Board area have been granted a vaccine pass exemption, from 593 granted as of February 1.
Just under one-third (32%) of the 1825 applications made around the country were successful, according to data released to the Otago Daily Times under the Official Information Act this week.
A vaccine pass is an access requirement for certain activities and venues under red, orange and green of New Zealand’s Covid-19 traffic light response.
The biggest chunk of the exemptions, all approved by Director-general of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield, went to people living in the Auckland District Health Board area.
National Immunisation Programme director Astrid Koornneef said for some district health boards, no exemption applications had been made by January 31.
In cases in which fewer than 10 people had applied to a health board for an exemption, the total had been withheld (shown as fewer than 10) to protect the privacy of natural persons, she said.
Ms Koornneef said more specific regional data on vaccine pass exemptions — e.g. local authorities or towns within a health board area — had not been recorded and there were no grounds to believe any other agency held that information.
District health board areas in which more than 10 exemptions were approved are: Auckland, 154; Canterbury 91; Bay of Plenty 60; Waikato 42; Waitemata 42; Nelson Marlborough 41; Lakes (Taupo and Rotorua) 40; Counties Manakau 24; Southern 15; Capital & Coast 13.
Fewer than 10 applications were granted in Hawkes Bay, Hutt Valley, Mid Central, Northland, South Canterbury Tairawhiti, Taranaki, Waiarapa, West Coast and Whanganui.
A temporary medical exemption lasts six months and, once recorded on a person’s My Covid Record, it permits access to places the vaccinated can go, and not just essential services such as the supermarket or petrol station.
Ms Koornneef said the ministry was not aware of any fake vaccine passes circulating in the Southern District Health Board area.
All applications must be made on a patient’s behalf by a medical or nurse practitioner to the ministry, using an official form.
"The process and criteria for a TME is not met by a doctor’s letter. Any exemptions issued directly by a health professional do not exempt a person from any requirements under law," Ms Koorneef said.
An exemption does not guarantee a worker can return to the same work or role they had before the vaccination order came into effect.
