Group 3

Refine the current health system pandemic plan so that it:

• a. Complements the all-of-government plan (see also Recommendation 7) and other public sector agencies’ planning, and helps identify some of the requirements for both.
• b. Sets out a range of public health strategies (such as elimination, suppression, mitigation), objectives and associated public health and social measures that can be used in responding to a pandemic and provides guidance on how they might be deployed.
• c. For the initial response, identifies key public health considerations to guide advice on whether or when to introduce border restrictions and other strict measures aimed at excluding or eliminating the infectious agent.
• d. Identifies indicators of capacity and mechanisms for surging capacity when needed (in areas such as testing and quarantine).
• e. Provides for pandemic preparedness and resilience in the wider health system, including plans for maintaining access to non-pandemic healthcare (see also Recommendation 22).
• f. Includes plans for health communications in a pandemic response – including communication with the government, other government agencies, across the health system (such as healthcare providers) and with healthcare users. These plans should consider mechanisms for communicating effectively with different communities (including Māori, Pacific and other ethnic communities, people with disabilities, and other groups with specific communication needs), as well as business groups and not-for-profit bodies.
• g. Indicates how the health system will support the Crown to meet its te Tiriti obligations in a pandemic response, consistent with the existing frameworks and policies of health agencies, services and providers.

Ministry of Health

Develop a comprehensive plan for quarantine and isolation measures, that includes:

• a. Identifying a range of quarantine and isolation options, including a cost-effective and scalable mix of purpose-built, hotel contracts and other facilities, the associated investment required, and how different approaches could work together as an integrated system.
• b. Options for the allocation of quarantine and isolation capacity in case of limited supply that take account of need and legal rights, and provide for user-friendly and compassionate processes.
• c. How current and new technology, such as location monitoring of people in home isolation and quarantine, could be used, including as a complement to facility-based quarantine.
• d. Information-sharing protocols.
• e. Alignment and integration with the financial support measures to meet welfare and business support needs (see also Recommendation 30).

Ministry of Health together with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

Ensure the health system can rapidly scale-up key public health functions in line with the health system pandemic plan. This includes preparedness to deliver contact tracing, testing, vaccination and guidance on infection prevention and control measures.

Ministry of Health, together with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

Ensure the health system has the information and data capability to deliver a pandemic response by prioritising work to implement the recommendations of the Health and Disability System Review (March 2020) calling for connected and shared health systems, data and information.^xv

Ministry of Health, together with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

Develop a comprehensive plan for the use of international border restrictions which includes consideration of how to manage the impacts on people affected by border restrictions, including:

• a. Any necessary changes to immigration settings to support foreign nationals in New Zealand.
• b. Provision of timely social, welfare and financial support to foreign nationals in New Zealand and New Zealand citizens offshore.
• c. Provision of relevant social, financial and health support to the New Zealand Government’s offshore workforce in a future pandemic.

Border Executive Board and Ministry of Social Development

Develop a comprehensive plan for the use of national and regional lockdowns which includes consideration of:

• a. The thresholds and circumstances that might justify their use.
• b. How the impacts on people can be managed, including the work done under Recommendations 30 and 32.
• c. A process for establishing and managing regional boundaries, if required.

Ministry of Health, together with other relevant agencies

Identify the circumstances in which vaccination requirements (such as occupational requirements, mandates, vaccine certificates or passes) might be recommended as part of a package of public health measures, and key considerations for how the negative impacts of the requirements might be mitigated.

Ministry of Health