The New Zealand Ministry of Health allowed thousands of its health workers to receive COVID-19 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.