Review of Covid-19 vaccination storage issue in Queenstown Lakes area progressing well

Appointment of Independent Review Team  

An independent review team from The DAA Group has been appointed to undertake the investigation into the cold chain failure event that was discovered in the Queenstown-Lakes area on March 2, 2022.  

The DAA Group are one of New Zealand’s leading providers of assessment and evaluation services to the health and disability sectors. Their experience includes working with most parts of the health sector including hospitals, providers of residential care, public and private health. 

The three-person review team was chosen for their expertise and knowledge relevant to this review. The review team is made up of: 

• A lead reviewer who is an experienced clinical leader and advisor, who has worked on projects and research in both the DHB and tertiary settings and has experience around cold chain processes. 

• A reviewer with expertise around health quality and risk, who is a kaumatua (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Matakore, Ngāti Hāua, Ngāti Kauwhata) tasked with ensuring the review is undertaken following tikanga for the rohe. 

• A hospital based chief pharmacist, who is a technical expert on cold chain systems and processes. Their role is to provide specialist cold chain advice to the review team. 

The comprehensive review of the critical incident including examination of the relevant cold Chain Management processes has commenced. A variety of methodologies are being used including tracer methodology, root cause analysis, review of key documents, interviews, and review of relevant environments. The review report will be provided to the SDHB, at the end of April 2022. 

Patient Contact Update 

Of the over 1576 people affected by the March 2022 Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine storage issue in the Queenstown Lakes area, the Southern DHB has spoken to 90% via phone.   

Over 62% of people affected have had a replacement dose. Some people (4%) have deferred their replacement dose due to COVID-19 infection or other medical or logistical reasons, like travel. Most of the remaining people (16%) intend to have their vaccination or have yet to decide and 7% have declined the replacement vaccination. 

Of the 151 people (10%) whom SDHB has not yet been able to speak with, emails, texts and letters have been sent. We are continuing attempts to contact this group by phone. The Southern DHB have become aware that for a small number of people contact details have changed, therefore there will be people who have not received sufficient information regarding this incident and their need for a replacement dose.  

The Southern DHB asks people who have not been contacted and who received their COVID-19 vaccination between 1 December 2021 and 28 January 2022 in Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago, at locations other than pharmacies or GPs, to call 0800 28 29 26 to check the status of their vaccination. People who received their vaccination at a pharmacy or GP are not affected by this isolated incident.  

People affected by the vaccine storage issue are encouraged to receive a replacement vaccination to ensure that they benefit from a high level of immunity against COVID-19. 

There is no risk of harm to individuals that have received a vaccine stored at an incorrect temperature. However, in these circumstances the vaccine is not considered to be potent nor to produce a reliable level of immunity. 

A formal review of the incident has begun and a full report into this event is expected to be with the Southern DHB by the end of April. 

We would like to reassure people in the area that this was an isolated incident, and the affected provider has ceased all vaccination activity pending the outcome of a full investigation. 

People affected by this incident who wish to book their replacement vaccination should call 0800 28 29 26 (7 days a week, 8am to 8pm) for more information.