Balance in statistics for death by COVID -19 vaccine
Dear Department of Health,
The statistics for death by COVID -19 vaccine death mention "AEFI can be coincidentally associated with the timing of immunisation without necessarily being caused by the vaccine or the immunisation process".
Has this same premise been applied to COVID - 19 deaths, looking at age and underlying health issues and other causes to see what is the likley cause of death, to ensure the public is being provide with transparent data on all counts?
If not, which governmental group has acted, or been silent on action in regards to the above decision, and for what reason?
Yours faithfully,
A long standing member of a religious community in Western Australia
Dear Long Standing Member of the Religious Community in Western Australia
The Department of Health has received your email dated 11 December 2021 in which you have requested access to documents under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 1982.
You have requested:
The statistics for death by COVID -19 vaccine death mention "AEFI can be coincidentally associated with the timing of immunisation without necessarily being caused by the vaccine or the immunisation process".
Has this same premise been applied to COVID - 19 deaths, looking at age and underlying health issues and other causes to see what is the likley cause of death, to ensure the public is being provide with transparent data on all counts?
If not, which governmental group has acted, or been silent on action in regards to the above decision, and for what reason?
A request for access to documents must provide sufficient information as is reasonably necessary to enable a responsible officer in the Department to identify the document(s) requested. The FOI Act does not provide a mechanism for questions to be raised and answers provided, and it does not require the department to create a response to such questions, except in very limited circumstances.
Where a request does not satisfy the validity requirements the Department must undertake a request consultation process with you.
Request consultation process
You have not provided sufficient information for a responsible officer in the Department to identify the documents you are seeking access to and as such, your request is not currently a valid FOI request.
The Department is providing you with a reasonable opportunity to take steps to provide sufficient information that would enable the Department to identify the documents you are seeking access to, and to submit a request that is valid for the purposes of section 15 of the FOI Act.
Timeframes
As this is not currently a valid request, the statutory processing timeframes have not commenced.
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If you require assistance to modify your request to ensure that is a valid request, you may contact me on the details set out below.
Kind regards
FOI Officer
Freedom of Information Section
Legal & Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Australian Government Department of Health
GPO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
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