Cumulative Monkeypox and Shingles case counts for 2022 by vaccination status
Dear UK Health Security Agency,
Would you please supply data, as at the date of your response, on the cumulative number of confirmed Monkeypox virus infection and Shingles (VZV) cases identified in UK since 1 January 2022.
For each disease, please classify the cases by COVID-19 vaccination status i.e. unvaccinated, one dose, two dose, three dose or boosted (please use the most detailed classification of vaccination status you have available). If the vaccine status classification differs by country, please further break down the case counts by country.
Yours faithfully,
CHP Gillow
Dear CHP Gillow,
Your request will be handled by the Information Rights Team at the UK
Health Security Agency (UKHSA). We acknowledge receipt of your email and
request for information, which will be treated as a request for
information under statutory access legislation. UKHSA has taken
responsibility for statutory access requests addressed to Public Health
England and NHS Test and Trace Services.
Please note that requests under the Freedom of Information Act and the
Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) will receive a response
within 20 working days from the day following the date of receipt of your
request.
If the request is for your personal data, your request will be handled as
a data subject access request (SAR) under Article 15 of the General Data
Protection Regulation (GDPR), then we will respond within one month of the
receipt of the request.
The UK Health Security Agency is heavily involved in the government’s
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will aim to address all requests
promptly and within the required response timeframes. However, when we
are unable to meet the response timeframe we will keep requesters updated
on a revised expected timescale for a response to their request. The
Information Commissioner recognises this position in its recent guidance,
see link:
[1]https://ico.org.uk/media/2617613/ico-reg...
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
UK Health Security Agency
[2][UKHSA request email]
[3]www.gov.uk/ukhsa Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
From: CHP Gillow <[FOI #864188 email]>
Sent: 24 May 2022 17:23
To: Information Rights <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Cumulative Monkeypox and
Shingles case counts for 2022 by vaccination status
[You don't often get email from
[FOI #864188 email]. Learn why this is important at
[4]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific...
EXTERNAL: This email originated outside of UKHSA. Do not click links or
attachments unless you recognise the sender.
Dear UK Health Security Agency,
Would you please supply data, as at the date of your response, on the
cumulative number of confirmed Monkeypox virus infection and Shingles
(VZV) cases identified in UK since 1 January 2022.
For each disease, please classify the cases by COVID-19 vaccination status
i.e. unvaccinated, one dose, two dose, three dose or boosted (please use
the most detailed classification of vaccination status you have
available). If the vaccine status classification differs by country,
please further break down the case counts by country.
Yours faithfully,
CHP Gillow
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #864188 email]
Is [UKHSA request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
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[8]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
Dear CHP Gillow,
Please find attached the UK Health Security Agency's response to your
request.
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
UK Health Security Agency
[1][UKHSA request email]
[2]www.gov.uk/ukhsa Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
From: Information Rights <[email address]>
Sent: 25 May 2022 11:39
To: CHP Gillow <[FOI #864188 email]>
Cc: Information Rights <[email address]>
Subject: Case ref 259
Dear CHP Gillow,
Your request will be handled by the Information Rights Team at the UK
Health Security Agency (UKHSA). We acknowledge receipt of your email and
request for information, which will be treated as a request for
information under statutory access legislation. UKHSA has taken
responsibility for statutory access requests addressed to Public Health
England and NHS Test and Trace Services.
Please note that requests under the Freedom of Information Act and the
Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) will receive a response
within 20 working days from the day following the date of receipt of your
request.
If the request is for your personal data, your request will be handled as
a data subject access request (SAR) under Article 15 of the General Data
Protection Regulation (GDPR), then we will respond within one month of the
receipt of the request.
The UK Health Security Agency is heavily involved in the government’s
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will aim to address all requests
promptly and within the required response timeframes. However, when we
are unable to meet the response timeframe we will keep requesters updated
on a revised expected timescale for a response to their request. The
Information Commissioner recognises this position in its recent guidance,
see link:
[3]https://ico.org.uk/media/2617613/ico-reg...
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
UK Health Security Agency
[4][UKHSA request email]
[5]www.gov.uk/ukhsa Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
From: CHP Gillow <[FOI #864188 email]>
Sent: 24 May 2022 17:23
To: Information Rights <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Cumulative Monkeypox and
Shingles case counts for 2022 by vaccination status
[You don't often get email from
[FOI #864188 email]. Learn why this is important at
[6]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific...
EXTERNAL: This email originated outside of UKHSA. Do not click links or
attachments unless you recognise the sender.
Dear UK Health Security Agency,
Would you please supply data, as at the date of your response, on the
cumulative number of confirmed Monkeypox virus infection and Shingles
(VZV) cases identified in UK since 1 January 2022.
For each disease, please classify the cases by COVID-19 vaccination status
i.e. unvaccinated, one dose, two dose, three dose or boosted (please use
the most detailed classification of vaccination status you have
available). If the vaccine status classification differs by country,
please further break down the case counts by country.
Yours faithfully,
CHP Gillow
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #864188 email]
Is [UKHSA request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
Information requests to UK Health Security Agency? If so, please contact
us using this form:
[7]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[8]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:
[9]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
[10]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
Dear Information Rights,
The request was clearly relating to two diseases and it appears you have passed it to a "cell" dealing with just one of these. I was not aware I was requesting an answer to my FOIR from a "cell". Instead I believed I had submitted a request to the UKHSA. Please answer the FOIR as from the whole Agency....
1. Please confirm what "cell" it was that answered the Request and why you only passed it to this part of the organisation.
2. Please confirm what is implied in the answers received to date, namely that the UKHSA "is not collecting data on the COVID vaccination status" of those presenting with, for example, Monkeypox or Shingles. More broadly, has the UKHSA ceased collecting data on the covid-19 vaccination status of those being treated for notifiable diseases (e.g. monkeypox), notifiable organisms (e.g. Varicella zoster virus), and/or being admitted to hospital for any reason?
Yours sincerely,
CHP Gillow
Dear CHP Gillow,
Your request will be handled by the Information Rights Team at the UK
Health Security Agency (UKHSA). We acknowledge receipt of your email and
request for information, which will be treated as a request for
information under statutory access legislation. UKHSA has taken
responsibility for statutory access requests addressed to Public Health
England and NHS Test and Trace Services.
Please note that requests under the Freedom of Information Act and the
Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) will receive a response
within 20 working days from the day following the date of receipt of your
request.
If the request is for your personal data, your request will be handled as
a data subject access request (SAR) under Article 15 of the General Data
Protection Regulation (GDPR), then we will respond within one month of the
receipt of the request.
The UK Health Security Agency is heavily involved in the government’s
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will aim to address all requests
promptly and within the required response timeframes. However, when we
are unable to meet the response timeframe we will keep requesters updated
on a revised expected timescale for a response to their request. The
Information Commissioner recognises this position in its recent guidance,
see link:
[1]https://ico.org.uk/media/2617613/ico-reg...
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
Parliamentary and Public Accountability Team
UK Health Security Agency
[2][UKHSA request email]
[3]www.gov.uk/ukhsa Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
From: CHP Gillow <[FOI #864188 email]>
Sent: 09 August 2022 14:16
To: Information Rights <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Case ref 259
EXTERNAL: This email originated outside of UKHSA. Do not click links or
attachments unless you recognise the sender.
Dear Information Rights,
The request was clearly relating to two diseases and it appears you have
passed it to a "cell" dealing with just one of these. I was not aware I
was requesting an answer to my FOIR from a "cell". Instead I believed I
had submitted a request to the UKHSA. Please answer the FOIR as from the
whole Agency....
1. Please confirm what "cell" it was that answered the Request and why
you only passed it to this part of the organisation.
2. Please confirm what is implied in the answers received to date, namely
that the UKHSA "is not collecting data on the COVID vaccination status" of
those presenting with, for example, Monkeypox or Shingles. More
broadly, has the UKHSA ceased collecting data on the covid-19 vaccination
status of those being treated for notifiable diseases (e.g. monkeypox),
notifiable organisms (e.g. Varicella zoster virus), and/or being admitted
to hospital for any reason?
Yours sincerely,
CHP Gillow
Dear CHP Gillow,
Please find attached the UK Health Security Agency's response to your
request.
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
Parliamentary and Public Accountability Team
UK Health Security Agency
[1][UKHSA request email]
[2]www.gov.uk/ukhsa Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
From: CHP Gillow <[FOI #864188 email]>
Sent: 09 August 2022 14:16
To: Information Rights <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Case ref 259
EXTERNAL: This email originated outside of UKHSA. Do not click links or
attachments unless you recognise the sender.
Dear Information Rights,
The request was clearly relating to two diseases and it appears you have
passed it to a "cell" dealing with just one of these. I was not aware I
was requesting an answer to my FOIR from a "cell". Instead I believed I
had submitted a request to the UKHSA. Please answer the FOIR as from the
whole Agency....
1. Please confirm what "cell" it was that answered the Request and why
you only passed it to this part of the organisation.
2. Please confirm what is implied in the answers received to date, namely
that the UKHSA "is not collecting data on the COVID vaccination status" of
those presenting with, for example, Monkeypox or Shingles. More
broadly, has the UKHSA ceased collecting data on the covid-19 vaccination
status of those being treated for notifiable diseases (e.g. monkeypox),
notifiable organisms (e.g. Varicella zoster virus), and/or being admitted
to hospital for any reason?
Yours sincerely,
CHP Gillow
Lewis Schwarz left an annotation ()
Ahh I see. I've read the response. So they can't give the answer because the information is on two different databases, belonging to two different organisations. But by law they are required to provide the correct department with the neccessary information, which hasn't been done.
It's ironic how the UKHSA was created on the 1 April 2021, is it not? They must have anticipated these questions and divided the information onto separate databases.
Maybe a joint-request to the two departments will be necessary. I will continue to follow up as well
Lewis Schwarz left an annotation ()
It's quite obvious the tyrants are omitting information with no intention of sharing or even giving an adequate reply.
CHP Gillow left an annotation ()
I have made a complaint to the ICO as follows:
On 24 May I raised a FOIR with the UKHSA requesting data on the cumulative number of confirmed Monkeypox virus infection and Shingles (VZV) cases identified in UK since 1 January 2022 and, for each disease, classification of the cases by COVID-19 vaccination status i.e. unvaccinated, one dose, two dose, three dose or boosted.
The UKHSA referred me to publicly available data on monkeypox and stated that "this cell...only holds data on Monkeypox" Later in the response the response stated that the UKHSA is "not collecting data on the COVID vaccination status of lab confirmed Monkeypox cases" and that "obtaining this information will require linkage with other healthcare datasets that our cell does not hold or have access to".
I requested an internal review highlighting the apparent limitation of scope to a "cell" within UKHSA.
I was informed that the "the response came from the Data, Epidemiology and Analytics Cell and was shared with the Monkeypox Cell." The UKHSA also stated that "Determining the COVID-19 vaccination status of persons diagnosed with monkeypox will require linkage with the COVID-19 vaccination datasets – a dataset that our cell does not hold or have access to"
Complaints:
1. The UKHSA ignored my request for information on shingles cases
2. The UKHSA equivocated by referring to "this cell" when I was requesting information from the whole organisation
3. The UKHSA failed to identify which body holds the COVID-19 vaccination dataset or why it could not access this dataset
4. The UKHSA did not answer my reasonable request as to whether it had "ceased collecting data on the covid-19 vaccination status of those being treated for notifiable diseases (e.g. monkeypox), notifiable organisms
(e.g. Varicella zoster virus), and/or being admitted to hospital for any reason? "
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CHP Gillow left an annotation ()
The UKHSA's response refers to "our cell" saying the latter does "not have access" to other healthcare datasets to check covid 'vaccination' status of the monkeypox cases. However, I sought an answer from the UKHSA and NOT a 'cell'.
I have asked the UKHSA what 'cell' answered the question and why it was not answered by anmd for the UKHSA.
I have also asked the UKHSA to "confirm what is implied in the answers received to date, namely that the UKHSA "is not collecting data on the COVID vaccination status" of those presenting with, for example, Monkeypox or Shingles. More broadly, has the UKHSA ceased collecting data on the covid-19 vaccination status of those being treated for notifiable diseases (e.g. monkeypox), notifiable organisms (e.g. Varicella zoster virus), and/or being admitted to hospital for any reason?"