Unknown if Whanganui Prison staff on 'special leave' amid vaccine reluctance

Around New Zealand 202 prison-based staff have been put on leave after their deadline to be vaccinated passed. Photo / Bevan Conley

It isn't clear if any staff at Whanganui Prison have been placed on 'special leave' after the deadline for them to be vaccinated passed over the weekend.

The Government required all prison staff around New Zealand to have their first Covid-19 vaccination by November 6.

The Department of Corrections said 202 prison-based staff across 18 prisons around New Zealand had not received their vaccination.

However, Corrections could not confirm how many, if any, are from Whanganui Prison.

A Corrections spokesperson told the Chronicle that by 11.59pm on November 6, 96.8 per cent of prison-based staff in New Zealand had received at least one dose, with 86.86 per cent fully vaccinated.

Those 202 staff members who haven't been vaccinated have been placed on paid special leave from Sunday for the time being.

Corrections also decided last week that all private visitors aged 12 and over to prisons nationwide must be fully vaccinated by December 9.

"This is not a decision we have made lightly, and we acknowledge the significant impact this will have for people in prison with unvaccinated friends and whānau," chief custodial officer Neil Beales said.

"Ultimately, we take our duty of care to people in prison and the wellbeing of our staff seriously, and we must act to prevent them from the very serious harm that Covid-19 poses.

"Requiring visitors to be vaccinated lessens the potential for Covid-19 to be introduced to a prison. This will also help minimise impacts on the wider health system, which could face additional pressure if a Covid-19 outbreak occurred in a prison."

Corrections said it was confident the special leave would have no impact on its operations.