Montgomery, Jeff2021-05-122021-05-122021http://hdl.handle.net/10625/60077This article outlines the Government of New Zealand’s response to the COVID-19 crisis from a civil registration perspective. It examines initiatives the government took to reduce the effects of the pandemic on health and civil registration services, and highlights the long-term benefits of the emergency response efforts put in place at the onset of the crisis. The report emphasizes the importance of categorizing civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) as an essential service. There is opportunity in a crisis: longer-term systemic gains have been achieved during times of crisis for processes that might otherwise be difficult to change.application/pdfenCOVID-19NEW ZEALANDPANDEMICDISASTER PREPAREDNESSCIVIL REGISTRATION AND VITAL STATISTICS (CRVS)CRVSVITAL STATISTICSHEALTH POLICYDIGITIZATIONCAUSE OF DEATHPRIMARY DOCUMENTSDEATH RECORDSOCEANIASynthesis Report