Public Health Expert

Staying Safe from COVID-19 over Summer and Beyond: The Need for More NZ Government Action

Public Health Expert • Dec 21, 2020

• coronavirus,
• COVID-19,
• elimination,
• MIQ

Prof Nick Wilson, Prof Michael Baker Aotearoa/NZ has responded very successfully to the COVID-19 pandemic by achieving elimination and the lowest death rate in the OECD. But there are ongoing risks – which may even be increasing with larger numbers of infected returnees in border facilities. In this final blog of the year we detail the critical actions needed to … Read More

Regulation of alcohol marketing is needed to meet health, wellbeing and equity goals

Public Health Expert • Dec 16, 2020

• Advertising Standards Authority,
• alcohol advertising,
• alcohol regulation

Prof Jennie Connor,* Prof Sally Casswell   The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has just released the report on its … Read More

What does the 2019/20 NZ Health Survey tell us about progress towards a Smokefree Aotearoa?

Public Health Expert • Dec 14, 2020

• smokefree aotearoa

Richard Edwards, Janet Hoek, Nick Wilson, Andrew Waa [Department … Read More

Health and Economic Impacts of the COVID-19 Response: NZ Compared to OECD Countries

Public Health Expert • Dec 04, 2020

• COVID-19,
• economic impacts,
• OECD

Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Leah Grout, Dr Jennifer Summers, Dr Nhung Nghiem, Prof Michael Baker (author details*) Aotearoa/NZ has achieved the lowest death rate in the OECD from the COVID-19 pandemic, equivalent to around 2000 lives saved compared to the OECD average. With regard to economic harm, NZ appears to be close to the OECD average, with the IMF predictions … Read More

Bioethicists, Scientists and Politicians; Decision Making in a Pandemic

Public Health Expert • Dec 01, 2020

• COVID-19,
• ethics,
• pandemic planning

Dr Ben Gray* To date New Zealand has come through the pandemic well. The role of political leadership and scientific input has been well covered. Part of this success was built upon having a clear ethical framework for managing a pandemic that had been developed in advance following the SARS outbreak. This blog considers the interaction between the science the … Read More

The COVID-19 pandemic in Aotearoa/NZ: A brief photo-essay with 10 photos

Public Health Expert • Nov 25, 2020

• COVID-19,
• Covid-19 photo essay,
• lockdown,
• NZ pandemics,
• public health messaging

Luke Pilkinton-Ching, Prof Michael Baker, Prof Nick Wilson In this photo-essay of the COVID-19 pandemic in Aotearoa/NZ, each photo is accompanied by a brief comment on the pandemic impact or response. In some instances these images reflect success factors such as the relatively early introduction of border controls and the stringent nature of the “lockdown”. But we also consider some … Read More

Time to Stop Dodging Bullets? NZ’s Eight Recent Border Control Failures

Public Health Expert • Nov 17, 2020

• border,
• coronavirus,
• COVID-19,
• managed isolation,
• quarantine

Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Leah Grout, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Prof Michael Baker There have been eight distinct border control failures in Aotearoa/NZ relating to the pandemic virus that causes COVID-19, since early August 2020, equivalent to one every two weeks. In this blog we briefly detail these failures and argue the case for an urgent review and upgrading of … Read More

How to Systematically Reduce the Border Failure Risk for COVID-19 in Aotearoa/NZ

Public Health Expert • Oct 28, 2020

• border control,
• COVID-19,
• managed isolation and quarantine facilities,
• mask use,
• risk assessment

Prof Nick Wilson*, Dr Jennifer Summers, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Prof Michael Baker With the 2020 election over and with a newly elected government, it is an excellent time for a systematic review by NZ health authorities to identify optimal methods for reducing the risk of future COVID-19 outbreaks in Aotearoa/NZ. The persisting occurrence of cross-border incursions of the pandemic virus … Read More

Covid-19: A planetary disease

Public Health Expert • Oct 14, 2020

• COVID-19,
• environmental health,
• international health regulations,
• zoonotic diseases

Louise Delany* This blog focuses on the underlying environmental causes of Covid-19 (Covid) and the role of international law in tackling both Covid and other planetary crises. I argue that major changes to our relationship with our planet and its creatures are needed and these changes must be supported by new international law.   What caused Covid? Covid-19 is a … Read More

Preventing diabetes: What does the latest modelling evidence tell us about health gains and cost savings?

Public Health Expert • Oct 07, 2020

• Diabetes,
• diabetes type 2

Dr Cristina Cleghorn, Dr Leah Grout, Dr Anja Mizdrak, Prof Nick Wilson Approximately 5.5% of NZ adults have been diagnosed with diabetes. In this blog we summarise our recent modelling work that suggests that further investment in interventions of proven effectiveness to prevent type 2 diabetes could substantially benefit health, reduce health inequalities, and save billions in health sector … Read More