Diplomatic Immunity

Featured image: Beating the evolving COVID-19 pandemic – unprecedented human collaboration in discovery and innovation

Beating the evolving COVID-19 pandemic – unprecedented human collaboration in discovery and innovation

Helen Petousis Harris • Feb 26, 2020

Less than two months after China told the WHO there was a problem, a lot has happened. Sadly, deaths, confirmed cases and countries affected are increasing every day. However, on a scientific and medical level, what is going on to contain, cure and prevent this new disease is truly inspirational. Let’s look at the build-up to this global health emergency … Read More

Featured image: Prediction: NZ will probably never have another measles epidemic

Prediction: NZ will probably never have another measles epidemic

Helen Petousis Harris • Feb 10, 2020

The Ministry of Health has announced a package that might ensure New Zealand will never experience another measles epidemic. While at the time of writing the details are still limited it appears that the important limitations in our current programme have been acknowledged and the intent is to address them. Great stuff. The commitment is starting with $23 million and … Read More

Featured image: 2019-nCoV (the new coronavirus): Should we be concerned, and will there be a vaccine?

2019-nCoV (the new coronavirus): Should we be concerned, and will there be a vaccine?

Helen Petousis Harris • Jan 22, 2020

Probably yes to both but don’t panic yet. There is a plan. What is this virus? 2019 novel coronavirus, aka 2019-nCoV, belongs to a family of viruses called coronavirus. These are very common viruses that infect a wide range of animals including humans and can cause mild to severe disease, from colds to severe pneumonia. Coronaviruses are often transmitted between … Read More

The WHO Vaccine Safety Summit – from someone who was actually there

Helen Petousis Harris • Jan 14, 2020

The conspiracy I saw a new conspiracy theory flying around the other day. According to the conspiracy (that seems to originate from Del Bigtree), the World Health Organization have been ‘caught on camera’ questioning the safety of vaccines. Gosh this sounds as though someone was a mole at a secret meeting and filmed scientists admitting vaccines were … Read More

Featured image: Whooping cough vaccine works well despite its imperfections

Whooping cough vaccine works well despite its imperfections

Helen Petousis Harris • Nov 07, 2019

Pertussis (whooping cough) is a conundrum. It is a disease that was described hundreds of years ago and the bacteria that causes it (Bordetella pertussis) isolated in 1906. We have had vaccines for about 80 years but this disease is defiant in the face of human immunity. I wanted to address some misconceptions about pertussis vaccines. Seven key points in … Read More

Featured image: Why are vaccinated people getting measles?

Why are vaccinated people getting measles?

Helen Petousis Harris • Sep 04, 2019

Here is a very quick and over simplified explanation about why some of the cases of measles are fully vaccinated (epidemiologists look away!). The vaccine is not 100% protective. One dose is around 92% and two doses around 98%. Generally, things look like this pie chart, assuming the vaccine is potent and the patients relatively healthy. Most cases occur in … Read More

Featured image: Why is there a rip-roaring measles outbreak in NZ?

Why is there a rip-roaring measles outbreak in NZ?

Helen Petousis Harris • Aug 21, 2019

As with many countries around the world, NZ is experiencing the worst measles outbreak in over 20 years. Welcome back to the dark ages. This was predictable,  entirely preventable, and the government were warned. If this outbreak is not stamped out by March next year NZ will lose its hard-earned measles elimination status. There are four reasons for this – … Read More

Featured image: Authentic resistance or authentic distortion?

Authentic resistance or authentic distortion?

Helen Petousis Harris • Aug 05, 2019

Authentic resistance appears to be a two woman army advocating that the body’s natural immune system is all that is required to keep healthy. They assert that parents must make an informed decision about vaccines based on information from the medical literature. On the latter point we agree. The Resistance is holding seminars around the country on “Informed consent and … Read More