What does the 2019/20 NZ Health Survey tell us about progress towards a Smokefree Aotearoa?
Public Health Expert • Dec 14, 2020
Richard Edwards, Janet Hoek, Nick Wilson, Andrew Waa [Department … Read More
Public Health Expert
Health and Economic Impacts of the COVID-19 Response: NZ Compared to OECD Countries
Public Health Expert • Dec 04, 2020
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Getting the Marketing Mix Right: A Commentary on NZ’s Forthcoming Vaping Regulations
Public Health Expert • Oct 01, 2020
Janet Hoek, Lindsay Robertson, Jude Ball, Richard Edwards, Anaru Waa On August 11 2020, the NZ Parliament passed legislation that extends existing regulation of tobacco and herbal smoking products to vaping products (or electronic nicotine delivery systems [ENDS] and heated tobacco products (HTPs]. The new Act represents an important step in managing access to ENDS and HTPs, and regulating how … Read More
The long-term health burden of COVID-19: further justification for NZ’s elimination strategy
Public Health Expert • Sep 24, 2020
Prof John D. Potter* This blog briefly surveys the emerging scientific evidence on the longer-term burden of symptoms and disease in survivors of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these symptoms point to damage in the brain and heart. These long-term harms add to the wide range of other reasons for Aotearoa/New Zealand to persist with its successful COVID-19 elimination strategy. Read More