Guest Author • Nov 18, 2016 •
By Derek Gatherer, Lancaster University I recently had my annual flu shot. Along with all the others who’ve received it, I’ll be hoping that it does the job of preventing me catching flu this winter – or at least reducing the severity of the disease if I do get it. Most years, it works, but occasionally things … Read More
Sarah-Jane O'Connor • Dec 07, 2015 •
It’s included in numerous over-the-counter cold and flu medicines, but according to New Zealand researchers paracetamol has no effect on the flu. Research published today in Respirology found no difference in the severity or duration of influenza symptoms, temperature or viral load in patients taking paracetamol – indicating no benefits from taking the medicine while sick with the flu. The … Read More
Peter Griffin • Aug 04, 2014 •
A lot of people in the scientific community are struggling to come to terms with the death of Antarctic historian and museum curator Natalie Cadenhead, who died at Christchurch Hospital on July 24 of influenza. Natalie was only 47, a fit and healthy tramper as this report from The Press explains. She didn’t get the flu vaccine, because, … Read More
Public Health Expert • May 12, 2014 •
Associate Professor Nick Wilson and Professor Michael Baker As part of influenza pandemic readiness, NZ has a 32 million dollar stockpile of antiviral drugs. But given recent evidence from a new Cochrane systematic review – NZ policymakers should probably now … Continue reading → … Read More
Public Health Expert • Nov 29, 2013 •
Associate Professor Nick Wilson and Professor Michael Baker Flu pandemics are important but relatively rare so the lessons learned from such events may not be available when they are most needed. This is where historical research can help. Here we … Continue reading → … Read More
Siouxsie Wiles • Apr 15, 2013 •
A new strain of bird flu (H7N9*) has appeared in China. Since the first report two weeks ago, 51 people are known to have been infected of which 11 have died. Transmission seems to be from close contact with poultry and many birds are being culled as a precaution. Cases started in Shanghai and the eastern provinces of … Read More
Grant Jacobs • Apr 01, 2012 •
(Sorry, no April Fool’s joke here.) Congratulations to Zoe Hilton for her Unesco-L'Oreal International Fellowship who ’won one of three fellowships awarded to young women in the Asia Pacific region’. Well done! More details are in the New Zealand Unesco news page and the New Zealand Herald. There’s some wonderful historic … Read More
Siouxsie Wiles • Feb 13, 2012 •
This morning Auckland airport was apparently on alert after an Air New Zealand flight landed from Japan with a quarter of its passengers reportedly suffering from flu-like symptoms. According to this report, officials were alerted by the Captain just before they landed. This story is quite interesting on a number of fronts. Japan is currently experiencing a nationwide … Read More
Darcy Cowan • Nov 03, 2010 •
It’s a bold claim, that being vaccinated for Influenza will protect you against having a heart attack or Myocardial Infarction (MI). Well according to a study published last month in the Canadian Medical Association Journal that could well be the case. The study, “Influenza vaccination, pneumococcal vaccination and risk of acute myocardial infarction: matched case–control [...] … Read More
Peter Griffin • Jun 04, 2010 •
Did scientists with links to “big pharma” fuel fear about pandemics at the World Health Organisation resulting in a massive spend-up on antiviral drugs? UPDATE: BMJ coverage now online here. It sounds like a conspiracy theory the anti-vax movement would dream up, but according to a joint investigation between the British Medical Journal and The Bureau … Read More