Tagged: pandemic planning

COVID-19 and the law in Aotearoa NZ - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Jul 06, 2020 •

• coronavirus,
• covid and New Zealand law,
• COVID-19,
• health legislation,
• pandemic planning

Louise Delany (public health lawyer) Health and emergency laws have played a critical role in this country’s successful elimination of community transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic. This blog details key aspects of the legislation and comments on issues around testing, payments by incoming travellers for quarantine costs, and mask use. The implementation of law relating to COVID-19 has meant that … Read More

Kiwi public health doc reporting back from Victoria (Australia): “Do quarantine well!” - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Jul 03, 2020 •

• coronavirus,
• COVID-19,
• pandemic planning,
• quarantine

A bit like a letter home. I have now been full-time at the University of Melbourne since 2019. Before that, I was 20 years at the University of Otago, Wellington. Indeed, I set up this very Public Health Expert Blog with Nick Wilson ten years ago. Now I am your Australian correspondent.   Life as an epidemiologist and public health … Read More

Eliminate the pandemic virus causing COVID-19 or risk an animal reservoir - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Jul 01, 2020 •

• animal reservoir,
• COVID-19,
• pandemic planning,
• SARS-CoV-2

Prof John Potter* Elimination has been an effective strategy for New Zealand in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic virus (SARS-CoV-2). Most other countries have not pursued this goal and are ignoring the opportunity even now. SARS-CoV-2 is not manageable by the influenza playbook; its longer incubation period makes tracing and isolation more practicable and puts elimination within reach. There … Read More

Pandemic terminology: getting it right matters for effective risk communication and management - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Jun 30, 2020 •

• coronavirus,
• COVID-19,
• pandemic planning,
• pandemic terminology,
• risk communication

Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Prof Michael Baker Compared with other OECD countries NZ is a stand-out success story by ending community transmission of COVID-19. While there have been some well-publicised recent deficiencies (eg, quarantine organisation), there has still been no evidence of community transmission for many weeks. Nevertheless, further improvements in NZ’s response are possible and in this … Read More