Tagged: Pandemic

NZ Should Prepare for a Potentially Severe Global Coronavirus Pandemic - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Feb 10, 2020 •

• coronavirus,
• Pandemic

Prof Nick Wilson, Prof Michael Baker In this blog we briefly summarise our assessment of the highly uncertain new coronavirus threat. Given its potential to become a severe and prolonged global pandemic, a precautionary response now means activating all components of our pandemic plan, with a particular focus on ‘keep it out’. NZ has many natural and institutional advantages in … Read More

New Zealand’s Poor Pandemic Preparedness According to the Global Health Security Index - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Nov 11, 2019 •

• emergency,
• health security,
• Infectious disease,
• Pandemic

Dr Matt Boyd, Prof Michael Baker, Prof Nick Wilson The Global Health Security Index which considers pandemic threats has just been published. Unfortunately, NZ scores approximately half marks (54/100), coming in 35th in the world rankings – far behind Australia. This poor result suggests that the NZ Government needs to act promptly to upgrade the country’s defences against pandemic threats. Read More

Flu plane: are we really ready for a global pandemic? - Guest Work

Guest Author • Sep 10, 2018 •

• Influenza,
• Pandemic

Mark Eccleston-Turner, Keele University An Emirates airliner was quarantined at John F Kennedy International Airport on September 5 after several passengers reported flu-like symptoms. Oxiris Barbot, New York City’s acting health commissioner, said the cause of the illness was “probably influenza”. The following day, two more flights, arriving from the Middle East were quarantined at … Read More

A 100 years ago today – the likely first NZ death from the 1918 influenza pandemic - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Aug 28, 2018 •

• 1918,
• infuenza,
• Pandemic,
• spanish flu

Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Jennifer Summers, Prof Michael Baker The 1918 influenza pandemic began to kill New Zealanders 100 years ago today. Ultimately it killed 9000 NZ citizens and so is by far the largest natural disaster to hit this country. In this blog we reflect on this event and draw links with the present day pandemic risks (including from … Read More

Closing New Zealand’s Borders to Mitigate a Severe Pandemic has Merit - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Aug 09, 2018 •

• Borders,
• Infectious disease,
• Pandemic

Dr Matt Boyd, Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Osman Mansoor & Prof Michael Baker Should an island nation like New Zealand close its borders in the face of a severe pandemic threat? In a SciBlogs post last year we argued ‘yes’. We have just published additional modelling that also comes to this conclusion. In a severe pandemic tens to hundreds … Read More

Can pandemic threats justify border closure for island nations like NZ? - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Jun 26, 2017 •

• Borders,
• Infectious disease,
• Pandemic,
• Travel

Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Matt Boyd, Dr Osman Mansoor, Professor Michael G Baker Countries prepare for future pandemic risks because of pandemic influenza, novel emerging infectious agents and possible synthetic bioweapons. In a study we just published in a journal, we explored the costs and benefits of complete border closure in NZ in response to new pandemic threats. We found … Read More

Improving New Zealand’s preparations for the next pandemic - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Feb 01, 2017 •

• ebola,
• emerging infectious dieseases,
• Horizon Scan,
• Influenza,
• Pandemic,
• public health,
• SARS,
• zika

By Dr Julia Scott, Prof Nick Wilson, Prof Michael Baker.  In a globalised world an infectious disease outbreak anywhere is a potential threat to New Zealand. Recent such threats have included severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), pandemic influenza (2009), Ebola and Zika. In the context of an upcoming University of Otago, Wellington Public Health Summer School symposium on … Read More

Surviving the flupocalypse! - Infectious Thoughts

Siouxsie Wiles • Sep 07, 2015 •

• Awana Rural Women,
• Barrier,
• David Johnston,
• Flu,
• GNS Science,
• Great Barrier Island,
• Island,
• John Titmus,
• Karen Healey,
• Lance Jennings,
• Mortenza,
• Otago,
• Pandemic,
• Radio NZ,
• virus

Picture this. A new virus, Mortenza, is sweeping around the world, killing millions. Despite all efforts, Mortenza reaches New Zealand and rapidly spreads around the country. In desperation, the Government isolates the tiny uninfected island of Great Barrier. How would this small community cope? Would they survive the pandemic? This is the fascinating scenario I’ll be exploring this coming weekend … Read More

Antiviral Stockpiles for Pandemic Preparedness: Time for a Careful Rethink? - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • May 12, 2014 •

• antiviral,
• influenza,
• pandemic,
• pandemic readiness,
• stockpiling

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

Monday Micro – Is the new Saudi coronavirus a pandemic in waiting? - Infectious Thoughts

Siouxsie Wiles • May 13, 2013 •

• coronavirus,
• nCoV,
• Pandemic,
• SARS,
• Saudi Arabia,
• virus,
• WHO,
• World Health Organisation

Between November 2002 and July 2003, a novel respiratory virus appeared in South China, spreading first to Hong Kong and going on to infect people in 37 countries around the world. As the virus spread, thousands were quarantined, schools were shut, and many airports implemented thermal screening programmes to stop potentially infected people from getting on planes. By the end … Read More