Tagged: vaccination

No, vaccinated people are not ‘just as infectious’ as unvaccinated people if they get COVID - COVID-19

Guest Author • Nov 19, 2021 •

• COVID-19,
• immunity,
• vaccination,
• viral load

Jack Feehan, Victoria University and Vasso Apostolopoulos, Victoria University   Some recent studies have shown similar peak viral loads in vaccinated people compared to unvaccinated people who contract COVID. This has raised concerns for the efficacy of vaccines for preventing transmission. How concerned should we be? Are vaccinated people just as contagious as unvaccinated? What does this mean for … Read More

Nose sprays, needle-free patches, durable immunity: towards the next generation of COVID vaccines - COVID-19

Guest Author • Nov 09, 2021 •

• COVID-19,
• immunity,
• vaccination,
• vaccines

Kylie Quinn, RMIT University   The past 20 months has seen an explosion of vaccine development, with COVID vaccine testing and rollout happening at an unprecedented pace in the face of a global pandemic. There have been absolute triumphs – the fact we have multiple safe, effective vaccines is remarkable – but there have also been challenges. We’ve seen storage … Read More

Are employers and workers at odds over NZ’s workplace vaccine mandates? Our research suggests they might be - COVID-19

Guest Author • Nov 04, 2021 •

• COVID-19,
• New Zealand stories,
• vaccination,
• vaccine mandates

Stephen Croucher, Massey University; Doug Ashwell, Massey University, and Jo Cullinane, Massey University   The New Zealand government’s announcement yesterday of expanded mandatory vaccination requirements raises important questions about legality and compliance. Vaccination will become mandatory for staff at any business where vaccine certificates are required for customers, including hospitality, hairdressers and gyms. But our research suggests this will … Read More

‘If you want summer, get vaccinated’ – Jacinda Ardern sets the target for re-opening New Zealand - COVID-19

Guest Author • Nov 01, 2021 •

• COVID-19,
• New Zealand stories,
• vaccination

Michael Plank, University of Canterbury and Shaun Hendy, University of Auckland   The New Zealand government has bet heavily on vaccination targets and certificates to move the country into the re-opening phase of its COVID-19 response. As part of today’s major announcement, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said 90% of the eligible population must be fully vaccinated in each of the … Read More

New Zealanders are super-connected. When restrictions lift in Auckland, it won’t take much to amplify Delta’s spread - COVID-19

Guest Author • Oct 27, 2021 •

• #COVID19,
• networks,
• New Zealand stories,
• transmission,
• vaccination

Dion O’Neale, University of Auckland; Emily Harvey, University of Auckland; James Gilmour, University of Auckland, and Steven Turnbull, University of Auckland   As Aotearoa New Zealand moves from elimination to suppression, we need to understand how this could change the nature of transmission from Auckland’s Delta outbreak to the rest of New Zealand. Aucklanders can expect a three-step easing … Read More

New Zealand’s mass vaccination event lifts uptake but highlights dangerous inequities as the country prepares to open up - COVID-19

Guest Author • Oct 22, 2021 •

• COVID-19,
• New Zealand stories,
• vaccination

Jesse Whitehead, University of Waikato   New Zealand’s mass vaccination event last Saturday, when more than 130,000 people turned up to get their first or second dose, surpassed Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s expectations. Super Saturday and a televised “vaxathon” were part of the government’s push towards a 90% vaccination goal. About 85% of New Zealanders have now had their first … Read More

No, COVID-19 vaccines don’t affect women’s fertility - COVID-19

Guest Author • Oct 13, 2021 •

• COVID-19,
• fertility,
• New Zealand stories,
• vaccination

Michelle Wise, University of Auckland   Some women are holding off on being vaccinated against COVID-19 because of concerns the jab could affect their fertility, at times taking to social media to voice their concerns. Anti-vaccination campaigners appear to be fuelling these fears and misleading women into thinking the vaccine may affect their chance of getting pregnant now or in … Read More

Why we must not allow COVID to become endemic in New Zealand - COVID-19

Guest Author • Oct 12, 2021 •

• COVID-19,
• New Zealand stories,
• vaccination

John Donne Potter, Massey University; Graham Le Gros, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, and Rod Jackson, University of Auckland   As New Zealand switches from elimination to suppression, those who argue that COVID-19 will become endemic and part of our lives either do not understand or ignore what this would actually mean. Elimination has always been a … Read More

Urgent measures needed to allow the safe re-opening of Auckland schools - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Oct 11, 2021 •

• COVID-19,
• New Zealand stories,
• schools,
• vaccination

Dr Rachel Webb, Dr Jin Russell, Dr Pip Anderson, Dr Emma Best, Dr Alison Leversha and Dr Subha Rajanaidu* In this blog we describe the range of urgent measures that are needed to facilitate a safe return to schools in Auckland and other regions of the country where there is ongoing community transmission of COVID-19. These include very high vaccination … Read More

The Need for an Updated Strategic Approach to Covid-19 Control in Aotearoa NZ - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Oct 09, 2021 •

• COVID-19,
• New Zealand stories,
• vaccination

Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Jennifer Summers, Prof Michael Baker* The NZ Government appears to have drifted into an unclear strategic approach to Covid-19 control. In this blog we outline one potential way forward: a regional strategic approach that considers “regional suppression” and “regional elimination”. To maximise the success of this strategy, NZ would need to ensure tighter internal borders. Fortunately, … Read More