While the hantavirus outbreak will likely be eliminated, it highlights persistent gaps in global pandemic prevention, preparedness and response measures.
- Professor of Public Health, University of Otago
COVID-19 risk might be much lower than in past summers, but it’s not gone - making a pre-Christmas booster for some a good idea.
Hospitalisations and deaths attributed to COVID have dropped significantly since a peak in 2022. But a new variant could still reverse the trend quickly.
The major logistical barrier to implementing the recommendations of the COVID inquiry is the downsizing of key government agencies needed to do this work.
The world’s best chance of preventing the next pandemic lies in a global treaty. But deep divisions over funding and the sharing of vaccines and treatments have so far prevented an agreement.
On the fourth anniversary of New Zealand’s first COVID case it’s clear this is not a normal pandemic. Despite fatigue and indifference, New Zealand must heed the evidence and improve its response.
New Zealand’s initial elimination approach to COVID has significantly decreased the risk of hospitalisation and death. Now we need to find the right mix of measures to limit infection and reinfection.
Both New Zealand and Iceland kept death rates from COVID low, but used different strategies. While New Zealand relied on lockdowns and border closures, Iceland ramped up its testing capacity.
Kita berharap WHO dengan cepat mengumumkan darurat kesehatan masyarakat yang menjadi perhatian internasional dan menetapkan strategi eliminasi untuk penyakit baru yang potensial cepat menyebar.
An upgraded global response to future potential pandemic threats would give the best chance of eliminating new infectious diseases at source before they spread globally.
The pre-Christmas period puts New Zealanders at high risk of exposure to COVID. Even at small gatherings of ten people, the probability someone has the virus has increased from 2-3% to about 15%.
New Zealand has done better than most countries by taking decisive action at the start of the COVID pandemic. Now is the time to build on this with a science-based strategy to manage the next stages.
Based on certain criteria, New Zealand is clearly ‘winning’. But getting policy settings right over the long haul is about more than just having the most favourable assessment on selected criteria.
Now that Omicron infection is widespread, the government could improve trust by phasing out travel restrictions and border isolation and reviewing vaccine mandates to ensure they are proportionate.
Tackling climate change involves changes in behaviour that would significantly improve people’s general health — and save money.
The first year of dealing with the pandemic has taught New Zealand many lessons — including how we might tackle systemic social and environmental problems.
With quarantine infection numbers and border failures likely to keep increasing, the case for stricter travel restrictions is clear.
Despite the latest tweaks to border testing rules, the risk of imported infection remains very high. NZ’s wider response needs upgrading —including reducing the large numbers of infected returnees.
With six COVID-19 incursions in three months, New Zealand needs to change its approach to border control to reduce the risk of quarantine staff catching the virus from travellers.
New Zealand’s most pressing challenge is to bring the current COVID-19 outbreak under control, but it also time to make more strategic improvements to prevent future border control failures.
We believe New Zealand can eliminate COVID-19 again. But it could do more to speed up that process with mandatory masks and tighter controls on high-risk venues, including bars, gyms and churches.
New Zealand is one of a small number of countries that have managed to eliminate community transmission of COVID-19. It’s now reached a 100-day milestone with no new cases in the community.
Dos de los principales epidemiólogos que diseñaron la estrategia de eliminación del virus en Nueva Zelanda explican los detalles de la noticia y los retos que se le presentan al país en el futuro.
New Zealand has “eliminated” COVID-19 “for now”, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has declared. Two key epidemiologists who worked on NZ’s elimination strategy explain the news, and the challenges ahead.
New Zealand will begin easing its national lockdown from next Tuesday, after an extra five days of some of the world’s strictest COVID-19 restrictions. Six NZ experts give their take on the news.
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