Overjoyed. That’s not a word epidemiologists normally use, but that’s how I felt after hearing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s announcement of New Zealand’s COVID-19 lockdown from Wednesday night.
- Professor of Public Health, University of Otago
To guard against coronavirus, NZ should consider a short “pulse” (a few weeks) of intense social distancing, including bringing forward school holidays and temporary closures of most businesses.
COVID-19 has now been confirmed in New Zealand in one case, but as yet, there is no evidence of transmission to others. Pandemic planning is focused on keeping the novel coronavirus out.
Nitrate in drinking water has been linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer. That could have implications for some parts of New Zealand where nitrate levels are high.
The last century has given us much to draw on when it comes to dealing with pandemics.
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