695 Results

  • The strong case for mask requirements in public transportation and border control settings in NZ’s current COVID-19 pandemic context

    … the Government provides free masks as per Hong Kong), such a policy should be given very serious consideration by health … and border control settings Leading up to, and after New Zealand achieves its SARS-CoV-2 elimination goal, … which found that masks appeared effective in preventing infection of those passengers wearing them [6]. Benefit 5: …
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  • The COVID-19 house fire and the unbearable silence of fire alarms

    … of the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in … not at its first, but at its second meeting, two months after searches  for ‘SARS’ had been spiking on WeChat  and one month after  laboratory  confirmation of a ‘SARS coronavirus’  in …
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  • Long COVID Staff Clinic: Caring for carers in Taranaki

    … Long COVID include fatigue or general malaise, headaches, cognitive impairment, attention disorders, or respiratory symptoms 4 . … - working full time and have busy active lives. They will often say to me “I've just got nothing in the tank”; “my …
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  • Lessons from jurisdictions that are battling their own Delta variant outbreaks

    … The first Delta-variant outbreak in the community brings a new challenge to Aotearoa New Zealand’s COVID-19 response. … i.e. reduced efficacy of vaccination at preventing infection and transmission. [6] Its impact is further … are other jurisdictions responding to Delta? Taiwan was often cited in 2020 as a model jurisdictions in terms of its …
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  • And now the Brits are doing it: A sugary drink tax levy on the industry

    … From 1 April 2018, the UK is putting in place a type of sugary drinks tax – actually a “soft drinks … (indeed we see this with some shifting to budget brands after tobacco tax increases, even though overall tobacco … system.  If the Government insists on no new taxes until after this review, then the case for SSB taxes makes a …
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  • Robust vaccine surveillance shows safety – we need to communicate this better

    … they are offered to the public and continue to maintain a good ongoing safety record. In Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) … the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 mRNA vaccine is very safe. After billions of doses, the most serious adverse events with … Identification of rare potential vaccine safety signals often needs a population much larger than NZ has, especially …
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  • A pandemic that won’t go away – as Covid enters its 5th year, NZ needs a realistic strategy

    … of infection, prolonging the pandemic's impact. It remains a leading cause of hospitalisation and death, particularly in … impact may be Long Covid because it is relatively common after acute infections in all ages. This ongoing disease … central. Wishful thinking won't transform Covid-19 into a mild illness; evidence-informed responses are necessary to …
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  • Has the time come for a register of AI systems used by government agencies?

    … Several recent reports in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) offer a roadmap for AI implementation, highlighting the citizens' … state it baldly: how well does a given AI system work? How often is it right? How does it compare with a person … in a piece of text interrupted at an arbitrary point). But after training, these systems are used to perform tasks that …
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  • Shifting all isolation/quarantine facilities to a single air force base: The need for a critical analysis

    … all COVID-19 related isolation/quarantine facilities to a single air force base at Ōhakea are considered. The main advantage would be a reduction in the risk of border control failures, which can … assisting with economic recovery. There is therefore a need for an integrated health and economic analysis with …
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  • Monkeypox has arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand: what is the level of risk and how do we manage it?

    … Saturday 9 July 2022. This outbreak currently represents a relatively low public health risk to NZ because, while … consider supporting health initiatives to control this infection in countries where it is an endemic zoonotic … of infection 4–6 . Initial symptoms appear about nine days after exposure and can include headache, fever, muscle aches, …
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Public Health Expert Briefing (ISSN 2816-1203)