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How to best describe NZ’s border control problems around COVID-19 with a possible typology
… disaster situations. For example, earthquakes in NZ might be considered “events” as there is no human-designed system … them. Nevertheless, there are often aspects of what might be considered associated “system failures” (eg, poorly … This is a word in an infectious disease context that might be appropriate in some situations, but which doesn’t clearly …
Briefing
Not all upcycled food is created equal: What is sustainable?
… economically sustainable use of food that would otherwise be wasted. Our review of existing research examines whether … is still limited, it suggests that upcycling food can be both environmentally friendly and cost-effective, … job security. While not well studied, there may also be unintended negative consequences on food security from the …
Briefing
World Ventil8 Day – How do our buildings measure up?
… it also enables us to think more clearly, sleep better and be more productive. Aotearoa NZ lags behind comparable … with new buildings, still having the potential to be cold, mouldy, and unhealthy. 4 While the Building Act 2004 … changed every three hours, the air in the kitchen should be changed every hour, and air in bathrooms should be changed …
Briefing
When can COVID-19 be Declared Eliminated from NZ? New Modelling Study
… 33 days of no new detected cases of COVID-19 for there to be a 95% probability of epidemic extinction in NZ (at around … There are other island jurisdictions that may also be approaching elimination (eg, Taiwan and Iceland) and there … “bubble”. 3 More realistically however, it might be that such quarantine-free travel with NZ first begins with …
Briefing
Getting through together: ethical values for a pandemic
… as COVID-19 require us to draw on our common humanity and be explicit about our values. Recognising this will help us … already provides a statement of shared values which can be used to guide a wide range of responses. In response to … it’, and ‘keep it out’ or border management. Soon we might be at phase 3 ‘stamp it out’ and then possibly phase 4 …
Briefing
Protecting hapu māmā and newborn babies through immunisation during pregnancy in Aotearoa New Zealand
… influenza, and Covid-19 which are more likely to be severe during pregnancy and in early life. Despite being … areas of high deprivation, these groups are less likely to be immunised during pregnancy. Thus, to protect pēpi and hapū … they are vulnerable to infection but not yet old enough to be immunised themselves. 1 This briefing outlines how we are …
Briefing
Dropping the ball on measles? Aotearoa must close an ‘immunity gap’ to avoid a measles epidemic
… receipt of two doses of MMR vaccine. Priority should be given to existing immunisation requirements for primary … legal and other challenges, but its feasibility could be rapidly evaluated. Meanwhile, the need for measles immunity can be communicated through existing systems, including regular …
Briefing
Expansion of “green zones” may provide a chance for the global eradication of COVID-19
… PHSMs alone have allowed around 20% of the world to be in COVID-free jurisdictions (when counting just China, … The costs of COVID-19 eradication are likely to be affordable. For example, one estimate for the incremental … for a total of US$2.018 billion [8]. Such costs could be easily eclipsed by the large economic benefits of …
Briefing
When the first barrier fails: Strengthening protection for drinking water sources
… This Briefing describes how Waimate’s water came to be contaminated; identifies that the regional council was … syndrome’ as it interferes with oxygen in blood and may be indicated by a change in babies’ skin colour. The Waimate … population. With emerging evidence and questions still to be answered about the risks to human health, public health …
Briefing
An upgraded Alert Level 2 is urgently needed to address the Delta Variant threat
… the Covid-19 landscape has changed, and the system must be updated to address the threat of the highly transmissible … intense lockdowns (whether regional or nationwide) can be effective in dealing with Delta variant outbreaks when … and vaccination. Even high levels of vaccination may not be as effective as hoped against the Delta variant, as seen …
Briefing

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