Just Published in The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific:
“Preparing for the next pandemic: insights from Aotearoa New Zealand’s Covid-19 response”
Te Niwha Emeritus Director and infectious diseases epidemiologist, Distinguished Professor Nigel French, led a team reflecting on Aotearoa New Zealand’s Covid-19 pandemic response and identified key areas for improvement.
| Read more in the publication and report: Science Direct article Te Niwha report |
Key takeaway:
Te Niwha Emeritus Director and infectious diseases epidemiologist, Distinguished Professor Nigel French, led a team reflecting on Aotearoa New Zealand’s Covid-19 pandemic response and identified key areas for improvement.
The team concluded:
“Pandemic planning presents significant challenges due to the many complexities and uncertainties surrounding the risk assessment and management of emerging infectious diseases. A constant theme across historic pandemics and epidemics is inequity: the heaviest burden often falls on populations with the least resources to manage these threats. Future pandemic plans must minimize limiting assumptions about the nature of potential pandemic threats, while addressing structural inequities through policy and practice. The interconnectedness of societal networks means that tackling inequity is not just a moral imperative but is crucial for the success of any pandemic response.”