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Putin and the Bomb: Why New Zealand national risk assessments should include planning for the potential impacts of nuclear winter

Monday, March 14th, 2022 | carra86p | 1 Comment

Dr Matt Boyd & Prof Nick Wilson* (Syndicated from the Adapt Research Blog)

In this blog we briefly review the literature on the probability of nuclear war and what various models estimate to be the potential global climate impacts (eg, of nuclear winter). Although New Zealand is relatively well placed as a major food producer – a range of mitigation strategies could increase the probability of sustaining food security during a recovery period. To get the ball rolling the Government needs to perform a national risk assessment on this topic and commission work on identifying the most cost-effective preparations.

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Longer-term harm from Covid-19 in children: The evidence suggests greater efforts are needed to protect children in Aotearoa NZ from infection

Wednesday, March 9th, 2022 | carra86p | 1 Comment

Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Dr Anna Brooks, Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Julie Bennett, Dr Jennifer Summers, Carmen Timu-Parata, Dr Cervantée Wild, Belinda Tuari-Toma, Constanza Jackson, Prof Michael Baker*

Longer-term (or ‘post-acute effects’) of Covid-19 in children (including multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children [MIS-C] and long Covid) are well-described. But there is a lack of robust evidence about the prevalence of these conditions. In this blog we summarise findings from a rapid review of the evidence. These findings indicate to us the need for a precautionary approach in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) with greater efforts to prevent children from being infected during the current Omicron outbreak. Protections for children could include improvements to ventilation, mask use, and vaccine equity, and a lower threshold for closing schools and early childhood facilities with greater support for temporary home learning when community transmission is high.

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Daily nicotine use increases among youth in Aotearoa NZ: The 2021 Snapshot Y10 Survey

Tuesday, March 8th, 2022 | carra86p | No Comments

Janet Hoek, Jude Ball, Lindsay Robertson, Philip Gendall, Nick Wilson, Richard Edwards, Andrew Waa*

Recently, ASH New Zealand released findings from the 2021 Snapshot Year 10 survey, a large cross-sectional survey of young people aged 14-15. The survey provides important information on vaping and smoking among an age group where dependence on nicotine may develop, and the findings enable researchers and policy makers to assess the impact of different policies.  While the survey report reveals declining daily smoking, it also shows increasing vaping, particularly among Māori. We explain why rising vaping prevalence should be of concern and may warrant additional regulatory measures.

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Ventilation in NZ schools during the Omicron wave – results from a preliminary study

Monday, February 28th, 2022 | carra86p | No Comments

Dr Julie Bennett, Dr Tim Chambers and Dr Caroline Shorter*

Ventilation is a key and relatively underutilised public health measure that can reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Last year we outlined the need for adequate ventilation in schools and highlighted the need for nationwide ventilation surveillance. In this blog we provide an overview of the results of carbon dioxide (CO2) monitoring carried out in a variety of schools at the start of the Omicron wave. These results highlight that excessive levels of CO2 can build up in classrooms – and that this can be prevented by window opening. 

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Aotearoa New Zealand’s unhealthy food environment needs more policy action

Monday, February 28th, 2022 | carra86p | No Comments

Dr Sally Mackay, Dr Kelly Garton, Dr Sarah Gerritsen*

A new report reveals the troubling state of New Zealand’s food environment due to inaction from successive Governments and calls for this to change. Food environments influence the food we buy and eat, so are a key intervention area for improving population nutrition and diet-related health conditions. Food policies can improve food environments by making healthier foods and drinks more available, affordable, accessible and widely promoted, so have the potential to address inequities in health.

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