A recent study highlighted the significant impact of Covid-19 vaccines in New Zealand, notably reducing deaths and hospitalisations during the Omicron phase. Published in Vaccine, the research estimates vaccines averted 4,000 to 12,000 deaths and 34,000 to 56,000 hospitalisations within 18 months from January 2022. However, among the highlighted outcomes were the disparities in health Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Omicron’
What do we know about Omicron subvariants XBB and BQ.1?
Monday, November 14th, 2022
Australia’s Covid-19 case numbers are on the rise again, with health officials signalling the arrival of new Omicron subvariants as a new wave begins. It’s the first sustained uptick since the “winter wave” of Omicron subvariant BA.5, University of Melbourne public health researcher Nancy Baxter told RN Breakfast on Friday. “You have things like wastewater Read more
Covid-19: Two months of ‘substantially lower infections’ ahead
Thursday, August 11th, 2022New Zealand is likely in for “a couple of months” of lower Covid-19 infections now the second Omicron peak has passed, experts say. However, there are plenty of other viruses circulating and people should keep up health measures such as wearing masks and staying home when sick, they say. A panel of health experts answered Read more
Each COVID reinfection raises the risk of long COVID
Monday, July 25th, 2022
The latest Omicron variant BA.5 is fast becoming dominant worldwide, including in New Zealand and Australia. As it continues to surge, reinfection will become increasingly common and this in turn means more people will develop long COVID. The two most concerning aspects of long COVID are its high prevalence (up to 30% of those infected) Read more
Catholic college reverts to online learning
Monday, July 4th, 2022
At least one school is reverting to online learning because it is unable to staff classes. Auckland’s Carmel College says on its website that the school will be using online learning from Tuesday 5 – Friday 8 July. Schools in New Zealand are on holiday from 9 July. Amid battling Covid, influenza, RSV, tummy bugs Read more
Covid-19: More men than women died in Omicron outbreak
Monday, April 11th, 2022Nearly two-thirds of the people who have died in New Zealand’s Omicron outbreak are men, and experts say the science is inconclusive as to why. That is despite slightly more women having been infected overall, according to Ministry of Health data. Women also made up about 56 percent of those who have been hospitalised with Read more
Covid-19 is exploding in Asia: what it means for us
Monday, March 21st, 2022
Across the world, the omicron phase of the Covid-19 pandemic is now piling up towering case counts in places that have largely managed to keep the disease in check until this point. This troubling rise may signal that another wave of Covid-19 is rising in countries just coming out of their own omicron shadows. Hong Read more
Catholic Ecology, Justice and Peace group writes open letter to bishops
Thursday, March 17th, 2022
Members of the Wellington Archdiocese Ecology, Justice and Peace (EJP) Commission are advocating the present state of the Covid-19 pandemic requires a continuation of the restrictions outlined in their November 2021 pastoral letter. They have written an open letter to the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference. The Wellington EJP letter is a response to an Read more
Avoid church and other high risk places
Thursday, March 3rd, 2022
Churches are among the high risk places to avoid at present, say public health professor Nick Wilson and epidemiologist Michael Baker (pictured). As daily Omicron cases soar throughout the country, avoiding high risk places means steering clear of bars, restaurants, cafés, gyms, churches and protests. Retail shops, offices, lifts, stairwells, malls, community pools, public transport Read more
South Auckland church helps at-risk families struggling to self-isolate
Thursday, February 24th, 2022
With Omicron spreading at an alarming rate, one South Auckland church leader is calling on fellow priests and ministers to put their hands up to help those needing to self-isolate. A defining feature of Māngere in South Auckland is the number of large churches. The suburb is also full of sleep-outs, converted garages and portable Read more