Protecting Kiwi kids' respiratory health

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-02-28 00:01

New Zealand

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Respiratory hospitalisations among Aotearoa's under-14s dropped early in the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a big increase and the rapid reappearance of health inequities among Māori and Pacific children after protective measures were removed. Researchers who studied hospitalisation rates from 2017 to 2023 say the increase could be due to 'immunity debt', increased wheezing in preschoolers because of immune system responses to COVID infections, and poorer access to primary healthcare. To address these 'worrying trends', the authors say we need to continue mitigation strategies in partnership with Māori and Pacific health providers. They recommend an improved vaccination system, promoting testing and self-isolation with paid sick leave, and protection against indoor transmission in key places like schools.
New Zealand Medical Journal

Media release

From: Pasifika Medical Association Group

The aim of the paper was to explore the impact of COVID-19 protection measures on children’s respiratory health. We examined trends in hospitalisation rates for respiratory infections among children in Aotearoa New Zealand from 2017/2018 to 2022/2023. Results showed that
hospitalisation rates for respiratory illnesses were lower for all children in the years when COVID-19 protection measures were strictly enforced, followed by an increase in rates in subsequent years.

There was an excess of hospitalisations for tamariki Māori and for Pacific children compared to non-Māori, non-Pacific children. Inequities in respiratory health that were present before the pandemic re-emerged rapidly following the removal of COVID-19 protection measures.

Journal/
conference: New Zealand Medical Journal

Organisation/s: Victoria University of Wellington, University of Auckland, Starship Children's Hospital, Pacific Health Plus Porirua

Funder: Health Delivery Research Activation Grant (HRC 23/776).

Media Contact/s

Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.