The next pandemic is inevitable. Will NZ be ready?

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-10-18 00:01

New Zealand

Photo: Eric Sales/ Asian Development Bank (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

A recent update to New Zealand's pandemic response plan is a start, but much more work is required, say David Murdoch and Ashley Bloomfield, key figures in Aotearoa's COVID-19 response. In an NZMJ editorial, they write that the previous pandemic plan was too focused on influenza, and officials needed to adapt on the fly to the new virus. They say the new plan should consider pandemics as security threats, not just health threats, and should be updated annually, with exercises to run officials through different pandemic scenarios.

Media release

From: Pasifika Medical Association Group

Investment in pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR) is nowhere near the scale or speed necessary globally. PPPR is a fundamental aspect of national security, demanding sustained investment and a whole-of-government approach to ensure readiness for future threats. Pandemic planning must be a living, adaptive process integrating lessons learnt from emerging evidence, the development of new technologies such as vaccines and the repeated testing of plans to ensure they actually work in practice. We need to prepare for the next (inevitable) pandemic, and that response is one of national security, not just a health issue. The updated national pandemic plan that was recently released is a start, but much more work is required.

Multimedia

Professor David Murdoch

Journal/
conference: NZMJ

Organisation/s: ESR (Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd), University of Otago

Funder: N/A

Media Contact/s

Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.