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https://theconversation.com/5-years-on-covid-remains-nzs-most-important-infectious-disease-it-still-demands-a-strong-response-246873>
"This Friday, February 28, marks five years since COVID-19 was first reported
in Aotearoa New Zealand. At a population level, it remains our most harmful
infectious disease, with thousands of hospitalisations and 664 deaths last
year.
Understandably perhaps, many people want to move on from the early pandemic
years, and there is a temptation to minimise COVID’s threat now the emergency
response has passed.
But it deserves a proportionate response that draws on the rich evidence we now
have of how to minimise the harms of respiratory infections and the health and
economic benefits that come from managing them well.
The epidemiology of the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to change. Hospitalisations
provide the most consistent measure of incidence trends. Wastewater testing
shows similar successive waves of infection.
The past five years divide into a successful elimination response from March
2020 to late 2021 and a mitigation period from February 2022 onwards."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
