Press Release – New Zealand Government
The Government is acting to ensure decisions on responding to the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic are informed by the best available scientific evidence and strategic public health advice.
“New Zealand has worked towards an elimination strategy which has been successful in keeping our people safe and our economy in good shape,” Minister for COVID-19 Response Chris Hipkins said.
“One of our strengths has been our commitment to constantly learn and adapt.
“The next phase of the pandemic poses significant challenges, including the emergence of new variants, but it also provides us with new opportunities,” Chris Hipkins said.
Covid 19 coronavirus: New advisory group to help Government with Covid decisions nzherald.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nzherald.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
08/04/2021 COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins. Photo credit: Getty Images
The government has established a new scientific advisory group to advise it on crucial COVID-19 decisions, including any changes at the border and the ongoing vaccine rollout.
One of its first tasks will be to advise on a vaccine target.
The six person group will be headed by epidemiologist Professor Sir David Skegg, and will be in place until mid next year.
COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said having the group was to ensure future decisions were informed by the best available scientific evidence and strategic public health advice .
That would include looking at vaccination rates and scenarios should the borders reopen, interpreting scientific data for any decisions around the border, public health protections and consideration of the residual risk of the non-immunised population and the associated health system capacity needs once the border s ope
+Undoctored Independent experts to advise Government on post-vaccination future
Media release from minister for COVID-19 response Chris Hipkins and associate minister of health Ayesha Verrall
Thursday 8 April 2021, 08:44 AM
2 minutes to Read
The Government is acting to ensure decisions on responding to the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic are informed by the best available scientific evidence and strategic public health advice.
“New Zealand has worked towards an elimination strategy which has been successful in keeping our people safe and our economy in good shape,” Minister for COVID-19 Response Chris Hipkins said.
“One of our strengths has been our commitment to constantly learn and adapt.
An early piece of advice we d like is about what types of considerations feed into the decision about vaccine coverage targets, and whether they re helpful at all.” The group will be asked to consider whether there needs to be specific targets for coverage across the country’s regions, or ethnic and age groups, before the border can open. The Government has so far been reluctant to put a figure on how much of the population it wants to be vaccinated. The experts will also be asked to provide a view on models of the virus’ potential spread, report on the international evidence on how effective the vaccines were at blocking transmission of the virus, and advise on the risk to the non-immunised population.