From early February to late June 2020 academics from across Otago's campuses made a substantial contribution to the COVID-19 debate, here in New Zealand and around the world.
New Zealand
200
200+ TV appearances
600
600 radio interviews
1,900
1,900 newspaper articles
6,500
6,500 pieces of online news
Global
3000
3000+ international media hits
1,000,000
1 million social media interactions
22,000,000,000
Aggregate readership of potentially 22 billion across 5 continents
"The game changer is that this virus can be contained and that means putting a huge amount of effort in and New Zealand has the opportunity … to plan very pro-actively and very vigorously to do that."
Professor Michael Baker
(Public Health), 9 March
“Rapid case detection and contact tracing, combined with other basic public health measures, has over 90 per cent efficacy against COVID-19 at the population level, making it as effective as many vaccines. This intervention is central to COVID-19 elimination in New Zealand.”
Dr Ayesha Verrall
(Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Wellington), 10 April
“We have been breaking the chain of Covid-19 transmission. But let's also recognise this is no time for Kiwi 'she'll-be-right' complacency.”
Associate Professor Andrew Moore
(Philosophy), 12 April
“We cannot afford to sit back and hope for a best-case scenario – action is needed now to ensure New Zealand can access a vaccine at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Associate Professor James Ussher
(Microbiology and Immunology), 14 April
“Right now, we have the chance to claim an historic victory over this virus. And that will provide the best possible outcome not only for our health, but also for our society and economy. If we are successful, this will be one of New Zealand's greatest achievements.”
Emeritus Professor Sir David Skegg
(Preventive and Social Medicine), 22 April
“The Covid crisis is opening us up to new insights about our society and economy. It is ushering in new thinking about globalisation, systems, equity, welfare, behaviour change and collective responsibility: ideas that are critically important to underpin a future in which our younger generations can thrive.”
Associate Professor Janet Stevenson
(Centre for Sustainability), 1 May
"People recovering from Covid-19 infection are reporting a variety of concerns … True recovery in the sense of feeling completely back to normal may take much longer than expected and this issue will need attention in the weeks and months to come."
Dr Amanda Kvalsvig
(Public Health), 9 June
“… we are still an island in a global sea of COVID-19.”
Professor Michael Baker
(Public Health), 3 June