Aotearoa Covid Action Condemns Government’s Surrender To Covid

The government’s disturbing decision yesterday to end our last remaining protections against Covid means more Kiwis will get sick, and more Kiwis will end up with long term illness from Covid. Our economy will be damaged. What can we do?

Aotearoa Covid Action heard Prime Minister Hipkins’ announcement yesterday with dismay. While the government “celebrates” the end of public health protection against Covid, we know that ending support for isolation while ill with this contagious disease will mean increased infections, and ending mask wearing in health care will mean our most vulnerable are exposed to high levels of virus in the places they should feel safest. We all want Covid to be over – but this looks more like surrender than success.

We only need to look at what happened in other countries when health protections were removed:

• Infection and reinfection levels went up and stayed up
• High infection levels have translated into skyrocketing levels of long-term disability
• Children face regular reinfection, and many have long Covid
• People are catching Covid in hospitals – and dying as a result.

Is this what we want to see in Aotearoa New Zealand?

We cannot rely on vaccines and past infections to protect us. Covid is evolving and sidestepping immunity. The latest variant Eris (EG.5) is beginning to circulate in Aotearoa New Zealand just as we remove our last safeguards.

And the chances of recovering fully from Covid are alarmingly low. Recent research has shown that after reinfection with Covid we stand a 20% chance of long-term damage to our health- even after a mild infection, even when vaccinated, and even in young people. We don’t always know that this has happened as some symptoms don’t surface until months later. But the personal toll can be terrible. And the social cost of chronic disease burden is “so large as to be unfathomable” (immunologist Prof. Danny Altmann on Kim Hill, 22.7.23).

At Aotearoa Covid Action, we don’t consent to politicians gambling with lives of New Zealanders by falling in line with other countries and copying their mistakes. We can beat Covid – but not by pretending it has gone away or doesn’t have the power to harm us.

Today we are calling on the Government to reverse its irresponsible decision to remove basic protections. And we are calling on politicians of all parties to show leadership in getting this problem solved. We all want a healthy, flourishing Aotearoa. It is their job to help us get there with support for isolation when ill, ensuring access to up-to-date vaccines and free tests for all, and delivering on the improved air quality in schools, public transport, health care and all workplaces that will keep us safe from this damaging disease.

Further information

• In the UK, a record high of 2.55 million people is currently off work long term due to sickness. Resolution Foundation 13.6.23. https://twitter.com/resfoundation/status/1668551788255952896
• In the US, an estimated 16 million working age people had Long Covid in 2022, with 4 million of those unable to work.

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/new-data-shows-long-covid-is-keeping-as-many-as-4-million-people-out-of-work/

• In only 5 months after health protections were removed, half of all 8–11-year-olds in the UK were infected. Reinfection is common, and results severe – 16% of reinfected children had symptoms 6 months later. Nearly 5% of all UK 11–17-year-olds have had persistent symptoms affecting their lives for at least 3 months.

Gurdasani D. et al. Covid-19 in the UK: policy on children and schools BMJ 2022; 378 :e071234 doi:10.1136/bmj-2022-071234) https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/covid19schoolsinfectionsurveyengland/march2022

• Recent research has shown that after reinfection with Covid we stand a 20% chance of long-term damage to our health- even after a mild infection, even when vaccinated. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.06.23293706v1
• Lack of infection controlling masks in hospitals has caused hospital acquired Covid to spike, with a death rate of 10% or more.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/a-death-sentence-more-than-600-people-die-after-catching-covid-in-hospital-20230621-p5di7x.html

Aotearoa Covid Action are a group of concerned citizens including doctors, health experts, educators, business leaders, and parents who believe that it is our responsibility to work together in ensuring a healthy and safe community for everyone. Visit https://covidaction.nz/en/ for more information, and join us to make your voice heard.

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