COVID-19 Pandemic in Aotearoa NZ: Impact, inequalities & improving our response

The goal of this project is to guide an effective and fair pandemic response in Aotearoa New Zealand. Experience from overseas demonstrates the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations. The pandemic has potential to worsen health inequalities because people with existing health conditions (common in Māori and Pasifika) are more likely to become severely ill. However, large-scale measures to control the spread of the virus are likely to have the worst impact on those who can least afford it. To avoid these harms, our team of experts will provide ongoing analysis of information from multiple sources about pandemic impact and the lived experience of those with the infection and their whānau. We will rapidly communicate these insights to decision-makers at the Ministry of Health, service providers, communities, other Pacific nations, and the public in the form of practical recommendations to guide current and future pandemic responses.