Amanda Kvalsvig
@amandakvalsvig.bsky.social
Epidemiologist in the Department of Public Health, University of Otago Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. All opinions my own.
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
If only a poster like this was displayed in every NZ school. Kiwi children would be healthier, learn better & there'd be an uptick in attendance.
The @covidactionnz.bsky.social ActionStation petition is growing. Keep boosting & encouraging people to sign.
our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/cl...
The @covidactionnz.bsky.social ActionStation petition is growing. Keep boosting & encouraging people to sign.
our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/cl...
June 1, 2025 at 2:57 AM
If only a poster like this was displayed in every NZ school. Kiwi children would be healthier, learn better & there'd be an uptick in attendance.
The @covidactionnz.bsky.social ActionStation petition is growing. Keep boosting & encouraging people to sign.
our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/cl...
The @covidactionnz.bsky.social ActionStation petition is growing. Keep boosting & encouraging people to sign.
our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/cl...
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
#NZ 2025 Public Health Summer School
10–21 Feb 2025
19 short courses, mostly 1 day
Some in-person, some online
University of Otago Wellington
25% discount until 19 Dec. Limited Māori and Pacific scholarships may be available.
www.otago.ac.nz/wellington/d...
via @amandakvalsvig.bsky.social
10–21 Feb 2025
19 short courses, mostly 1 day
Some in-person, some online
University of Otago Wellington
25% discount until 19 Dec. Limited Māori and Pacific scholarships may be available.
www.otago.ac.nz/wellington/d...
via @amandakvalsvig.bsky.social
December 16, 2024 at 8:00 PM
#NZ 2025 Public Health Summer School
10–21 Feb 2025
19 short courses, mostly 1 day
Some in-person, some online
University of Otago Wellington
25% discount until 19 Dec. Limited Māori and Pacific scholarships may be available.
www.otago.ac.nz/wellington/d...
via @amandakvalsvig.bsky.social
10–21 Feb 2025
19 short courses, mostly 1 day
Some in-person, some online
University of Otago Wellington
25% discount until 19 Dec. Limited Māori and Pacific scholarships may be available.
www.otago.ac.nz/wellington/d...
via @amandakvalsvig.bsky.social
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
As a society we also need to think about why it's OK to exclude kids from even the limited protections offered by occupational health and safety rules, even in places like schools where they are forced to be present. Kids should be *more* protected than an adult working in a steel mill, not less.
December 13, 2024 at 8:31 PM
As a society we also need to think about why it's OK to exclude kids from even the limited protections offered by occupational health and safety rules, even in places like schools where they are forced to be present. Kids should be *more* protected than an adult working in a steel mill, not less.
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
You can access the @natprot.bsky.social article via this link. I would be very interested in hearing feedback on this work @natureportfolio.bsky.social
🧪
rdcu.be/d3n6s
🧪
rdcu.be/d3n6s
Independent SAGE as an example of effective public dialogue on scientific research
Nature Protocols - The members of Independent SAGE reflect on their experience in setting up, developing and running a science communication platform and service to the public during the COVID-19...
rdcu.be
December 13, 2024 at 5:32 AM
You can access the @natprot.bsky.social article via this link. I would be very interested in hearing feedback on this work @natureportfolio.bsky.social
🧪
rdcu.be/d3n6s
🧪
rdcu.be/d3n6s
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
Conventional wisdom in 2024 seems to dictate that the Covid-19 response was an overreaction, but that conventional wisdom is wrong.
My analysis on the Royal Commission report and the response to it:
newsroom.co.nz/2024/12/03/h...
My analysis on the Royal Commission report and the response to it:
newsroom.co.nz/2024/12/03/h...
Historical revisionism on Covid threatens NZ's pandemic preparedness
Comment: The Royal Commission report fundamentally validates the strategic and tactical choices made during the acute phase of the pandemic
newsroom.co.nz
December 2, 2024 at 8:05 PM
Conventional wisdom in 2024 seems to dictate that the Covid-19 response was an overreaction, but that conventional wisdom is wrong.
My analysis on the Royal Commission report and the response to it:
newsroom.co.nz/2024/12/03/h...
My analysis on the Royal Commission report and the response to it:
newsroom.co.nz/2024/12/03/h...
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
I'm very happy to see this Perspective finally published. @independentsage.bsky.social briefings were of wide value to the public, yet what may be less obvious is the value they provided to the scientific community as a whole.
🧪 #medski #academicsky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧪 #medski #academicsky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
December 13, 2024 at 5:32 AM
I'm very happy to see this Perspective finally published. @independentsage.bsky.social briefings were of wide value to the public, yet what may be less obvious is the value they provided to the scientific community as a whole.
🧪 #medski #academicsky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧪 #medski #academicsky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
🎯🧵by @amandakvalsvig.bsky.social on Twitter:
"Aotearoa New Zealand's Covid Inquiry has produced a high-quality, insightful report with a huge scope and range.
[...]
It's not (yet) too late for NZ to act on the excellent roadmap provided by the Inquiry report..."
threadreaderapp.com/thread/18673...
"Aotearoa New Zealand's Covid Inquiry has produced a high-quality, insightful report with a huge scope and range.
[...]
It's not (yet) too late for NZ to act on the excellent roadmap provided by the Inquiry report..."
threadreaderapp.com/thread/18673...
December 13, 2024 at 3:12 AM
🎯🧵by @amandakvalsvig.bsky.social on Twitter:
"Aotearoa New Zealand's Covid Inquiry has produced a high-quality, insightful report with a huge scope and range.
[...]
It's not (yet) too late for NZ to act on the excellent roadmap provided by the Inquiry report..."
threadreaderapp.com/thread/18673...
"Aotearoa New Zealand's Covid Inquiry has produced a high-quality, insightful report with a huge scope and range.
[...]
It's not (yet) too late for NZ to act on the excellent roadmap provided by the Inquiry report..."
threadreaderapp.com/thread/18673...
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
"we are still in a pandemic. NZ’s failure to acknowledge this fact doesn’t bode well for the work needed to build and maintain preparedness for future pandemic threats."
Learning from NZ's response to Covid-19 - Expert Reaction
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into lessons learned from NZ's response to the Covid-19 pandemic has released the first phase of its findings.
The over 700-page report was delivered to the Internal Af...
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz
November 29, 2024 at 5:29 AM
"we are still in a pandemic. NZ’s failure to acknowledge this fact doesn’t bode well for the work needed to build and maintain preparedness for future pandemic threats."
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
The health cuts in NZ are awful in so many ways, with so many implications… another one: future pandemic preparedness - as laid out by @amandakvalsvig.bsky.social etc
Covid inquiry report is excellent guide to preparing for next pandemic – health cuts put that at risk www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-...
Covid inquiry report is excellent guide to preparing for next pandemic – health cuts put that at risk www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-...
Covid inquiry report is excellent guide to preparing for next pandemic – health cuts put that at risk
Opinion - There's urgency for the government to act on the recommendations of the long-awaited inquiry, prominent medical experts write.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 30, 2024 at 4:53 AM
The health cuts in NZ are awful in so many ways, with so many implications… another one: future pandemic preparedness - as laid out by @amandakvalsvig.bsky.social etc
Covid inquiry report is excellent guide to preparing for next pandemic – health cuts put that at risk www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-...
Covid inquiry report is excellent guide to preparing for next pandemic – health cuts put that at risk www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-...
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
This is so backward
1. Science is more than just commercialisable widgetry
2. Making progress on our biggest problems (climate change, infectious diseases, misinfo to name a few) will need more collaboration between STEM and hum/social sci not less.
1. Science is more than just commercialisable widgetry
2. Making progress on our biggest problems (climate change, infectious diseases, misinfo to name a few) will need more collaboration between STEM and hum/social sci not less.
December 4, 2024 at 2:46 AM
This is so backward
1. Science is more than just commercialisable widgetry
2. Making progress on our biggest problems (climate change, infectious diseases, misinfo to name a few) will need more collaboration between STEM and hum/social sci not less.
1. Science is more than just commercialisable widgetry
2. Making progress on our biggest problems (climate change, infectious diseases, misinfo to name a few) will need more collaboration between STEM and hum/social sci not less.
This is an excellent point, thank you.👇
The Covid-19 pandemic has clearly had an emergency phase: we all remember it, and we know it was different from what we're experiencing today.
But the pandemic is still continuing. The term 'chronic phase' might help make its ongoing harms more visible.
1/
The Covid-19 pandemic has clearly had an emergency phase: we all remember it, and we know it was different from what we're experiencing today.
But the pandemic is still continuing. The term 'chronic phase' might help make its ongoing harms more visible.
1/
🦠 Preparing for the next time
I’m writing this stuff as it’s important that we learn from the earlier stages of the pandemic so that we might do better - and that we be aware of attempts to rewrite what happened.
One thought: would WHO declaring a 'chronic phase' have helped?
1/n
I’m writing this stuff as it’s important that we learn from the earlier stages of the pandemic so that we might do better - and that we be aware of attempts to rewrite what happened.
One thought: would WHO declaring a 'chronic phase' have helped?
1/n
🦠 COVID-19 Preparedness: stay honest!
The ‘historical revisionism’ the title refers to is easy for politicians to "play", to try deflect problems caused by the acute phase of the *pandemic* itself onto "the other party".
It does a real disservice to the work done so well in the earlier stages
1/n
The ‘historical revisionism’ the title refers to is easy for politicians to "play", to try deflect problems caused by the acute phase of the *pandemic* itself onto "the other party".
It does a real disservice to the work done so well in the earlier stages
1/n
December 3, 2024 at 6:13 PM
This is an excellent point, thank you.👇
The Covid-19 pandemic has clearly had an emergency phase: we all remember it, and we know it was different from what we're experiencing today.
But the pandemic is still continuing. The term 'chronic phase' might help make its ongoing harms more visible.
1/
The Covid-19 pandemic has clearly had an emergency phase: we all remember it, and we know it was different from what we're experiencing today.
But the pandemic is still continuing. The term 'chronic phase' might help make its ongoing harms more visible.
1/
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
Just last month there were more cuts at ESR. That's the group of public servants who did a similar thing for us all regards the COVID pandemic.
These capabilities matter. We do not know when we might need them. Killing them off is just plain irresponsible.
We need to work together, in solidarity.
These capabilities matter. We do not know when we might need them. Killing them off is just plain irresponsible.
We need to work together, in solidarity.
News Article: Institute of Environmental Science and Research proposes to cut 51 jobs
"ESR is losing scientists, technicians and other expertise as the Government continues to show how little it values the long-term benefits of science and research to improving the health and wellbein...
te-ara-paerangi.community
December 2, 2024 at 5:41 AM
Just last month there were more cuts at ESR. That's the group of public servants who did a similar thing for us all regards the COVID pandemic.
These capabilities matter. We do not know when we might need them. Killing them off is just plain irresponsible.
We need to work together, in solidarity.
These capabilities matter. We do not know when we might need them. Killing them off is just plain irresponsible.
We need to work together, in solidarity.
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
Our new paper, led by @oohgpwales.bsky.social:
Muscle weakness post-COVID: a practical guide for primary care
TL;DR: patients with muscle weakness after COVID-19 infection may have myelopathy, nerve damage or other organic pathology. Not always due to 'deconditioning'!
bjgp.org/content/74/7...
Muscle weakness post-COVID: a practical guide for primary care
TL;DR: patients with muscle weakness after COVID-19 infection may have myelopathy, nerve damage or other organic pathology. Not always due to 'deconditioning'!
bjgp.org/content/74/7...
Muscle weakness post-COVID: a practical guide for primary care
Since the earliest stages of the pandemic, muscle weakness has been a key symptom described by patients post-COVID infection. Estimated to affect up to 60% of those with long COVID, it can have a prof...
bjgp.org
November 29, 2024 at 9:48 AM
Our new paper, led by @oohgpwales.bsky.social:
Muscle weakness post-COVID: a practical guide for primary care
TL;DR: patients with muscle weakness after COVID-19 infection may have myelopathy, nerve damage or other organic pathology. Not always due to 'deconditioning'!
bjgp.org/content/74/7...
Muscle weakness post-COVID: a practical guide for primary care
TL;DR: patients with muscle weakness after COVID-19 infection may have myelopathy, nerve damage or other organic pathology. Not always due to 'deconditioning'!
bjgp.org/content/74/7...
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
Welcome to the Aotearoa Gardening feed! Use any of the following to get your content included.
🌱🇳🇿 / 🇳🇿🌱 OR
#māra #mahimāra #mārakai #putiputi #tipu #nzgardens #nzgardening #gardeningnz #aonzgardening #aotearoagardening #nzgarden
🌱🇳🇿 / 🇳🇿🌱 OR
#māra #mahimāra #mārakai #putiputi #tipu #nzgardens #nzgardening #gardeningnz #aonzgardening #aotearoagardening #nzgarden
October 30, 2023 at 9:26 PM
Welcome to the Aotearoa Gardening feed! Use any of the following to get your content included.
🌱🇳🇿 / 🇳🇿🌱 OR
#māra #mahimāra #mārakai #putiputi #tipu #nzgardens #nzgardening #gardeningnz #aonzgardening #aotearoagardening #nzgarden
🌱🇳🇿 / 🇳🇿🌱 OR
#māra #mahimāra #mārakai #putiputi #tipu #nzgardens #nzgardening #gardeningnz #aonzgardening #aotearoagardening #nzgarden
@thev.bsky.social is always on the nose, but this one especially made me laugh.
One to add to the large genre of Covid oxymorons.
See also "Masks are bad because 1) the holes in the weave are too big to trap viruses and 2) children are getting immunity debt from wearing masks".
One to add to the large genre of Covid oxymorons.
See also "Masks are bad because 1) the holes in the weave are too big to trap viruses and 2) children are getting immunity debt from wearing masks".
Everyone Has Always Been Sick The Whole Time, And It’s Lockdowns That Have Caused It.
October 29, 2023 at 9:01 PM
@thev.bsky.social is always on the nose, but this one especially made me laugh.
One to add to the large genre of Covid oxymorons.
See also "Masks are bad because 1) the holes in the weave are too big to trap viruses and 2) children are getting immunity debt from wearing masks".
One to add to the large genre of Covid oxymorons.
See also "Masks are bad because 1) the holes in the weave are too big to trap viruses and 2) children are getting immunity debt from wearing masks".
Reposted by Amanda Kvalsvig
I thought yesterday's Independent SAGE briefing about the failure of government to follow behavioural science was so good, that I did a substack summarising the session, with several short clips of our experts.
open.substack.com/pub/christin...
open.substack.com/pub/christin...
October 21, 2023 at 11:00 AM
I thought yesterday's Independent SAGE briefing about the failure of government to follow behavioural science was so good, that I did a substack summarising the session, with several short clips of our experts.
open.substack.com/pub/christin...
open.substack.com/pub/christin...
As a compulsive reader, it’s been disconcerting to find myself unable to read books during the pandemic; perhaps because I read so much for work, perhaps worrying about the world. "Ocean” is one of the very few exceptions, and what a comfort it’s been. Thank you so much @neilhimself.neilgaiman.com.
October 22, 2023 at 12:08 AM
As a compulsive reader, it’s been disconcerting to find myself unable to read books during the pandemic; perhaps because I read so much for work, perhaps worrying about the world. "Ocean” is one of the very few exceptions, and what a comfort it’s been. Thank you so much @neilhimself.neilgaiman.com.
Kia ora koutou
It's great to be here! Sorry, I'm v boring. My current wishlist:
1. Covid policy adequately reflects the seriousness of this infection
2. NZ reduces community spread of respiratory pathogens down to summer levels - permanently
3. NZ chooses to eliminate poverty
4. Wait I haven't finis
It's great to be here! Sorry, I'm v boring. My current wishlist:
1. Covid policy adequately reflects the seriousness of this infection
2. NZ reduces community spread of respiratory pathogens down to summer levels - permanently
3. NZ chooses to eliminate poverty
4. Wait I haven't finis
October 19, 2023 at 11:40 PM
Kia ora koutou
It's great to be here! Sorry, I'm v boring. My current wishlist:
1. Covid policy adequately reflects the seriousness of this infection
2. NZ reduces community spread of respiratory pathogens down to summer levels - permanently
3. NZ chooses to eliminate poverty
4. Wait I haven't finis
It's great to be here! Sorry, I'm v boring. My current wishlist:
1. Covid policy adequately reflects the seriousness of this infection
2. NZ reduces community spread of respiratory pathogens down to summer levels - permanently
3. NZ chooses to eliminate poverty
4. Wait I haven't finis