Co-Search, a collaboration of COVID-19 researchers, have published a number of research papers about pandemic responses. They have also been regularly commissioned to produce reports for the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
Contact Co-Search:
Email virginia.signal@otago.ac.nz
Email fiona.taylor@otago.ac.nz
COVID‑19 research papers
- Improvements and persisting challenges in COVID-19 response compared with 1918–19 influenza pandemic response, New Zealand (Aotearoa) Summers, J., Kvalsvig, A., Telfar Barnard, L., Bennett, J., Harwood, M., Wilson, N., & Baker, M. G. (2023). [Historical review]. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 29(9), 1827-1836. doi: 10.3201/eid2909.221265
- The long-term impacts of COVID-19 on confirmed cases at least 12 months post-infection in Wellington, New Zealand: An observational, cross-sectional study. Kearns, N., Kivi, N., Dickinson, E., Mayo, E., Eathorne, A., Anderson, A., Beasley, R., Thornley, C., & Nesdale, A. (2023). New Zealand Medical Journal | Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 136(1578), 77-93.
- Protecting school communities from COVID-19 and other infectious disease outbreaks: The urgent need for healthy schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori. Kvalsvig, A., Tuari-Toma, B., Timu-Parata, C., Bennett, J., Sinnema, C., Summers, J., Davies, C., Jackson, C., Dickson, D., Telfar Barnard, L., & Baker, M. G. (2023)
- COVID-19 and other pandemics require a coherent response strategy. Lancet. Baker, M. G., Durrheim, D., Hsu, L. Y., Wilson, N. (2023).
- Comparing COVID-19 pandemic health responses in two high-income island nations: Iceland and New Zealand. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. Grout, L., Gottfreðsson, M., Kvalsvig, A., Baker, M. G., Wilson, N., Summers, J. (2023).
- Expert insights on digital contact tracing: interviews with contact tracing policy professionals in New Zealand. Health Promotion International. Chambers, T., Egan, R., Maclennan, K., Emery, T., & Derrett, S. (2022).
- A kia ora, a wave and a smile: an urban marae-led response to COVID‑19, a case study in manaakitanga. Int J Equity Health. Davies, C., C. Timu-Parata, J. Stairmand, B. Robson, A. Kvalsvig, D. Lum and V. Signal (2022).
- Elimination versus mitigation of SARS-CoV-2 in the presence of effective vaccines. The Lancet Global Health Oliu-Barton, M., B. S. Pradelski, Y. Algan, M. G. Baker, A. Binagwaho, G. J. Dore, A. El-Mohandes, A. Fontanet, A. Peichl and V. Priesemann (2022)
- Modelling SARS-CoV-2 disease progression in Australia and New Zealand: an account of an agent-based approach to support public health decision-making. Aust N Z J Public Health. Thompson, J., R. McClure, T. Blakely, N. Wilson, M. G. Baker, J. S. Wijnands, T. H. De Sa, K. Nice, C. Cruz and M. Stevenson (2022)
- Pilot of a digital contact tracing card in a hospital setting in New Zealand, 2020. Journal of Public Health. Chambers, T. and A. Anglemyer (2022)
- A case study of Bluetooth technology as a supplemental tool in contact tracing. Journal of Healthcare Informatics Research. Admiraal R, Millen J, Patel A, Chambers T (2022)
- Liquid-immersion reprocessing effects on filtration efficiency of 'single-use' commercial medical face masks. Annals of Work Exposures & Health. Everts R. J, Al Ghusaini S, Telfar-Barnard L, Barclay E, Tan S, Jekel S, Jennings L, Hilson D, Gibson B (2021)
- The lived experience of hotel isolation and quarantine at the Aotearoa New Zealand border for COVID-19: A qualitative descriptive study. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. Gray L, MacDonald C, Puloka A, Bocock C, Gwyther R, Rushton A, Puloka V, Kvalsvig A, Baker M G (2022)
- Challenges facing essential workers: A cross-sectional survey of the subjective mental health and well-being of New Zealand healthcare and 'other' essential workers during the COVID-19 lockdown. BMJ Open. Bell C, Williman J, Beaglehole B, Stanley J, Jenkins M, Gendall P, Rapsey C, Every-Palmer S (2021)
- Psychological distress, loneliness, alcohol use and suicidality in New Zealanders with mental illness during a strict COVID-19 lockdown. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. Bell C, Williman J, Beaglehole B, Stanley J, Jenkins M, Gendall P, Rapsey C, Every-Palmer S (2021)
- Early intervention is the key to success in COVID-19 control. Royal Society Open Science. Binny R N, Baker M G, Hendy S C, James A, Lustig A, Plank M J, Steyn N (2021)
- Life during lockdown: A qualitative study of low-income New Zealanders' experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. New Zealand Medical Journal. Choi K, Giridharan N, Cartmell A, Lum D, Signal L, Puloka V, Crossin R, Gray L, Davies C, Baker M, Kvalsvig A (2021)
- Failures of quarantine systems for preventing COVID-19 outbreaks in Australia and New Zealand. Medical Journal of Australia. Grout L, Katar A, Ouakrim D A, Summers J A, Kvalsvig A, Baker M G, Blakely T, Wilson N (2021)
- Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in Wellington, New Zealand: A retrospective observational study. New Zealand Medical Journal. Kearns N, Eathorne A, Luff T, Kearns C, Thornley C, Semprini A, Beasley R, Nesdale A (2021)
- COVID-19 vaccine strategies for Aotearoa New Zealand: A mathematical modelling study. Lancet Regional Health. Nguyen T, Adnan M, Nguyen B P, de Ligt J, Geoghegan J L, Dean R, Baker M G, Murdoch D R, Simpson C R (2021)
- Deficient handwashing amenities in public toilets in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic: New Zealand Medical Journal. Wilson N, Thomson G (2021)
- Health and related economic benefits associated with reduction in air pollution during COVID-19 outbreak in 367 cities in China. Ecotoxicology & Environmental Safety. Ye T, Guo S, Xie Y, Chen Z, Abramson M J, Heyworth J, Hales S, Li S (2021)
- Structural discrimination in the COVID-19 vaccination programme for people with mental health and addiction issues: Now is the time to be equally well. New Zealand Medical Journal. Susanna Every-Palmer, Ashley Koning, Linda Smith, Ruth Cunningham, Cameron Lacey, Deborah Peterson, Angela Jury, Kate M Scott, Tony Dowell, Alison Masters, Helen Lockett (2022)
- The surveillance of systemic cancer therapy access amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: The power of good data. Lancet Regional Health. Gurney J K (2021)
- Expansion of a national Covid-19 alert level system to improve population health and uphold the values of Indigenous peoples. Lancet Regional Health. Kvalsvig A, Wilson N, Davies C, Timu-Parata C, Signal V, Baker M G (2021)
- Addressing structural discrimination: Prioritising people with mental health and addiction issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. New Zealand Medical Journal. Helen Lockett, Ashley Koning, Cameron Lacey, Susanna Every-Palmer, Kate M Scott, Ruth Cunningham, Tony Dowell, Linda Smith, Alison Masters, Arran Culver, Stephen Chambers (2021)
- We should not dismiss the possibility of eradicating COVID-19: Comparisons with smallpox and polio. BMJ Global Health. Wilson N, Mansoor O D, Boyd M J, Kvalsvig A, Baker M G (2021)
- The next phase in Aotearoa New Zealand's COVID-19 response: A tight suppression strategy may be the best option. New Zealand Medical Journal. Michael Baker, Amanda Kvalsvig, Sue Crengle, Matire Harwood, Collin Tukuitonga, Bryan Betty, John Bonning, Nick Wilson (2021)
- Bumper issue of COVID-19 pandemic studies of relevance to Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal. Nick Wilson, Jennifer A Summers, Leah Grout, Michael Baker (2021)
- Ethics and equity in the time of Coronavirus
Katherine H. Hall, Fiona Doolan-Noble, Eileen McKinlay, Olivia Currie, Ben Gray, Lesley Gray, Lauralie Richard, Maria Stubbe, Chrystal Jaye. Journal of Primary Health Care 29 June 2021 - Equity in vaccine trials for higher weight people? Protocol for a rapid review of inclusion and exclusion criteria for higher weight people in clinical trials for COVID-19
Jessica Campbell, Matthew Hobbs, Lily O'Hara, Angela Ballantyne, Anita Heywood, Lesley Gray. BMJ 25 May 2021. - Fear, History, Stigma, and Bias in the Covid-19 Pandemic
Kevin Kupietz, Lesley Gray. Journal of Emergency Management 4 March 2021. - Resisting the problematisation of fatness in COVID-19: In pursuit of health justice
Cat Pausè, George Parker, Lesley Gray. InternationalJournal of Disaster Risk Reduction 15 February 2021. - Life during lockdown: a qualitative study of low-income New Zealanders' experience during the COVID‑19 pandemic
Kimberley Choi, Namratha Giridharan, Abigail Cartmell, Dominique Lum, Professor Louise Signal, Dr Viliami Puloka, Dr Rose Crossin, Lesley Gray, Cheryl Davies, Professor Michael Baker, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig. New Zealand Medical Journal 9 July 2021 - Bumper issue of COVID‑19 pandemic studies of relevance to Aotearoa New Zealand
Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Jennifer Summers, Dr Leah Grout, Professor Michael Baker. New Zealand Medical Journal 9 July 2021 - Expansion of a national Covid‑19 alert level system to improve population health and uphold the values of Indigenous peoples
Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Professor Nick Wilson, Cheryl Davies, Carmen Timu-Parata , Dr Virgnia Signal, Professor Michael Baker. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific July 2021 - Social Determinants of Health Influencing the New Zealand COVID‑19 Response and Recovery: A Scoping Review and Causal Loop Diagram
Sudesh Sharma, Mat Walton, Suzanne Manning. Systems 17 May 2021 - Estimating the failure risk of hotel-based quarantine for preventing COVID‑19 outbreaks in Australia and New Zealand
Leah Grout, Ameera Katar, Dr Driss Ait Ouakrim, Dr Jennifer Summers, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Professor Michael Baker, Professor Tony Blakely, Professor Nick Wilson. medRxiv 19 February 2021 - How Aotearoa New Zealand rapidly revised its Covid‑19 response strategy: lessons for the next pandemic plan
Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Professor Michael Baker. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 15 Feb 2021 - Failures with COVID‑19 at the international level must not be repeated in an era facing global catastrophic biological risks
Dr Matt Boyd, Professor Nick Wilson. Aust N Z J Public Health February 2021 - Deficient hand washing facilities in public toilets in the time of the COVID‑19 pandemic: A survey in one high-income country
Professor Nick Willson, Associate Professor George Thomson. medRxiv 20 January 2021 - Remembering past pandemics to ensure we plan for the future: Updated New Zealand survey of influenza pandemic memorials
Professor Nick Wilson, Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Rice, Associate Professor George Thomson, Professor Michael Baker. N Z Med J 15 January 2021 - Determining the optimal COVID-19 policy response using agent-based modelling linked to health and cost modelling: Case study for Victoria, Australia
Professor Tony Blakely, Jason Thompson, Laxman Bablani, Dr Patrick Anderson, Dr Driss Ait Ouakrim, Dr Natalie Carvalho, Patrick Abraham, Marie-Anne Boujaoude, Ameera Katar, Edofofon Akpan, Professor Nick Wilson, Mark Stevenson. medRxiv 13 January 2021 - COVID‑19 control measure effects suggest excess winter mortality is more sensitive to infection control than warmer temperatures
Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard, Professor Michael Baker, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Professor Nick Wilson medRxiv 22 December 2020 - COVID‑19 outbreaks in Aotearoa New Zealand: urgent action is required to address systematic causes and consequences of border failures
Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Dr Jennifer Summers, Lesley Gray, Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard, Professor Michael Baker. New Zealand Medical Journal 18 December 2020 - Impact of COVID-19 related unemployment on increased cardiovascular disease in a high-income country: Modeling health loss, cost and equity
Dr Nhung Nghiem, Professor Nick Wilson medRxiv 15 December 2020 - Increased unemployment from the COVID-19 pandemic, what might be the adverse impacts on cardiovascular disease in Aotearoa/New Zealand and how might this be prevented? Dr Nhung Nghiem, Dr Anya Mizdrak, Prof Nick Wilson, 4 December 2020.
- Detecting the re-emergent COVID-19 pandemic after elimination: Modelling study of combined primary care and hospital surveillance
Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Markus Schwehm, Dr Ayesha Verrall, Dr Matthew Parry, Professor Michael Baker, Dr Martin Eichner. NZ Med J 2021;134(1528):111-114 30 October 2020 - Potential lessons from the Taiwan and New Zealand health responses to the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Dr Jennifer Summers, Dr Hao-Yuan Cheng, Professor Hsien-Ho Lin, Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Professor Nick Wilson, Professor Michael Baker. Lancet Regional Health Western Pacific 2020 (E-publication) 21 October 2020 - Wearing one for the team: views and attitudes to face covering in New Zealand/Aotearoa during COVID‑19 Alert Level 4 lockdown
Lesley Gray, Carol MacDonald, Dr Natasha Tassell-Matamua, Associate Professor James Stanley, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Jane Zhang, Dr Samantha Murton, Dr Siouxsie Wiles, Dr Viliami Puloka, Dr Julia Becker, Professor David Johnston, Professor Michael Baker. Journal of Primary Health Care 12(3) 199-20 22 September 2020 - Validation analysis of Global Health Security Index (GHSI) scores 2019, Dr Matt Boyd, Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Cassidy Nelson. BMJ Global Health (in press).
- The COVID‑19 elimination debate – needs to use correct data
Professor Michael Baker, Profesor Nick Wilson. BMJ Rapid Response 16 September 2020 - Estimating the risk of outbreaks of covid-19 associated with shore leave by merchant ship crews: Simulation studies for a case country
Professor Nick Wilson, Professor Tony Blakely, Professor Michael Baker, Dr Martin Eichner. medRxiv 11 September 2020 - Collaborative networks enable the rapid establishment of serological assays for SARS-CoV-2 during nationwide lockdown in New Zealand
Reuben McGregor, Alana L. Whitcombe, Campbell R. Sheen, James M. Dickson, Catherine L. Day, Lauren H. Carlton, Prachi Sharma, J. Shaun Lott, Barbara Koch, Julie Bennett, Michael G. Baker, Stephen R. Ritchie, Shivani Fox-Lewis, Susan C. Morpeth, Susan L. Taylor, Sally A. Roberts, Rachel H. Webb, Nicole J. Moreland. PeerJ. 2020 Sep 3;8:e9863, 3 September 2020 - COVID‑19—a very visible pandemic
Professor David Durrheim, Professor Michael Baker. The Lancet, 396(10248), 8 August 2020 - Successful Elimination of Covid-19 Transmission in New Zealand
Professor Michael Baker, Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Andrew Anglemyer. N Engl J Med 2020; 7 August 2020 - Integrated Quantification of the Health and Economic Impacts of Differing Strategies to Control the COVID‑19 Pandemic
Professor Tony Blakely, Laxman Bablani, Dr Natalie Carvalho, Dr Patrick Anderson, Patrick Abraham, Ameera Katar, Marie-Anne Boujaoude, Edofofon Akpan, Professor Nick Wilson SSRN 5 August 2020 - Detecting the re-emergent COVID-19 pandemic after elimination: Modelling study of combined primary care and hospital surveillance
Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Markus Schwehm, Dr Ayesha Verrall, Dr Matthew Parry, Professor Michael Baker, Dr Martin Eichner. N Z Med J (in press) - Public health aspects of the Covid-19 response and opportunities for the post-pandemic era
Professor Nick Wilson, Matt Boyd, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Dr Tim Chambers, Professor Michael Baker. Policy Quarterly 2020;16(3):20-24 August 2020 - Maximizing the probability that the 6-week lock-down in Victoria delivers a COVID‑19 free Australia
Professor Tony Blakely, Dr Jason Thompson, Dr Natalie Carvalho, Dr Laxman Bablani, Professor Nick Wilson, Professor Mark Stevenson. Med J Aust 2020; [Preprint, 17 July 2020] - Mass masking: an alternative to a second lockdown in Aotearoa
Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Ling Chan, Dr Sophie Febery, Dr Sally Roberts, Dr Bryan Betty, Professor Michael Baker. N Z Med J 2020;133(1517):8-13. 26 June 2020 - Estimating the impact of control measures to prevent outbreaks of COVID-19 associated with air travel into a COVID-19-free country: A simulation modelling study
Professor Nick Wilson, Professor Michael Baker, Dr Martin Eichner, medRxiv, 14 June 2020 - The 2019 Global Health Security Index (GHSI) and its implications for New Zealand and Pacific regional health security
Dr Matt Boyd, Professor Michael Baker, Dr Cassidy Nelson, Professor Nick Wilson, N Z Med J 12 June 2020 - When can elimination of SARS-CoV-2 infection be assumed? Simulation modelling in a case study island nation
Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Matthew Parry, Dr Ayesha Verrall, Professor Michael Baker, Dr Markus Schwehm, Dr Martin Eichner, medRxiv, 20 May 2020 - Detecting the emergent or re-emergent COVID-19 pandemic in a country: Modelling study of combined primary care and hospital surveillance
Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Markus Schwehm, Dr Ayesha J Verrall, Dr Matthew Parry, Professor Michael G Baker, Dr Martin Eichner, medRxiv, 19 May 2020 - New Zealand's COVID-19 elimination strategy
Professor Michael Baker, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig and Dr Ayesha Verrall, Medical Journal of Australia, 19 May 2020 - The estimated likelihood of eliminating the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Australia and New Zealand under current public health policy settings: An agent-based-SEIR modelling approach
Dr Jason Thompson, Professor Roderick McClure, Professor Tony Blakeley, Professor Nick Wilson, Professor Michael Baker, Dr Jasper S. Wijnands, Dr Thiago Herick de Sa, Dr Kerry Nice, Camilo Cruz-Gambardella, Dr Gideon Aschwanden, Professor Mark Stevenson SSRN 7 May 2020 - Social responsibility, solidarity, and equity in the time of COVID19
Associate Professor Angela Ballentyne, Dr Elizabeth Dai, New Zealand Medical School Journal, 30 April 2020
- New Zealand's elimination strategy for the COVID‑19 pandemic and what is required to make it work
Professor Michael Baker, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Dr Ayesha Verrall, Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard, Professor Nick Wilson, New Zealand Medical Journal, 3 April 2020 - Border closure for island nations? Analysis of pandemic and bioweapon related threats suggests some scenarios warrant drastic action
Dr Matt Boyd, Professor Michael Baker, Professor Nick Wilson, Aust N Z J Public Health April 2020 - Case-fatality estimates for COVID‑19 calculated by using a lag time for fatality
Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard, Professor Michael Baker, Emerging Infectious Diseases, early release 13 March 2020 - Modelling the potential health impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic on a hypothetical European country
Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard, Dr Amanda Kvalsig, Dr Ayesha Verrall, Professor Michael G Baker, Dr Markus Schwehm, MedRxiv, 23 March 2020 - Estimating the case fatality risk of COVID‑19 using cases from outside China
Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard, Professor Michael Baker, MedRxiv, 15 February 2020
COVID-19 reports for New Zealand Ministry of Health
Co-Search researchers have been commissioned to produce a number of reports for the Ministry of Health. There are also working papers available on the Ministry of Health website:
COVID-19 modelling and other commissioned reports
Commissioned reports
- The Alert Level system in Aotearoa New Zealand: Revising the response to adapt to current and future infectious disease threats
Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Professor Nick Wilson, Professor Michael Baker 23 February 2021 - Rapid audit of contact tracing for COVID-19 in New Zealand. Report to the New Zealand Ministry of Health
Dr Ayesha Verrall, 20 April 2020 - Potential worse case health impacts from the COVID‑19 Pandemic for New Zealand if eradication fails: Report to the New Zealand Ministry of Health (PDF)
Professor Nick Wilson, 24 March 2020 - Potential health impacts from the COVID‑19 pandemic for New Zealand if eradication fails: Report to the New Zealand Ministry of Health (PDF)
Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Professor Michael Baker, 23 March 2020 - Supporting the COVID‑19 pandemic response: Surveillance and outbreak analytics prepared for the Ministry of Health (PDF)
Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard, Dr Lesley Gray, Professor Nick Wilson, Professor Michael Baker, 20 March 2020 - Potential preventive interventions for the “Stamp it out” and “Manage it” phase of the COVID‑19 pandemic in New Zealand: Commissioned report for the New Zealand Ministry of Health (PDF)
Professor Michael Baker, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard, Dr Lesley Gray, Dr Ayesha Verrall, Professor Nick Wilson, 10 March 2020 - Rationale for border control interventions and options to prevent or delay the arrival of COVID‑19 in New Zealand: Final commissioned report for the New Zealand Ministry of Health (PDF)
Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard, Professor Michael Baker, 6 March 2020 - What New Zealand could potentially offer to selected Pacific Island jurisdictions to help prevent the spread of COVID‑19: Commissioned Preliminary Report for the New Zealand Ministry of Health (PDF)
Professor Nick Wilson, Dr Viliami Puloka, Professor Michael Baker, 6 March 2020