Sir David SkeggNew Zealand’s poor rating internationally for pandemic readiness is not reassuring, Prof Sir David Skegg says. He told the meeting it seemed politicians only talked about public health when ‘‘ these viruses from China stir things up’’, while other more major problems were being neglected. It seemed politicians were much happier dealing with biological threats to public health than they were with social or commercial ones. Speaking on other public health issues needing major attention, Prof Skegg said obesity had overtaken smoking as a cause of health loss in New Zealand. In response to a question about the risk of such measures being decried as ‘‘nanny state’’, Prof Skegg said: "Every time I hear about nanny state I just about have a stroke.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 15, 2020 15:22 UTC