fcassie@nzdoctor.co.nz

"Vaxathon” was in the running, along with “vaxinista” and “double jabbed”, but “vax” was Word of the Year for 2021

No cases of influenza were detected in the community in winter 2021, but New Zealand’s lucky streak was marred by record cases of children being hospitalised with respiratory syncytial virus

Tū Ora Compass Health ended the year in the black after extra COVID-19 income saw it turn around last year’s small deficit

Respect for Jacinda Ardern and Ashley Bloomfield appears little tainted by a tough year, but Andrew Little’s performance is viewed as a mixed bag

Immunologist Dianne Sika-Paotonu adds her voice to supporting a catch-up on childhood vaccinations even as the country readies for a potential COVID-19 vaccination rollout to five to 11-year-olds 

The Medical Council is aware of concerns raised by Newshub about an anti-vax Kaiapoi GP and considering them in its role of “protecting the health and safety of New Zealanders” 

Tū Ora Compass Health ended the year in profit, its practice ownership arm helping keep corporate owners out of the Wellington region 

Nurse practitioners are waiting to hear the health select committee’s deliberations on its petition highlighting pandemic prescribing barriers

It was a freezing winter in Kalamazoo, Michigan back in 1993 that set specialist GP Karl Cole on the path to taking out the country’s top clinical informatics award

The rewrite of the “confusing” Ministry of Health position statement on unvaccinated patients is an improvement, says RNZCGP medical director Bryan Betty