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    The Perception of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown: An Exploratory Study of New Zealand Home Occupants
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2025-10-23) Rasheed EO; Tamang I; Onyeizu-Rasheed E; Vishnu P; Mohsin Shahzad W
    The COVID-19 pandemic imposed unprecedented restrictions on movement and daily life, testing the resilience and adaptability of existing housing stock, as families worldwide were forced to adapt their homes into multifunctional environments. In New Zealand, where lockdowns were among the most stringent globally, homes rapidly transformed into workplaces, schools, gyms, and places of refuge. Little is known about how these adaptations affected the sustainability of homes and occupants’ well-being, particularly in the context of future crises. This study examined the economic, environmental, and psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on New Zealand households. A questionnaire survey was conducted, and a quantitative analysis method was employed using survey data from 92 valid responses from New Zealand respondents who experienced lockdowns in various types of housing. To find important patterns and connections, descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted. Findings revealed that economic factors had the strongest influence on respondents’ perceived experience during the COVID-19 lockdown, with households reporting increased electricity and water use but reduced fuel costs. Environmental factors were also significant, with respondents noting the importance of fresh air, sunlight, acoustic privacy, and more spacious rooms, alongside the critical need for a dedicated workspace. Psychosocial effects included higher distraction levels, monotony, and heightened concern for health. Group differences highlighted the influence of age and the number of bedrooms on the perceived experience of lockdown. This pilot work offers a New Zealand perspective on the intersection of the pandemic with the sustainability of homes. The practical implications of this study highlight the need for sustainable housing retrofits, hybrid work policies that support ergonomic and acoustically adequate home offices, and demographic-sensitive interventions to enhance resilience and occupant well-being in future crises.
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    COVID-19 Lockdown in New Zealand: Perceived Stress and Wellbeing among International Health Students Who Were Essential Frontline Workers
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-08-06) Jagroop-Dearing A; Leonard G; Shahid SM; van Dulm O; Dong Z; Gorriz JM; Zhang Y
    This study examined the stresses and wellbeing of international postgraduate health and nursing students at a tertiary education institute in New Zealand who were mainly essential frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 lockdown. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected by purposeful sampling (n = 43). The study utilised a cross-sectional survey, along with the Short Form of Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), adapted for the COVID-19 lockdown, and followed by semi-structured individual interviews. This study is the first in New Zealand to demonstrate that, with a mean PSS-10 score of 21.7 (±7.1), international health students experienced higher than optimal levels of stress, with supporting qualitative data identifying four themes for the sources of stress: (1) familial relationships, (2) essential work, (3) finances, and (4) study. However, these students coped because of the extensive support provided by their education institute and employers. These students played a critical role in the pandemic’s response and made a significant public health contribution by working in the frontline of the COVID-19 outbreak. Considering the global shortage of healthcare workers and understanding the key challenges, means of coping and support provisions, as we have here, offer insights for building and maintaining a resilient and resourceful health workforce through international health and nursing students in New Zealand and elsewhere.
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    The Impacts of the COVID-19 Traffic Light System on Staff in Tertiary Education in New Zealand
    (MDPI, Basel, Switzerland, 2024-01) Taylor L-A; Reid J; Jagroop-Dearing A; Liu X
    The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic demanded a swift transition in the usual educational mode of delivery from face to face to online. New Zealand established “a traffic light system” after initial COVID-19 lockdowns, and educational delivery adapted accordingly at a tertiary education provider in Te Pūkenga, Eastern Institute of Technology. This study investigates the ramifications of the traffic light system on this institute’s staff, employing semi-structured interviews and an inductive semantic thematic analysis. The findings reveal a universal impact on staff, characterized by an augmented workload attributed to students’ absences and illnesses. This led to increased support demands of staff for their students’ academic progression. Anxiety, stress, and guilt emerged as prevalent emotions linked to student support. Despite the staff adapting to the mandates, a notable challenge arose from the discord between educational and industry directives, causing confusion among the students. While the study indicates staff resilience in navigating the traffic light changes, it underscores the imperative of recognizing the toll on their wellbeing. The research calls for a proactive consideration of future challenges, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding the mental and emotional health of tertiary education staff amidst potential uncertainties in educational delivery.
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    Critically understaffed and with Omicron looming, why isn’t NZ employing more of its foreign-trained doctors?
    (The Conversation Media Group Ltd, 2022-02-04) Thomas-Maude J; McLennan S
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    NZ election 2020: 5 experts on the final debate and the campaign’s winners and losers ahead of the big decision
    (The Conversation Media Group Ltd, 2020-10-16) Shaw R; Hayward B; Duncan G; Curtin J; Taonui R
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    Experts are back in fashion – now more than ever we need to question them
    (The Conversation Media Group Ltd, 2020-05-18) Shaw R
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    Sun, sand and uncertainty: the promise and peril of a Pacific tourism bubble
    (The Conversation Media Group Ltd, 2020-06-08) Scheyvens R; Movono A