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Further analysis of this topic now published (Australian NZ Journal of Public Health, August 2018)

Posted by NickWilson on 09 Aug 2018 at 03:45 GMT



We have now performed further analysis of this border closure topic using the cost-benefit analysis tool produced by the New Zealand Treasury. This allows for consideration of the health benefits of border closure along with other such gains as avoided productivity losses (from premature death of workers) and tax revenue losses (along with tourism revenue losses and extra expenditure on welfare payments). But in some ways this model down values some benefits eg, the discount rate is twice as high (at 6%) than standard health economic analyses. The bottom line is that this new study also finds that in a severe pandemic the benefits of border closure (if successfully implemented in time) would far outweigh the disruptions to the economy, including from a temporary end to tourism from international travellers.

The new study was published 8 August 2018 and is at Australian New Zealand Journal of Public Health (full free open access) https://onlinelibrary.wil...

No competing interests declared.