This research examines the impact of COVID-19 on New Zealanders’ attitudes and behaviours towards public health measures. This knowledge can be used to better prepare decision makers for future pandemics and other major health threats.  

Key findings

• Half of the adults who had flu symptoms and interacted with others at a place of work or study, said they interacted with others while unwell. A third of children interacted with other children at their school while they were unwell.
• Parents/caregivers are more likely to keep their children home from school if they’re unwell than adults are to keep themselves away from work (83% vs 55% ‘at least somewhat likely’).
• Around 50% of New Zealanders said COVID-19 hasn’t impacted their intention to get vaccinated for the flu, other illnesses, and a new pandemic. The remaining 50% are relatively evenly split between being more likely to get vaccinated now than they were before COVID-19 and being less likely. Most parents/caregivers are just as likely to get vaccinations for their children, as they were before COVID-19 (22% ‘more likely’, 61% ‘just as likely’).