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Purpose: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the NZ COVID Tracer App (NZCTA) was released as a digital intervention to support contact tracing processes in Aotearoa New Zealand. This paper examines whether NZCTA met the data governance requirements of the Indigenous Māori people. Māori are an interesting case study as they have unique Treaty and data sovereignty rights, and a higher risk of COVID-related mortality. Methods: The NZCTA was assessed against 24 criteria drawn from the Māori Data Governance Model. The assessment drew on documentary sources and the authors' knowledge of NZCTA and contact tracing process. Each criteria was assessed as 'met', 'partially met' or 'not met'. Results: Our retrospective assessment showed a mixed performance against the Māori Data Governance Model, with NZCTA only fulfilling seven of the 24 model criteria and failing to meet nine. Conclusion: There is significant room for improvement in future digital health interventions for Māori. Much work remains to be done in the Aotearoa public sector to uphold Māori data sovereignty and address systemic barriers to genuine partnership with Māori. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-based primary care, such as general practice (GP) or urgent care, serves as the primary point of access to healthcare for most Australians and New Zealanders. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created significant and ongoing disruptions to primary care. Traditional research methods have contributed to gaps in understanding the experiences of primary care workers during the pandemic. This paper describes a novel research design and method that intended to capture the evolving impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care workers in Australia and New Zealand. Recurrent, rapid cycle surveys were fielded from May 2020 through December 2021 in Australia, and May 2020 through February 2021 in New Zealand. Rapid survey development, fielding, triangulated analysis and dissemination of results allowed close to real-time communication of relevant issues among general practice workers, researchers and policy-makers. A conceptual model is presented to support longitudinal analysis of primary care worker experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and New Zealand, and key learnings from applying this novel method are discussed. This paper will assist future research teams in development and execution of policy-relevant research in times of change and may inform further areas of interest for COVID-19 research in primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auckland is New Zealand's largest city and is the main international entry point to New Zealand, with most of the nation's Managed Isolation and Quarantine Facilities. Consequently, it is the place most likely for a COVID-19 outbreak to occur and, accordingly, has been the focus of efforts to monitor SARS-CoV-2 via wastewater-based epidemiology. Historically, wastewater-based epidemiology has mainly been applied at the catchment or sewershed scale, with samples collected at wastewater treatment plants. COVID-19 has necessitated a re-evaluation of this broad-scale approach to wastewaterbased epidemiology in New Zealand, where there is a need for more detailed information to better target the public health response. Using Auckland as a case study, this paper assesses the spatial and temporal extent of the city's wastewater network to inform the selection of strategic neighbourhoodscale sampling sites for wastewater-based epidemiology. Sample site selection criteria included topology and connectivity of the sewer network, the capacity to record sewer flow, limited rain infiltration, resident population, and accessibility. Six sites were identified that provide an immediate opportunity for neighbourhood-scale monitoring. Reflecting on the analysis required for selecting appropriate monitoring locations, the paper moves to critically discuss the key unknowns and research needs associated with conducting neighbourhoodscale wastewater-based epidemiology. Population mobility poses challenges for estimating population size and for capturing a positive SARS-CoV-2 signal in wastewater at this scale. There is a need to determine the full spectrum of residence times within the sewer network to design representative sampling and the implications of disregarding residence times in the current sampling regimes are poorly understood. Hydraulic models require refinement to accurately account for variable residence times and topological features in the network (e.g., holding tanks and pumping stations). Addressing these challenges is urgent and ongoing to realise the benefits of neighbourhood-scale wastewater-based epidemiology in response to COVID-19 and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand how communication strategies and the use of numbers can ensure the buy-in and cooperation of stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on legitimacy theory, this study analysis documents regarding the communication strategies of New Zealand (NZ)'s Prime Minster, Jacinda Ardern, during the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to extract lessons for organizations. The authors contrast Ardern's communications with those of Donald Trump, the President of the United States (US), as evidence that leaders do not necessarily follow these strategies. Findings: The findings show that clear, consistent and credible communications, backed up by open access to the numerical data that underlie the decisions, ensure that these decisions are seen as legitimate, ensure that citizens/stakeholders feel leaders are accountable and believe in the necessity of measures taken and that they conform to the guidelines and rules. By contrast, the strategy of attempting to withhold information, blaming others, refusing to acknowledge that there are problems and refusing to address problems lead to non-conformance by citizens/stakeholders. Business leaders could apply these lessons to the management of crises in their organizations to ensure buy-in from employees and other stakeholders. Leaders and organizations that follow these communication strategies can emerge in a stronger position than before the crisis. Research limitations/implications: This paper develops a theoretical framework of strategies aimed at maintaining and disrupting legitimacy among key audiences, which can be used in future research. Practical implications: This paper highlighting how organizations and organizational leaders can best communicate with stakeholders using accounting, thus coming across as being accountable during crisis times. Social implications: The legitimacy maintenance strategies outlined in this paper ensures that stakeholders feel leaders and the organizations they represent hold themselves accountable. Originality/value: This paper outlines the lessons that an organization can learn from communication strategies adopted by governments during the COVID-19 crisis. The paper extends legitimacy theory by explicitly acknowledging the ability to disrupt the legitimacy of others and including this in the authors' theoretical framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aotearoa, New Zealand's (NZ) initial pandemic response has been held up internationally as a model of social cohesion and compassion, made salient by the 'team of five million' messaging promoted by the New Zealand government. This paper considers whether the first New Zealand COVID-19 lockdown was viewed and experienced as socially cohesive from the perspective of diverse older New Zealanders. This study presents a deductive analysis based on 44 individual or group interviews with Māori, Pacific, Chinese, Korean and New Zealand European (NZE) people aged 60 and over. This paper presents a critical, intersectional discussion around social cohesion experienced by older New Zealanders during lockdown, by considering their views and experiences of belongingness, legitimacy, recognition, inclusion and participation. We suggest that New Zealand European participants benefited most from national appeals for solidarity and reported enhanced feelings of belongingness and inclusion. Māori, Chinese, Korean and Pacific experienced belongingness and inclusion primarily on a community level owing to the culturally-specific support they received. We conclude that future pandemic planning should aim to strengthen targeted culturally-specific community initiatives already in action whilst improving aspects of inclusion and participation for all older New Zealanders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the stock return risk associated with the various types of dividend decisions announced by New Zealand firms during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The sample includes a group of firms that initially announced cash dividends but a number of days later made announcements cancelling their payments. Using multinomial logistic regression analysis, we found that higher pre-pandemic payout policy significantly increased the likelihood of a cancellation, an omission or an increase decision. Higher growth and higher profitability reduced the probability of an omission and a reduction decision, respectively. Moreover, higher stock return volatility increased the likelihood of an omission, a reduction or an increase decision. Further event study analysis revealed that investors reacted more feverishly to the announcements of cancellation decisions than any other types of dividend decisions. Moreover, we report strong evidence of negative abnormal returns around the cancellation announcements followed by positive post-announcement price reversals, a pattern that is not observed for the omission announcements. This paper contributes to the literature by studying a cancellation sample and reveals, for the first time, significant shareholder risk associated with cancellation decisions, which was not observed for omission decisions. We alert managers to carefully weigh the costs and benefits of breaking a promise of dividend payout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to address assumptions about the prevalence of change in human resource management (HRM) and organizational change literature, providing evidence from employee perceptions across three countries. The results indicate change was commonplace even before the pandemic disruptions of 2020. Design/methodology/approach: Given this study's exploratory, employee perspective, a cross-sectional self-report survey was used. Three survey panel samples were collected in 2017: US (n = 718), Australia (n = 501) and New Zealand (n = 516). Analysis of variance was used to test whether the prevalence of change differed significantly between countries or specific groups of employees. An analysis of comments on change types and emotional response provides further insights. Findings: The paper provides evidence of the ubiquity of change: 73% of employees are experiencing change at work and 42% perceived it as moderate to massive, with little variation between countries. Employees commonly experience more than one change, with those experiencing large amounts of change reporting predominantly negative emotional impacts. Research limitations/implications: The research provides a snapshot across three countries during a prosperous and relatively stable period, providing a point of comparison for the turbulent times we have faced in 2020" as the publication date will be 2021 the current text may not work as well. Since change can be arduous, the authors recommend that HRM researchers consider change prevalence as a contextual factor, and practitioners heed employee reactions to change, particularly during periods of significant change. Originality/value: In providing foundational evidence of change ubiquity in contemporary workplaces, this paper enables more accurate discussions regarding change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the age of misinformation, trust and trustworthiness – core values of journalism – have become more important as news companies reeling from the pandemic seek emergency funding for their operations from the public and funders look for trusted brands to support. Earlier studies indicated people are more willing to pay for trusted news brands, and recently, the public funding of news has been directed to institutions that are regarded as trustworthy news outlets, and provide information that is in the public interest. While the concept of trust is complicated and measuring it is challenging, trust has rapidly become a key inquiry in academia. However, New Zealand lacks in this research, and this study aims to start to fill that gap. The paper is based on our survey of 1204 New Zealanders, and comparable data from 38 countries surveyed in the Reuters Digital News Report 2019. The paper finds that trust in news in New Zealand is high when compared internationally, but a large proportion (47%) of citizens don't trust the news. It also finds New Zealanders are more concerned about misinformation and disinformation than respondents in other Western societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects on the work that was done to establish a national wastewater pathogen surveillance system in New Zealand in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a short review of the wastewater literature, a timeline of SARS-CoV-2 is described to situate the work in a country that effectively eliminated COVID-19 from the community, but at the time of writing had a population that was more exposed than in other countries. The paper then turns to describe three broad categories of research needed to establish the COVID-19 wastewater surveillance system: monitoring, data analysis and ethics. Some of the work covers familiar ground for those trained in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, such as the spatial location and temporal frequency of field sampling. Other work sits more comfortably with those trained in the humanities and social science, such as population mobility and the ethics of surveillance. The message that comes from our experience is the need to work together, which takes courage, empathy and patience as we learn to accept each other's epistemological foundations and modus operandi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the fight against the COVID‐19 pandemic, New Zealand stood out with its ambitious elimination goal and the small death count per capita. The country's strategy included full lockdown measures that were strict by international standards. In this paper we investigate whether New Zealand's strict lockdowns brought significant changes to the dwelling price capitalisation of environmental amenities. Our results show a nuanced landscape. While before the pandemic, Auckland homebuyers were willing to pay a premium for dwellings located adjacent to open spaces, such premium either vanished or became a penalty during the lockdown phases. There was also a significant premium for dwellings within 300 m of beaches. But again such premium either decreases or becomes a penalty across the lockdown phases. In addition, we find a preference for dwellings located further away from Auckland CBD. Hence, some amenities that used to have a positive (or neutral) impact on the price of a property have now become disamenities from homebuyers' perspective after the experience of the pandemic. This paper informs planners, policy‐makers and private actors with a better understanding of the behaviour of Auckland's housing market under the disruptions due to the pandemic and lockdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: The delivery of health care by primary care general practices rapidly changed in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in early 2020. AIM: This study explores the experience of a large group of New Zealand general practice health-care professionals with changes to prescribing medication during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We qualitatively analysed a subtheme on prescribing medication from the General Practice Pandemic Experience New Zealand (GPPENZ) study, where general practice team members nationwide were invited to participate in five surveys over 16 weeks from 8 May 2020. RESULTS: Overall, 78 (48%) of 164 participants enrolled in the study completed all surveys. Five themes were identified: changes to prescribing medicines; benefits of electronic prescription; technical challenges; clinical and medication supply challenges; and opportunities for the future. There was a rapid adoption of electronic prescribing as an adjunct to use of telehealth, minimising in-person consultations and paper prescription handling. Many found electronic prescribing an efficient and streamlined processes, whereas others had technical barriers and transmission to pharmacies was unreliable with sometimes incompatible systems. There was initially increased demand for repeat medications, and at the same time, concern that vulnerable patients did not have usual access to medication. The benefits of innovation at a time of crisis were recognised and respondents were optimistic that e-prescribing technical challenges could be resolved. DISCUSSION: Improving e-prescribing technology between prescribers and dispensers, initiatives to maintain access to medication, particularly for vulnerable populations, and permanent regulatory changes will help patients continue to access their medications through future pandemic disruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented social, financial, and moral disruptions across the globe despite global efforts to reduce the transmission of the novel coronavirus. Currently, vaccinating populations against COVID-19 has emerged as the most sustainable strategy to help countries recover from the socioeconomic effects of COVID-19 while protecting public health. To meet vaccination targets, some countries have adopted policies that rely on varying levels of coercion. This paper analyses the ethical implications of coercive vaccination policies implemented in Singapore and Italy, which impose barriers to accessing healthcare on the unvaccinated. These two cases are compared to the vaccine mandate in New Zealand, which did not restrict access to healthcare for the unvaccinated. This analysis draws on key considerations from Kass' ethical framework for assessing public health intervention. This analysis is relevant to countries considering similar policies to increase vaccination uptake for infectious diseases. Since healthcare is a fundamental good, a critical question is whether imposing barriers to accessing healthcare services is an ethically justifiable consequence of the choice to remain unvaccinated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research provides critical, comparative insights into Australia and New Zealand's public communication approaches associated with the initial rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, hailed as a crucial element of both countries' recovery and reconnection to the rest of the world. Although Australia and New Zealand share similar socio-political contexts, the two countries approached the rollout very differently. Applying the circuit of culture model, this study explores the second year of the global COVID-19 pandemic through an Oceania lens, providing critical insights into the unique opportunities afforded to the island nations, as well as their exposure to global challenges. This paper aims to provide insights and learnings that may shape future responses to global (health) emergencies, including a call to rethink the notion of time-bound (public) communication campaigns in complex, ever-changing environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments around the world have responded to the COVID-19 outbreak with a mix of policies. The strictest responses of the New Zealand government are notable, given their abilities to contain and limit the spread of the virus. However, their impacts on stock returns remain unclear. This paper investigates the impact of three policies, namely lockdown, the stimulus package, and the travel ban, on the returns of 14 New Zealand industry stock indices. Using daily data from 1 January 2019 to 25 August 2020, evidence points to a heightened level of integration among the various industry stock indices during the early stages of the pandemic. Only lockdown has had a positive impact on aggregate stock returns, suggesting its ability to raise investors' confidence in the overall stock market. At the industry level, the impact of the three response policies is generally positive but heterogeneous across industry stock indices. Notably, none of the three adopted policies significantly impact technology, healthcare, and real estate returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of information technology during the COVID-19 pandemic raises significant questions around the protection of personal data in a disaster. This paper considers how the clear benefits of using and sharing such data in disaster scenarios can be achieved while recognising an individual's right to privacy through examining the experiences of Taiwan and New Zealand. These states represent two successful COVID-19 response strategies which utilised different approaches to the use of technology. In Taiwan, the response made significant use of personal data and information technology. New Zealand, by contrast, has relied upon stringent lockdowns and extreme limits upon personal freedoms. The paper considers the different approaches to data and privacy that underpinned these responses and considers whether New Zealand can learn from the Taiwanese experience in future disaster planning. In doing so, the paper concludes by examining the wider question of when and if the community's expectation of a safe environment should trump the rights of individuals to retain personal data both in the context of pandemics and in other emergency or disaster scenarios. It also raises deeper questions, exposed by the COVID-19 response, about whether our current approach to privacy is sustainable in the digital age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has forced us to think critically about alternative global and local response strategies to the unprecedented devastation. Some of the most infected groups are Pacific communities and this has raised concern about the need to seriously address the issue of health and socio-economic inequality. One way of doing this is through social protection. The paper critically examines some of the conventional notions of social protection, especially those predicated on market-imperatives and assumptions and argues for new and community-relevant innovative social protection strategies to effectively mitigate the effects of COVID-19. It then discusses the integrated social protection approach (ISPA). The paper argues that while ISPA is an attempt to create an alternative, inclusive and participatory social protection strategy, the issues of equity in terms of distribution of resources and power still need to be fully addressed because of their potential to cause tension within the community. The meaningful participation and empowerment of the Pacific communities and the strategic use of their cultural norms in social protection framing and implementation are important in building up resilience and sustainability to mitigate effectively against the sudden onset of pandemics such as COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key component of New Zealand's response to the Covid-19 pandemic was how the government was organised and supported to make decisions in relation to the health, economic, social, foreign policy, legal and other policy issues it faced. The New Zealand system of central government decision making, as set out in the Cabinet Manual and operated by the Cabinet Office, was continually adapted to ensure that the Prime Minister and Ministers, and the officials working to them, were provided with a system that facilitated both rapid and considered decision making and promulgation of those decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Zealand ('Aotearoa') is a highly urbanised country with one of the first governments in the world to adopt a wellbeing budget framework. That framework, in combination with the architecture for decarbonisation provided by New Zealand's 2019 'Zero Carbon' Act, means there are now institutional and policy incentives in place, and developing incrementally, to combine the pursuit of wellbeing and decarbonisation. These incentives also align with the outcomes highlighted in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper considers the way policy and institutional approaches to carbon mitigation are being linked to wellbeing in three interconnected urban, non-agricultural domains responsible for much of New Zealand's carbon emissions: building, urban form and transport. Looking beyond the current Covid-19 recovery process, emerging evidence is presented to ascertain whether the wellbeing-focused policy approach, with its associated attention to co-benefits, is creating a clear institutional refocusing. In addition, other evidence suggests that New Zealanders see health and wellbeing as improving, at the same time as the country is moving towards the net zero carbon emissions target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and context. This paper outlines the process of moving a continuing education programme for primary healthcare professionals from a fully in-person model to fully online so it could continue during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdowns. The programme uses a peer-led Small Group model with the leader facilitating interactive discussion based on background content researched by a team from Pegasus Health. Assessment of problem. When the COVID-19 restrictions were implemented in March 2020, the usual in-person Small Group meetings could not continue. Rather than allowing the programme to lapse, a new format was needed. Strategies for improvement. In response, the Pegasus Health team transitioned the programme to an eSmall Group model using Zoom. Training packages were developed and disseminated online and the interactive, real-time nature of the programme retained. eSmall Groups began in May and were evaluated late in 2020. Results. The online format was strongly supported, though some attendees missed the collegiality of meeting in-person. From 2021, attendees could opt for either online, in-person, or a summer/winter split between in-person and online. The ability to return to fully online was retained, allowing a seamless transition during the periods of further restrictions that followed in 2021-22. Lessons learnt. The Small Group model has evolved to a multi-format programme that suits individual preferences, but can respond to pandemic or emergency situations if needed. It continues to have a high level of engagement among primary healthcare professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic can shift the conversation of paid and unpaid placements from an economic to a pedagogical and goodwill perspective. During the pandemic lockdown many placements were cancelled or postponed. Some continued as agreed but with students working from home, while other placements became unpaid. We build on the pertinent literature that raises legal, ethical, economic and pedagogical implications of paid versus unpaid placement models and what motivates placement organizations to offer placements. Four interdisciplinary trans-Tasman case studies are discussed to better understand the complex situations for placement organizations and universities to sustain WIL placements during this pandemic. Conclusions include recommendations to be vigilant and ensure goodwill is not used to mask the exploitation of students, but rather, positively influence the motivation behind offering placements during these trying times and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted research regarding data collection methods during lockdowns and border closures. Consequently, online methods have become the present-day benchmark. This article shares our experiences adapting to COVID-19 while conducting focus groups and online interviews. Guided by the Samoan methodology Teu le va that recognises the special relationships between people from a Samoan context and the Talanoa method of storytelling of the Pacific people, we provide insights concerning the practical and cultural challenges of collecting data during lockdowns that strengthened the continuation and completion of the project. We demonstrate the importance of flexibility in the research design regarding apprehension, health, and research in New Zealand. We highlight the value of a multifaceted approach to recruiting participants, incorporating the services of Pacific leaders, and utilising telephone calls and letter writing for participants without digital access. Furthermore, we reveal an unexpected side-effect of COVID-19 regarding the 'Pacific digital divide.' The paper concludes with several avenues for future research on redesigning data collection methods during COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has been characterized by a social media "infodemic": an overabundance of information whose authenticity may not always be guaranteed. With the potential to lead individuals to harmful decisions for the society, this infodemic represents a severe threat to information security, public health and democracy. In this paper, we assess the interplay between the infodemic and specific aspects of the pandemic, such as the number of cases, the strictness of containment measures, and the news media coverage. We perform a comparative study on three countries that employed different managements of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020—namely Italy, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. We first analyze the three countries from an epidemiological perspective to characterize the impact of the pandemic and the strictness of the restrictions adopted. Then, we collect a total of 6 million posts from Facebook to describe user news consumption behaviors with respect to the reliability of such posts. Finally, we quantify the relationship between the number of posts published in each of the three countries and the number of confirmed cases, the strictness of the restrictions adopted, and the online news media coverage about the pandemic. Our results show that posts referring to reliable sources are consistently predominant in the news circulation, and that users engage more with reliable posts rather than with posts referring to questionable sources. Furthermore, our modelling results suggest that factors related to the epidemiological and informational ecosystems can serve as proxies to assess the evolution of the infodemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought about abrupt and lasting changes to the way community interpreting is organized and delivered in Australia and New Zealand. This paper reports on a qualitative study conducted among community interpreters in these two countries, especially those based in Auckland and Melbourne, as both cities went through several periods of strict lockdowns. The study attempts to understand the experiences of the interpreters working remotely or in-person between early 2020 and late 2021, focusing on how they coped with such significant challenges. The findings of the study point to practitioners' conscious efforts in their self-care behavior and resilience-building strategies, both of which were key to maintaining professional and personal wellbeing. It is argued that self-care practices should be embedded in pre-service training and professional development, and appropriate working conditions should be monitored on an ongoing basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

News media have an important social role during times of disruption including national emergencies. This paper bears witness to the 21 New Zealanders who died during the first lockdown due to COVID-19 by critically examining the nature of their portrayal in mainstream newspapers. We searched Knowledgebasket for newspapers published between 28 February 2020 and 13 May 2020 relating to COVID-19 deaths. Of the 147 included articles, 50 were selected for in-depth thematic analysis. Our key finding is that COVID-19 made the death of ordinary older New Zealanders newsworthy, albeit in a way that distinguished individuals by residential status. This is reflected in the themes identified: (1) Unexpected community deaths; (2) Inevitable aged residential care deaths; (3) Justification for lockdown measures. We conclude that New Zealand journalists played an important advocacy role in justifying New Zealand's 'go hard go early' approach through the largely compassionate coverage of older people's deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the widespread adoption of distance and flexible learning techniques during the COVID-19 pandemic, some aspects of open, flexible, and distance learning were incorporated into mainstream teaching. This brings the long history of distance learning from the fringe into the daylight of modern mainstream education. In acknowledgement of this change, this special issue of the journal looks back at the history and development of distance learning from the pages of the journal. Also included, for the first time, is a history of distance learning in New Zealand entwined with its professional association--the Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand (FLANZ), formerly the Distance Education Association of New Zealand (DEANZ). Seven reprinted articles covering aspects of the history of distance learning complete the issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global pandemic needs to mark a turning point for the peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand. How can we make sure that our culturally diverse nation charts an equitable and sustainable path through and beyond this new world? In a less affluent future, how can we ensure that all New Zealanders have fair access to opportunities? One challenge is to preserve the sense of common purpose so critical to protecting each other in the face of Covid-19. How can we centre what we have learnt about resilience within Māori and wider Pacific communities in our reforms? How can public understanding of Covid-19 science create a platform for the future social valuing of expertise? How can we ensure that the impact of Covid-19 in New Zealand results in a more sustainable, and inclusive workforce – for instance by expanding our perceptions of the value of our workers through promoting digital inclusion? To meet these challenges, we must reimagine our existing traditions of thought, breathing new life into perennial concepts and debates. Our paper indicates some of the ways that Philosophy is central to this collective reimagining, highlighting solutions to be found across our rich philosophical traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational institutions have had to make major adjustments in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020 English Language Partners NZ (ELPNZ) developed a new course designed to prepare learners to enter the customer service industry. Following delivery, a study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this course. As part of the study, this paper focuses on an analysis of linguistic and socio-pragmatic features used in the customer service industry in New Zealand and a comparison between the requirements of the target context and content in commercial course books. The findings emphasised the context dependent, cultural nature of interpersonal communication, strengthening the case for specifically designed course resources. Course design considerations and pedagogical implications which emerged are also presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Serological assays that detect antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 are critical for determining past infection and investigating immune responses in the COVID-19 pandemic. We established ELISA-based immunoassays using locally produced antigens when New Zealand went into a nationwide lockdown and the supply chain of diagnostic reagents was a widely held domestic concern. The relationship between serum antibody binding measured by ELISA and neutralising capacity was investigated using a surrogate viral neutralisation test (sVNT). Methods: A pre-pandemic sera panel (n = 113), including respiratory infections with symptom overlap with COVID-19, was used to establish assay specificity. Sera from PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 patients (n = 21), and PCR-negative patients with respiratory symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 (n = 82) that presented to the two largest hospitals in Auckland during the lockdown period were included. A two-step IgG ELISA based on the receptor binding domain (RBD) and spike protein was adapted to determine seropositivity, and neutralising antibodies that block the RBD/hACE-2 interaction were quantified by sVNT. Results: The calculated cut-off (>0.2) in the two-step ELISA maximised specificity by classifying all pre-pandemic samples as negative. Sera from all PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients were classified as seropositive by ELISA _7 days after symptom onset. There was 100% concordance between the two-step ELISA and the sVNT with all 7+ day sera from PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients also classified as positive with respect to neutralising antibodies. Of the symptomatic PCR-negative cohort, one individual with notable travel history was classified as positive by two-step ELISA and sVNT, demonstrating the value of serology in detecting prior infection. Conclusions: These serological assays were established and assessed at a time when human activity was severely restricted in New Zealand. This was achieved by generous sharing of reagents and technical expertise by the international scientific community, and highly collaborative efforts of scientists and clinicians across the country. The assays have immediate utility in supporting clinical diagnostics, understanding transmission in high-risk cohorts and underpinning longer-term 'exit' strategies based on effective vaccines and therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including Plan B group make an argument against lockdowns, and health policy.

As Covid-19 made its way to the shores of Aotearoa New Zealand in 2020, Kiwis took to Twitter to share their experiences and opinions regarding both the virus and government responses. In this paper, we examine a corpus of 1001 tweets to see just how Twitter users utilize different linguistic and politeness strategies when sharing directives conveying stance toward government Covid-19 measures. While there has been research into the use of directives in spoken and written language, there has been little exploration of how directives are used in the language of Social Media. Often considered difficult to classify even in more traditional language genres, Twitter corpora pose additional challenges. We propose a strategy to identify and classify directives using syntactic and pragmatic features, and use this strategy to identify linguistic patterns of both in relation to stance toward government Covid-19 measures. While we find that the most prototypical directive within our corpus is largely consistent with previous definitions, we also find that tweeters exhibit a striking amount of variation in directive strategy, emphasizing the need for a nuanced approach to directive identification and classification. We further note trends in the directive strategies utilized by tweeters expressing different stances toward government measures. • Analysis of directive use in a corpus of English language Twitter posts related to Covid-19 pandemic in New Zealand. • Clauses analysed for stance; clause, verb, and subject type; politeness strategies; addressees; and imperative hashtags. • Quantitative analysis reveals a prototype of the typical directive used on Twitter based on frequency of use counts. • Tweeters opposed to government measures deviate the most from the directive prototype. • Tweeters show remarkable variation in directive use; they actively adjust linguistic strategies based on their stance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 and the ensuing public health crisis, thousands of higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide have had to grapple with rapid pivots to emergency remote online learning modalities with relatively little time to prepare, and the need to maintain these modalities continues to extend longer than most institutions anticipated. However, this is not the first time HEIs have had to enact an emergency switch to online learning in a time of crisis, and there is perhaps much to be learned from examining the experiences of institutions that have been through this before. Resilient pedagogy is an emerging field in education, but it is intrinsically tied to online learning in a crisis insofar as it describes the ability to intentionally and effectively shift instructional tactics given a change in environment or context. Using a case study approach, this paper explores indicators of resilient pedagogy in emergency pivots to online learning following crisis situations—including the COVID-19 pandemic—in the United States, New Zealand, and South Africa. The data informing this research are qualitative, derived from interviews with faculty members and students in each higher education context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. From a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic perspective, Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) rural residents formed an at-risk population, and disparities between rural and urban COVID-19 vaccination coverage have been found. Aim. To gain insight into factors contributing to the urban-rural COVID-19 vaccination disparity by exploring NZ rural health providers' experiences of the vaccine rollout and pandemic response in rural Māori and Pasifika communities. Methods. Rural health providers at four sites participated in individual or focus group semi-structured interviews exploring their views of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Thematic analysis was undertaken using a framework-guided rapid analysis method. Results. Twenty interviews with 42 participants were conducted. Five themes were identified: Pre COVID-19 rural situation, fragile yet resilient; Centrally imposed structures, policies and solutions - urban-centric and Pakehā focused; Multiple logistical challenges - poor/no consideration of rural context in planning stages resulting in wasted resource and time; Taking ownership - rural providers found geographically tailored, culturally anchored and locally driven solutions; Future directions - sustained investment in rural health services, including funding long-term integrated (rather than 'by activity') health services, would ensure success in future vaccine rollouts and other health initiatives for rural communities. Discussion. In providing rural health provider perspectives from rural areas serving Māori and Pasifika communities during the NZ COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the importance of the rural context is highlighted. Findings provide a platform on which to build further research regarding models of rural health care to ensure services are designed for rural NZ contexts and capable of meeting the needs of diverse rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper aimed to describe the airway practices of intensive care units (ICUs) in Australia and New Zealand specific to patients presenting with COVID-19 and to inform whether consistent clinical practice was achieved. Specific clinical airway guidelines were endorsed in March 2020 by the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS) and College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM). Methods and findings: Prospective, structured questionnaire for all ICU directors in Australia and New Zealand was completed by 69 ICU directors after email invitation from ANZICS. The online questionnaire was accessible for three weeks during September 2020 and analysed by cloud-based software. Basic ICU demographics (private or public, metropolitan or rural) and location, purchasing, airway management practices, guideline uptake, checklist and cognitive aid use and staff training relevant to airway management during the COVID-19 pandemic were the main outcome measures. The 69 ICU directors reported significant simulation-based inter-professional airway training of staff (97%), and use of video laryngoscopy (94%), intubation checklists (94%), cognitive aids (83%) and PPE "spotters" (89%) during the airway management of patients with COVID-19. Tracheal intubation was almost always performed by a Specialist (97% of ICUs), who was more likely to be an intensivist than an anaesthetist (61% vs 36%). There was a more frequent adoption of specific airway guidelines for the management of COVID-19 patients in public ICUs (94% vs 71%) and reliance on specialist intensivists to perform intubations in private ICUs (92% vs 53%). Conclusion: There was a high uptake of a standardised approach to airway management in COVID-19 patients in ICUs in Australia and New Zealand, likely due to endorsement of national guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High levels of harassment and threats against parliamentarians are being reported internationally, especially in the social media space. This is occurring alongside changes in our social landscape, with increasing political polarisation and the ongoing ramifications from the COVID-19 pandemic. Harassment of politicians has been shown to have implications for psychological wellbeing and physical safety. Objectives: To investigate harassment and violence towards parliamentarians in the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery era, including whether there had been a change in its nature and quantity, and to explore the contribution of social media. Methods: A survey of all New Zealand's parliamentarians was fielded in 2022, focusing on their experiences of harassment analysed quantitatively and with manifest and latent content analysis of free text responses. Data were disaggregated and compared by gender. Secondary analyses were conducted on similar data collected from parliamentarians in 2014 to compare trends over time. Findings: We obtained a cleaned achieved survey sample of 54 Members of Parliament (MPs). Harassment was reported by 98% of respondents, ranging from disturbing communication to actual physical violence. The vast majority of MPs endorsed multiple modalities of harassment occurring on multiple occasions. Ninety-six percent of MPs had been harassed over social media, with over half being threatened, including threats of physical violence (40%), sexual violence (14%), threats made towards MP's family members (19%), threats towards staff (12%), and death threats (27%). Almost all forms of harassment had increased significantly since 2014. Most MPs reported experiencing abuse related to the Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g. lockdowns and vaccine mandates). Many MPs commented that the frequency and intensity of abuse increased markedly during the COVID pandemic and had not subsequently abated. Women were at significantly higher risk of certain types of social media harassment including gendered abuse, sexualised comments, threat of sexual violence, and threats toward their family. Conclusion: Harassment of parliamentarians is an escalating issue. Online threats and misogyny are increasingly apparent. This harassment has significant psychosocial costs for victims, their family and staff, and for democratic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Regular diabetic foot checks, at least annually, are important for early identification of risk factors and prevention of ulceration and amputation. To ensure this, most general practices in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) offer free annual diabetes reviews (ADRs) which include a comprehensive foot evaluation. However, attendance rates at these ADRs are low. Aim. To explore patients' perspectives on the barriers to attending ADRs and foot checks. Methods. Semi-structured interviews with people with type 2 diabetes who were overdue their ADR (n = 13; 7 women, 6 Māori) from two urban practices were conducted. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim and then analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Results. We identified three key themes demonstrating barriers to attendance: healthcareassociated factors (suboptimal clinician-patient relationship, not having a consistent general practitioner (GP)); patient-related factors (co-morbid health conditions, issues surrounding identity, and logistical issues); and systemic factors (COVID-19 pandemic, travel distance to the practice, unawareness of available foot care services). Participants' feedback focused on patient-centred approaches for improvements to service delivery, for example using online educational materials, and utilising culturally appropriate models of health including Te Whare Tapa Whā and Whānau Ora approach. Discussion. We identified several barriers to attendance, some of which are potentially modifiable. Addressing modifiable barriers and incorporating suggestions made by participants may improve access to the ADR and reduce non-attendance. Further participatory action research could explore these insights in ways that facilitate tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) and palpable action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Popular theories that explain or predict behavioural intentions are based on people's attitudes and subjective norms. Their application is based on the (often implicit) assumption that people regard a subject (e.g., preventing the spread of COVID-19) as sufficiently important for them to formulate stable attitudes and subjective norms about it. As this assumption rarely holds for all people, the influence of attitudes and subjective norms in determining behavioural intentions changes depending on the importance of the subject. In other words, importance has a moderating effect on the relationship between intentions, attitudes, and subjective norms. We hypothesise that, as importance declines, the influence on intentions of attitudes decreases and the influence of subjective norms increases. This has important implications for efforts to encourage the adoption of preventative behaviours in relation to COVID-19 because promotional strategies designed to modify attitudes differ markedly from those designed to modify subjective norms. We test this hypothesis by analysing three different large-scale surveys about people's intentions, involvement, attitudes, and subjective norms regarding the spread of COVID-19 in New Zealand. The results support our hypothesis and highlight the importance of distinguishing between when the formation of behavioural intentions depends mainly on attitudes and when it depends mainly on subjective norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. For many countries, primary health care (PHC) serves as the gateway for individuals to access healthcare services. It has been shown to not only improve health but also health equity. To maximise this benefit, a substantial proportion of the population needs to be connected with PHC. The aim here was to assess the degree and evolution of enrolment in light of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Aotearoa New Zealand. Methods. We examined data on the enrolment of people in PHC organisations between 2016 and 2023. This analysis included breakdowns by sex, age groups, ethnicity, and socioeconomic deprivation levels. Poisson regression models were used to explore whether enrolment changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results. In 2016, Māori, young people and the most deprived had lower enrolment rates relative to their peers. Although young people's enrolment rate increased over time, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Māori enrolment rate declined, as did the rate for Pacific people, and those who were the most deprived. The groups who had increases in enrolment rates were those with the lowest levels of socioeconomic deprivation and those in the 'Other' ethnic category, predominantly made up of European New Zealanders. Conclusion. Enrolment statistics reveal disparities across sociodemographic lines. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with changed patterns of enrolment that appear to have consequences for population health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a case study of what educators from an initial teacher education provider in Aotearoa, New Zealand learnt from the collapse of institutional practice architecture during the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. It explores how educators responded to the challenges emerging from living at work and recognises the interconnected links of educators’ practices in their sayings, doings, and relatings. The study was conducted using semi-structured interviews to gather in the moment lived experiences of nine teacher educators in their ‘living at work’ context. The insight from these interviews provides a unique perspective of how educator and student wellbeing can be sustained through relationships. The collapse of institutional practice architecture highlighted arrangements and set-ups within the institute that enabled or constrained educator practices and how the changing arrangements impacted student wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common condition of children encountered in general practice. A proportion of children develop otitis media with effusion (OME), which may require tympanostomy and ventilation tube insertion. Aim. The aim of the study was to compare the incidence of AOM in Māori and New Zealand (NZ) European children in general practice and the referral practices to secondary care for tympanostomy and ventilation tube insertion. Methods. The study was conducted in two parts: (1) an analysis of the incidence of AOM and OME in a rural Waikato general practice (Ōtorohanga) with a high Māori population over a 2-year period; and (2) an analysis of all referrals to the otorhinolaryngology (ORL) department at Waikato District Health Board and tympanostomy and ventilation tube insertion by this service over the same period. Results. The incidence of AOM was similar in Māori compared with NZ European children. The incidence declined significantly between 2019 and 2020 and 50% of children with AOM were treated with antibiotics. Referral rates to the ORL department were greater for Māori compared with NZ European children as were tympanostomy and ventilation tube insertion rates. Discussion. Although AOM is common, OME was rarely diagnosed. The clinical guidelines regarding antibiotic use for common conditions are not being readily adopted and further research is needed into this matter. The COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial effect on demand both in general practice and in the hospital sector. This may have been due to a reduction in the incidence of AOM or due to system changes caused by the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to explore the potential enhancement of response within GP medical centres in New Zealand when facing heightened healthcare demand during a pandemic. This investigation sheds light on effective crisis management and leadership. By elucidating the contributions of this research, we gain a deeper appreciation of its importance in advancing our understanding of pandemic management. This study has yielded fresh insights and knowledge, beneficial to both academic and real-world applications, particularly concerning the adoption and effects of leadership and management within the healthcare domain amidst crisis situations. Using a multiple case study design, we conducted 86 in-depth interviews with staff from 16 General Practice centres in New Zealand. The critical activities delivered during the first six months of the COVID pandemic to keep New Zealand communities safe during the initial COVID-19 outbreak were (a) leadership in health service planning, including workforce planning, new operational processes, and expansion in the use of Information Communication Technology systems by the GP medical centres; (b) environment disinfection using national guidelines, education and establishment of respiratory clinics and expanding testing sites in GP medical centres; and (c) education and outreach to the patients including the protection of Māori, Pasifika, and remote communities. The decision to adopt a localised response to the pandemic, centralise testing, and better understand local-level needs prompted GP medical centres to communicate and engage early and effectively with patients. This enabled centres to lead and manage the COVID-19 pandemic with greater efficiency in the first six months of the outbreak. The New Zealand government's "team of 5 million" COVID-compliance campaign program provided clear and persistent communication by the Ministry of Health. This campaign assisted in a better national understanding and compliance with the regulation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The dedication of medical centre managers to forward planning using contingency and accrued funding and setting up Community-Based Assessment Centres and respiratory clinics, including walk-in and outreach services, proved to be highly effective. GP centres led the way in COVID-19 pandemic planning, response, and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work proposes a mathematical model of the process of COVID-19 epidemic as it evolved in New Zealand. The model uses a system of differential equations which emanate from natural assumptions on some probability measure and evolution of this measure on evolving family of simplexes. The authors tried to create the model which, at one hand, is simple and easy to follow. and, at the other hand, reflects the observed epidemic process correctly. The practical aim was to come to justifiable estimations of important parameters like the rate of infection as function of time, thus quantifying effectiveness of the Government measures. Another parameters estimated were the probability distribution of detection times and recovery times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This issue of the Journal uses the metaphor of raranga te kete aronui (weaving the basket of the pursuit of knowledge) as it continues the conversation of developing areas of open, flexible, and distance learning (OFDL). It comes at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted traditional face-to-face teaching in classrooms on a global scale, and the value of open, flexible, and distance learning has become starkly apparent. This issue has five articles which contribute to the ongoing knowledge presented in this issue. There are two articles based on educational theory: Higgins explores the theoretical history of OFDL, and the work of Nichols et al. is based on Mezirow's 10 stages of transformative learning. Three research articles provide insight into a range of specific areas: Sime et al. use networked learning theory to investigate the design of a social exploration MOOC, Irons and Hartnett present exploratory research into the teaching of computational thinking in junior classrooms in New Zealand, and Nyugen describes the design and development of qualifications in early childhood education and care to meet a demand for New Zealand home-based early childhood educators to be qualified. These are all contributions to our weaving and filling of te kete aronui. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops a definition of political public relations that incorporates concepts from leadership communication and crisis communication. It then applies this theoretical framework to the communication strategies employed by New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison during their early responses to the COVID-19 crisis. Qualitative content analysis was used to examine the frequency of various framing strategies shared via Twitter and Facebook, which aimed to persuade apprehensive citizens to comply with unprecedented stay-at-home orders to suppress virus transmission. The findings revealed that both leaders employed communication strategies consistent with models of effective communication during a major crisis but had notable differences in style, tone, and engagement. For instance, Ardern's greater use of rational strategies, performed authenticity, and empathy in her social media posts enabled her to reach a larger audience than Morrison. Ultimately, this paper argues that political public relations should encompass leadership and leadership communication to better understand how political leaders can manage future crises. • This study develops a definition of political public relaitons, that includes leadership communication and crisis communication. • It analyzes the social media communication strategies of two Prime Ministers during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, assessing their performances. • A core finding is that performed authenticity on social media channels increases message distribution and engagement. • The study provides detailed commentary on a range of rhetorical strategies for enhancing community resilience in crisis scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic was managed in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) by a COVID-19 elimination policy, involving border closure and an initial national lockdown. This was different to most other countries including Northern Ireland (NI) and the Netherlands (NED). We quantify the effect of these policies on the diagnosis of three major cancers, comparing NZ with these two European countries. Method: Data from NED, NZ and NI population-based cancer registries were used to assess trends in all pathologically diagnosed (PD) lung, breast, and colorectal cancers from March to December 2020 (pandemic period) and compared to the similar pre-pandemic period (2017–2019). Trend data were also collated on COVID-19 cases and deaths per 100,000 in each population. Results: Comparing the pre-pandemic period to the pandemic period there were statistically significant reductions in numbers of lung (↓23%) and colorectal (↓15%) PD cancers in NI and numbers of breast (↓18%) and colorectal cancer (↓18.5%) diagnosed in the NED. In NZ there was no significant change in the number of lung (↑10%) or breast cancers (↑0.2%) but a statistically significant increase in numbers of colorectal cancer diagnosed (↑5%). Conclusion: The impact of COVID-19 on cancer services was mitigated in NZ as services continued as usual reflecting minimal healthcare disruption and protected cancer services linked with the elimination approach adopted. The reduction in PD cases diagnosed in NED and NI were linked with higher COVID-19 rates and reflect societal restrictions which resulted in delayed patient presentation to primary and secondary care, disruption to screening and healthcare services as a result of COVID-19 infections on staff and the need to shift intensive care to COVID-19 patients. Reductions in PD cancers in NI and the NED and in particularly lung cancers in NI, highlight the need for targeted public health campaigns to identify and treat 'missing' patients. Protecting cancer services should be a priority in any future pandemic or systemic healthcare system disruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the use of militaristic language by world leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic and its manifestation in their crisis management strategies. The author argues that while militaristic language has been a common theme in crisis management, it is not the only approach. The article provides case studies of France and New Zealand, highlighting the correlation between the use of militaristic language and the implementation of militaristic and authoritarian measures. The author also discusses the long-term political implications of militarized responses, noting a trend towards increasing authoritarianism. The article emphasizes the importance of language and rhetoric in shaping political and social trends. [Extracted from the article]

In both Aotearoa/New Zealand and Australia, COVID-19 lockdowns were enforced through public scrutiny of the movements of supposedly 'irresponsible' individuals. Denouncing their impact on public health created an affective cartography of collective blame uniting State and society in shared moral indignation. Produced through assemblages of mainstream and social media and government statements, such mediated spectacles engendered a sense of collective unity and shared purpose at a time when both collective cohesion and narratives of individual responsibility were of particular interest to the State. Spatio-temporal maps and diagrams of culpable contagion helped materialise the invisible movement of the virus but also enabled identification of the sick. Some bodies more than others were made to carry the morality of the collective enterprise of stopping the virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex workers' humor has received comparatively little attention in the literature to date, and work that does consider this phenomenon focuses on humor in face-to-face contexts. Increasingly, elements of sex workers' labor and community building take place online. This article examines the emergence of sex work humor in online spaces, considering how this humor provides evidence of resilience within this community. The article uses a critical discourse analysis approach blended with a cultural studies lens to examine 171 discrete texts drawn from sex work communities in Australia and New Zealand. These include social media postings from peer-led organizations and correspondence between sex workers and their clients, which was profiled in news media during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The humor evident within these texts falls into three major categories: humor about clients; humor as a mechanism of discussing stigma and discrimination; and humor as an agent of activism and social change. The findings indicate that humor can be evidence of resilience among sex-working communities, that it is politically productive and effective from a communications perspective, and present the possibility that it may also contribute to resilience. The presence of humor in online sex work spaces of sociality further highlights the importance of these spaces for community building, and draws attention to additional harms created by deplatforming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research question and purpose: Les Mills is a New Zealand-based fitness distributor with a community consisting of approximately 140.000 instructors worldwide who teach standardized workout routines. This paper aims to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic and related measurements, such as social distancing affect the everyday lives and professions of Les Mills International (LMI) group fitness instructors. The aim was met with the following research questions: RQ1: How are social distancing and social connectedness understood, and how do they condition LMI instructors' understanding of their profession? RQ2: What do LMI instructors think about the #LesMillsUnited campaign to maintain a strong trainer community in the midst of the pandemic? RQ3: How do LMI instructors think that group fitness will change long term due to social distancing? Research methods: Using qualitative measures and a case-study-based approach, data were gathered through interviews with LMI-certified group fitness instructors. Seven semi-structured focused group discussions with fifteen group fitness instructors from different countries were conducted and audio recorded. The first round of virtual discussions took place in April 2020, and the follow-up talks in September 2020. A thematic analysis was employed to analyze the material. Results and findings: According to the participants, online classes as a means of upholding group fitness in times of social distancing is an insufficient substitute to face-to-face instructing, lacking social connectedness that is normally maintained through successful rituals or social scripts. Navigating "instructorhood" during the pandemic includes emotional labor where not only relationships to clients are challenged, but instructors also experience societal pressure to reinvent themselves as instructors. Implications: With no way of telling how long social distancing needs to be practiced, the group fitness industry is facing unprecedented challenges. Making sense of the group fitness profession currently preoccupies instructors who may now have to redefine to themselves how they can teach, and who for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]