Siouxsie Wiles

Contributing writer

Dr Siouxsie Wiles is an Associate Professor and head of the Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab at the University of Auckland. She and her team make nasty bacteria glow in the dark to find new medicines and to study how bacteria evolve to cause disease. Siouxsie recently published her first book, Antibiotic Resistance: the End of Modern Medicine? She is also a keen blogger, tweeter and podcaster and was a finalist for the 2018 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year.

Society

Jan 18, 2021

Siouxsie Wiles: The Plan B implosion – what Brazil teaches us about the herd immunity hogwash

The experience in the Brazilian city of Manaus reveals how mistaken, and dangerous, the herd-immunity-by-infection theory really is.

Science

Jan 14, 2021

Siouxsie Wiles: What the new, more infectious strains of Covid-19 mean for us

If these new variants of the virus get out, they'll spread like wildfire.

Society

Dec 22, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: How the Sydney cluster grew – and what it could mean for NZ

The speed at which Sydney's new Covid-19 outbreak has spread should be a lesson in the dangers of complacency, says Siouxsie Wiles.

Science

Dec 21, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: Just how worrying is the new Covid-19 strain for Britain – and the rest of us?

Boris Johnson has announced that the Pfizer vaccine will be distributed from next week. How did that happen, and are they cutting corners?

Society

Dec 18, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: What you need to know about NZ’s big vaccine play

What yesterday's announcement means, and what comes next for New Zealand and its Pacific neighbours.

Society

Dec 4, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: Britain’s emergency rush to a vaccine rollout, explained

Boris Johnson has announced that the Pfizer vaccine will be distributed from next week. How did that happen, and are they cutting corners?

Science

Nov 23, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: Aches on a plane – new findings on in-flight Covid transmission

A new New Zealand study offers some important lessons on how the coronavirus can spread aboard an aircraft.

Science

Nov 15, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: Koch’s postulates, Covid, and misinformation rabbit holes

Take a 19th century German scientist, a 21st century disease and add internet: the result is a dangerous upsurge in Covid-denial nonsense.

Te Hiringa Hauora

Nov 13, 2020

The astonishing, life-saving power of immunisation

Siouxsie Wiles explains why she immunises, and the commitment you make to the community when you do.

Science

Nov 11, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: The vaccine news is great, but here’s the catch

Siouxsie Wiles takes on some important questions around this promising development.

Science

Oct 22, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles & Toby Morris: Covid-19 and the Swiss cheese system

If it's elimination of the virus we're after, we're going to need all the cheese.

Society

Oct 20, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: Don’t fall for the Covid contrarians

A small but vocal movement calling for the end of lockdown restrictions is gaining steam globally. Dr Siouxsie Wiles explains why such an approach would be a bad idea.

Science

Oct 13, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: New Zealand’s Covid-19 vaccine purchase agreement, explained

What exactly is the vaccine, who's likely to get it and when?

Society

Sep 21, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: How to strengthen the post-isolation Covid rules

The case of a person who tested positive almost a week after leaving managed isolation has highlighted the need to keep tracking those who have been through MIQ.

Science

Sep 21, 2020

How the PCR test works and why it’s such a critical weapon against Covid-19

Misinformation about the effectiveness of the test is swirling, but in fact the PCR is both reliable and critical in taking on the virus.

Society

Sep 15, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles & Toby Morris: Bridging the gap with someone who’s been pulled in by disinformation

Approaching the person you’re concerned about with humility and kindness, and reminding them of the values you share, gives you the best chance of helping them.

Society

Sep 8, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles & Toby Morris: Now let’s flatten the infodemic curve

Just as we've fought back against the virus, it's crucial we stamp out the harmful spread of false information.

Science

Aug 30, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles & Toby Morris: What is the Covid-19 ‘triangle’?

How Covid-19 plays out doesn't just depend on the relationship between the virus and the host – it also depends on the environment.

Society

Aug 25, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: Why Covid elimination remains the best game-plan for NZ

Despite the re-emergence of the virus, and the sacrifices our response demands, it remains absolutely the best approach for us.

Society

Aug 23, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: What does a robust Covid response look like for New Zealand?

A range of new measures are under consideration, covering the border, isolation and testing. Siouxsie Wiles assesses the options, and the opposition proposals.

Science

Aug 22, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles & Toby Morris: Contacts, community transmission and clusters – explained

Here's what some of the most important Covid-19 terms we’re hearing actually mean.

Society

Aug 18, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: They say, ‘learn to live with Covid-19’. Here’s what I say back

New Zealand has opted for an elimination strategy, but a vocal minority is calling for an alternative.

Science

Aug 15, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles & Toby Morris: Why we’re adding masks to our Covid-19 toolkit

The simple rules for wearing face masks during levels two and three – and how they can effectively limit the spread of Covid-19

Science

Aug 13, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles & Toby Morris: How genome sequencing could crack the case of the NZ Covid comeback

By sequencing the genome, we can try to work out which case is linked with another.

Society

Aug 12, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles & Toby Morris: Don’t panic. We can do this. Together

The sneaky bastard called Covid-19 has got back into New Zealand. Here's why we're going hard.

Society

Aug 4, 2020

Siouxsie Wiles: Victoria’s lockdown ‘an endless game of Covid-19 whack-a-mole’

Without a state-wide lockdown, Victoria runs a very high risk of having to do it all again in a few months’ time.

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