Pandemic Influenza: Economic Impact and Treasury Preparedness Information Release

Page updated 18 Jun 2009

The Treasury has released a report to the Minister of Finance on the potential economic impact of an influenza pandemic. The report was prepared on 29 April 2009 in response to human cases of H1N1 influenza being confirmed in New Zealand, and the World Health Organisation raising the level of influenza pandemic alert to phase 4 (‘sustained human-to-human transmission’).

The report references a 2006 Treasury working paper that modelled the potential economic impact of a severe influenza pandemic in New Zealand.  That work was based on a ‘maximum credible event’ scenario, as developed by the Ministry of Health, and was aimed at informing cross-government pandemic planning and preparedness.  It is not an assessment of the potential economic impact of the current H1N1 influenza pandemic, which on current information looks to be relatively moderate – although the virus is significantly contagious, most people are expected to experience only a mild to moderate illness.

The report also provides a high-level overview of the ways in which a severe pandemic could affect the economy, and of the ways in which the Government might consider managing a severe pandemic.  The report does not constitute government policy.

See Pandemic Influenza: Economic Impact and Treasury Preparedness