A.i.d.s. (Press, 26 September 1989)

In a letter published on 26 September 1989, Varian J. Wilson expresses concern regarding the casual attitude towards A.I.D.S. (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) in New Zealand, particularly in response to comments made by Jackie Curtis. Wilson argues that the disease, while lethal, presents a lower risk to New Zealanders than commonly perceived. He notes that most cases of H.I.V. (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) in the country have been imported, and while there have been some instances of innocent infections through contaminated blood, the primary transmission method – sodomy – has not shown a significant incidence in New Zealand, unlike in cities such as San Francisco and New York City where over half of homosexuals tested are H.I.V. positive. Wilson advocates for stringent entry regulations, including quarantine for incoming travellers, as a critical safety measure, akin to practices in other countries. However, he acknowledges that such measures may be limited by the virus's incubation period, which complicates their effectiveness. He distinguishes between different approaches to understanding the epidemic; he calls for a focus on behavioural psychology to identify risk groups and risky behaviours, while also acknowledging the role of molecular biology in studying retroviruses. Wilson criticises the information being disseminated by the Minister of Health, suggesting it is misleading or inadequate.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand