The long-awaited independent inquiry into Australia’s COVID response was released today , with lessons on how the nation could better prepare for future pandemics. The 868-page report outlined nine guiding recommendations and 26 actions, including 19 set for implementation over the next 12 to 18 months. These form the foundation for future pandemic preparedness.
With initial strong national solidarity, Australia acted quickly to close national borders, the inquiry found. This bought crucial time, but Australia was not adequately prepared for a crisis of the scale of the COVID pandemic. Australia’s response lacked strong central co-ordination and leadership.
Communication about public health advice was often conflicting or not appropriately communicated with the most vulnerable groups. Public trust was further undermined by a lack of transparency in decision-making, such as disease modelling, which underpinned important public health responses. In hindsight , the inquiry concluded a fully fledged Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC) could have made a huge difference.
In response, the federal government today committed A$251 milion to establish such a centre in Canberra. What did the inquiry find? 1. Early rapid response and consensus helped keep us safe.
As an inland nation, Australia was able to close its borders while preparing for the ultimate inevitable population-wide spread of SARS CoV-2. But it was unprepared for pandemic-related quarantines. 2.
Initially, th.
