16 Jan 2024
Doherty Institute’s submission to the Commonwealth Government COVID-19 Response Inquiry
On 21 September 2023, the Commonwealth Government announced an independent inquiry into Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting the goal to enhance national preparedness and response systems for managing future pandemic events.
The Doherty Institute played a major role in the COVID-19 pandemic response in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, from diagnostics and genomic surveillance to epidemiological modelling and basic research into the immune response to SARS-CoV-2.
The Doherty Institute’s submission to the Commonwealth Government COVID-19 Response Inquiry summarises key areas of our involvement and, based on this extensive experience, highlights lessons learnt and aspects of pandemic response which require further focus, including:
- Surveillance and data
- Public health testing and outbreak response
- Vaccines, therapeutics and clinical trials
- Expert advice and guidance
- Research
We welcome the opportunity to assess and enhance our pandemic preparedness strategies in the region, as we also prepare for the establishment of the Australian Institute for Infectious Disease (AIID). A collaboration with foundation partners the University of Melbourne and the Burnet Institute, the AIID will house the largest concentration of scientists and public health professionals in the Southern Hemisphere. Equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and industry partnerships, the AIID will be purpose-built to safeguard Australia and the Asia-Pacific region from global health issues.
Read the Doherty Institute’s submission to the Commonwealth Government’s COVID-19 Response Inquiry.
View list of submissions on the Australian Government website.