The Australian Academy of Science welcomes the release of the COVID-19 Response Inquiry Report, which serves as both a reminder and a warning for Australia's pandemic preparedness.
The inquiry highlights the need for the nation to ensure its systems, capabilities and people are prepared for future pandemics.
Findings and recommendations in the report provide an evidence-based roadmap for future pandemic preparedness, and the Academy thanks the panel members for their work and collaboration with the scientific community in developing these conclusions.
President of the Academy Professor Chennupati Jagadish said it is sobering to note Australia may be less prepared today to respond to a global pandemic than we were in early 2020.
"We cannot afford to let the lessons of COVID-19 be forgotten as the immediate threat of a pandemic fades from our view," Professor Jagadish said.
"Science is, and will continue to be, the foundation of any future pandemic response.
"This is an opportunity to embed the system and structures that underpin organised scientific input during a crisis, to mitigate and respond to risks and threats as they emerge."
The Academy's submission to the inquiry called for a national strategic plan for emergency readiness that integrates scientific knowledge into government planning.
"Our scientific community was able to mobilise science, research and technology to contribute to the national and international public health response to COVID-19," Professor Jagadish said.
"Ensuring Australia's scientists and science infrastructure-including science advisory mechanism-are properly supported is essential for a robust national response to future health threats."
The Australian Government must continue to invest, reinforce and build upon these capabilities now to ensure a wholistic and multidisciplinary response to a future pandemic.
"Australia's scientists and public health experts were at the forefront of the nation's COVID-19 response, providing the information and advice that was essential to evidence-informed decision-making, and it saved lives" Professor Jagadish said.
"There remains work to be done to enable independent scientific advice to routinely inform decision making. This capability is the bread and butter of the Academy and the pandemic demonstrated how valuable it is to society when utilised.
"The more volatile the world becomes and the more misinformation proliferates, the more critical it becomes to bring evidence to decisions."
