Australian COVID-19 response: lessons and future directions

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced enormous impacts at public health, economic, and societal levels. Following the initial strategy to limit public health burden, so-called “flattening the curve”, the pursuit of an elimination strategy has brought Australia public health success and international plaudits. Initial success was driven by Federal-State government partnership, community support for restrictions and testing, and public health systems for testing, tracing, and isolating. The Victorian “second wave” in winter 2020 stretched public health systems, but community support for “lockdown” measures ensured control was achieved. Hotel quarantine for returned overseas travellers has been largely successful, although ongoing breaches and intra-hotel infections indicate the need for enhanced infection control including against aerosol transmission. Future issues include the level of vaccination required before an elimination strategy can be replaced, and whether herd immunity is achievable, or the more feasible target of “disease immunity” pursued. © 2021. All Rights Reserved.