Today marks five years since Croakey published our first article on what we were then calling the novel coronavirus, #2019nCoV: Catch up with useful news and sources on the new coronavirus.
To reflect on this significant anniversary, Alison Barrett asked a range of health leaders and organisations about the standout lesson from the last five years of COVID, and what had changed for them as as a result of the pandemic. You can read their comments in full here.
This is the first in a series of articles, which will culminate in an e-publication.
Alison Barrett writes:
To be better prepared for future pandemics, Australian governments need to address the health workforce crisis and increase investment in prevention, data integration and transparency, primary healthcare and the Aboriginal community controlled health sector.
According to Australian public health leaders, critical social determinants of health including housing and poverty also need to be addressed to ensure more equitable health and social outcomes in future pandemics.
To mark five years since Croakey Health Media published its first article on the novel coronavirus, now known as SARS-CoV-2, on 28 January 2020, Croakey asked a range of Australian health professionals and organisations for their reflections on the pandemic.
It is clear from the responses – which will be published in full in a forthcoming e-publication – that the pandemic has had wide-reaching impacts that continue to this day.
“Although the loss of life [in Australia] was significantly less in the early part of the pandemic compared to many countries globally, the huge challenges and pandemic harms still sit with us,” Professor Brett Sutton AO, former Victorian Chief Health Officer, told Croakey.
“I feel strongly that we have to fight the natural desire to put [the pandemic] completely out of our minds, and simply recognise that it deserves the continued focus, investment and effort to help prepare, prevent, mitigate and respond to future pandemics, which will surely come,” he said.
Croakey’s first article on COVID-19 noted the “rapidly evolving” pace of news and developments with the virus – which was later termed by the World Health Organization as an “infodemic”.
Interestingly, at a time when effective participation and communication existed via X (then Twitter), the article included a Twitter list of experts on infectious disease, public health and journalists covering the virus. It also highlighted the importance of clear public health communications.
The subsequent demise of the social media platform is symptomatic of a wider demise in media policy, public discourse and governance.
The article also quoted Dr Tony Fauci – former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and US COVID adviser – who has recently been under attack by President Donald Trump. Most recently, despite regular threats to Fauci’s life, Trump ended the federal security detail for the internationally regarded health leader last week.
Trump’s attacks on Fauci, in addition to the US withdrawal from the World Health Organization and Paris Agreement, are indicative of the politicisation of public health since the pandemic began.
Policy amnesia
Health policy expert Professor Stephen Duckett told Croakey that “policy amnesia is settling in, with public health functions again being wound back, to the detriment of us all”.
Professor Kathy Eagar, Adjunct Professor of Health Services Research at University of New South Wales and Queensland University of Technology, noted similarities in the political and public narratives and behaviour around COVID-19 and climate change, with many people preferring to “ignore something that is so big it would otherwise change the way they live”.
Australia is not well prepared for future pandemics, according to several of the health leaders surveyed, as was also highlighted in the COVID-19 Response Inquiry.
Former Australian Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, told Croakey that “ultimately…I think we did a good job…But we need to do better next time”.
While most people were “incredibly compliant” with public health measures in early 2020, Kelly said he is not sure there would be this level of public support in another such public health crisis.
That means we have to get better at other things like building the necessary data systems required, capacity in vaccine development and other medical devices, he said.
Rebuilding trust is also important, and Kelly said the Australian Centre for Disease Control would play a critical role in being a “trusted source of truth”.
The Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) urges all parties contesting this year’s federal election to commit to making an Australian CDC permanent, with appropriate funding to ensure it can address both infectious and chronic diseases, Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, Chief Executive Officer of the PHAA, told Croakey.
“Five years since COVID-19 changed the world, it’s appropriate to acknowledge all those teams across the country who helped save lives to ensure the suffering here was far less than in other countries,” he said.
Since 28 January 2020, Croakey has published 1,316 articles referring to COVID-19 including 127 on long COVID, including in-depth analyses, synthesis of research and evidence updates, and opinion pieces.
On 28 January 2020, there were 4,474 confirmed cases of the virus, mostly in mainland China, and 107 recorded deaths. According to Our World in Data, there have been 777.31 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 7.08 million confirmed deaths since the pandemic began, up to 5 January 2025.
However, when considering excess mortality, the true death toll of the pandemic is far greater. Globally, it has been estimated COVID-19 has caused nearly 28 million excess deaths.
As highlighted in last year’s Inquiry into Excess Mortality, new and improved ways of considering excess deaths are required as we move further from the beginning of the pandemic.
The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Australia was reported on 25 January 2020. By 28 January 2020, five had been confirmed, according to the John Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard featured in the first article.
A human biosecurity emergency response was issued in Australia in March 2020 and declared over on 20 October 2023.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has presented a timeline of Australia’s COVID responses here.
In Australia, 25,236 people have died during the pandemic from or with COVID-19 and 11.86 million cases have been confirmed, according to Our World in Data.
In 2022, COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in Australia, the first time an infectious disease had been in the top five leading causes of death since 1970.
COVID-19 is still affecting many people – in January, 17,772 COVID-19 cases have been reported to the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (up to 27 January).
Approximately five to ten percent of people who contract COVID-19 in Australia experience long COVID – symptoms following the virus that persist for more than three months, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in 2022. It is important to note that this prevalence is based on self-reported long COVID and the current context for COVID is different than it was in 2022.
Disproportionate impacts
However, as Professor Martin Hensher from the Menzies Institute for Medical Research told Croakey, “the extraordinary refusal to collect the surveillance data” needed means we do not really know the extent of the problem of long COVID in Australia.
While the pandemic has affected most people in some way over the past five years, it has disproportionately impacted different groups of people.
“The unforgivably low rates of vaccination in aged care is one example of where more needs to be done to make sure everyone gets the care they need, but it is relevant for every type of care,” Peter Breadon, Health Program Director at Grattan Institute, told Croakey.
As at 8 January 2025, there were 289 active COVID-19 outbreaks in residential aged care homes.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health sector demonstrated tremendous strength and innovation delivering primary healthcare during the pandemic, Dr Liz Moore, Public Health Medical Officer at Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory, told Croakey.
However, “once COVID-19 transmission became widespread, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander COVID-19 mortality patterns followed that of other communicable diseases”, she said.
In 2023, age standardised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander COVID-19 death rates in very remote communities were 3.7 times higher than whole of population national rates, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
“It will not be possible to fundamentally alter this pattern unless social determinants of health are addressed, including overcrowded housing,” Moore said.
Meanwhile, a new publication in the International Journal for Equity in Health calls on the global community, governments and health authorities to prioritise Indigenous leadership and governance, and uphold Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination in pandemic planning.
Susi Tegen, Chief Executive of the National Rural Health Alliance, told Croakey that the pandemic highlighted disparities in Australian healthcare access, delivery and status, with rural and remote communities facing significant challenges during the pandemic.
Similarly, Trinity Ford, President of People with Disability Australia (PWDA) said the last five years have demonstrated “how deeply inequality is embedded in our systems, particularly in healthcare and emergency public health responses”.
Ford said the pandemic “affirmed the importance of advocating for systemic change and centring lived experience in public health responses”.
To inform our five-year anniversary coverage, we asked 42 individuals and organisations to address these questions:
- What is the standout lesson from the last five years since the COVID pandemic started?
- For you personally or professionally, what has changed as a result of the pandemic?
We received 23 responses (from 42 requests) from a diverse range of health professionals and organisations including the ACCHO sector, health policy, public health, disability advocates and former government chief health officers including Professor Paul Kelly and Professor Brett Sutton. Full responses and statements will be published in an e-publication.
This report compiles their comments in full.
Some takeaways
- The cultural and place-based expertise of the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (in Western Australia) played a critical role in responding to the pandemic and filled important gaps in government service provision – Dr Marianne Wood, Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia
- An effective COVID-19 response was only achieved when resources started flowing into locally and community-led responses – Abe Ropitini, VACCHO
- The pandemic underscored the importance of partnerships, collaborations and breaking down silos, particularly for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health organisation (ACCHO) sector – Paula Arnol, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council
- Partnerships between Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations, communities and leaders were critical in minimising death and serious illness during the pandemic – Dr Liz Moore, Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT
- The pandemic has demonstrated how deeply inequality is embedded in healthcare systems and emergency public health responses – Trinity Ford, People with Disability Australia
- Australia was poorly prepared for the pandemic, it was highly politicised, influenced by the media and public health action undermined – Professor Stephen Duckett, The University of Melbourne
- Investment in primary healthcare and hospital services that are affordable, accessible and sustainable is critical. “The prosperity and security of Australia is inextricably linked with the health and wellbeing of its residents” – Alison Verhoeven, Croakey Health Media director
- Experts need to speak up to shape public and political discourse, including to challenge flawed political and media discussions – Professor Martin Hensher, Menzies Institute for Medical Research
- The rapid transition of general practice systems to provide healthcare during the pandemic demonstrated how quickly the health system can adapt when there is a “clear patient need” and supported by policy and funding – Dr Tim Senior, GP and Croakey Health Media member
- Governments, public health officials and medical experts have let down the Australian public on COVID management and prevention since the first two years of the pandemic – Professor Deborah Lupton, University of New South Wales
- A deeper understanding of how profoundly disruptive, costly and devastating for health pandemics can be. Future pandemics may be marked by issues of trust in government and public health authorities – Professor Brett Sutton, former Victorian Chief Health Officer
- While there were innovations, including accelerated telehealth adoption, breakthrough vaccines and treatments, there is a risk that the pandemic’s legacy will be long COVID and increased vaccine hesitance – Peter Breadon, Grattan Institute
- The medical radiation science workforce was impacted by burnout and challenges in training students during the pandemic – Carolyn Heyes, Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT)
- We have not done anything to build the “enduring infrastructure” needed to address the next pandemic – Charles Maskell-Knight, Croakey Health Media member
- Obtaining and maintaining public trust is needed, by ensuring measures are proportionate to the risks and the rationale for measures communicated clearly – Mary Wood, Australian Centre for Disease Control
- The standout lesson from the pandemic is the similarities to climate change – most people prefer to ignore something so big that it will otherwise change the way they live – Professor Kathy Eagar
- Misinformation and disinformation significantly undermine confidence and trust in public health. Populations could have been more resilient to COVID-19 and associated morbidity if people’s basic needs for shelter, food, education and healthcare were already being met – Professor Linda Slack-Smith
- While prevention was prioritised in the first years of the pandemic, it did not last – Dr Joanne Flavel, The University of Adelaide
- The pandemic highlighted disparities in Australian healthcare access, delivery and status, with a significant impact on rural and remote communities. Funding for digital connectivity and community-led local solutions important – Susi Tegen, National Rural Health Alliance
- The pandemic exacerbated health and economic inequities, within and between countries, and is still having ongoing impacts – Associate Professor Suman Majumdar, Burnet Institute
- Lives can be saved when public health is prioritised; however, the growth and impact of misinformation and disinformation, denial of science and evidence and eroded trust in authorities is likely to be detrimental for future pandemics – Croakey journalist and editor Marie McInerney
- A range of challenges were highlighted during the pandemic for the management of Australia’s international relationships, revealing vulnerable medical supply chains especially for PPE and vaccines – Dr Lesley Russell, Croakey Health Media member
- Health systems and technology can adapt quickly when there is a need. However, we should improve national data systems, sovereign capacity in vaccine development and rebuild trust for better response to future pandemics – Professor Paul Kelly
- Heading into a federal election, the PHAA calls on the establishment of a permanent Australian CDC, with sufficient funding to manage both infectious disease outbreaks and combat chronic non-communicable diseases – Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin
Further reading
Read Croakey’s archive of articles on COVID-19
Read Croakey’s archive of articles on long COVID
AMA interview with Professor Paul Kelly
Declaration: AI app, Otter, was used to record and transcribe interview with Professor Paul Kelly. Quotes were verified with audio.
This article was updated after publication with additional comments.
Acknowledgement
This article was produced with funding support from a Local and Independent News Association micro-grant.
