Title: Learning from Covid-19: Why elimination should be the default strategy for future pandemics
Summary: The conclusion of this presentation is that ‘elimination’ should be the default response for emerging pandemics of sufficient severity where this goal is considered feasible. This discussion will draw on the experience of New Zealand and other jurisdiction in the Asia-Pacific region which used an elimination strategy, rather than suppression or mitigation, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It will discuss the benefits and costs of this strategy versus the alternatives. The World Health Organization could implement this approach by assigning a response strategy when it declares a new Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Key reference: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)02489-8/fulltext
Biography: Dr Michael Baker is a public health physician and Professor of Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington, NZ. He is a member of the NZ Government’s Covid-19 Technical Advisory Group. Michael was a leading advocate for the elimination strategy in NZ. He is an active researcher on the pandemic and principal investigator for the Covid-19 Research Collaborative (Co-Search). Michael is the director of the Public Health Communication Centre Aotearoa which was launched in February 2023. Additional details about his research interests are described on his University webpage
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