Because the federal authorities faces sustained backlash over its inquiry into the nation’s COVID response, which is not going to embrace the response of states and territories, the highest well being skilled in NSW says she will likely be “pleased” to look on the inquiry.
Dr Kerry Chant, the state’s chief medical officer, informed a press convention this morning that she could be open to showing as a member of the Australian Well being Safety Principal Committee if she was invited.
NSW chief well being officer Kerry Chant mentioned she could be “very pleased” to face the federal inquiry into the pandemic response.Credit score: James Brickwood
“I feel it’s inappropriate for me to speak about … the scope of the Commonwealth inquiry. All I can say is as a member of AHPCC, [I’m] very pleased to take part in no matter areas the Commonwealth inquiry chooses to concentrate on.”
When requested about her state’s response to COVID, together with suburb-specific lockdown restrictions, Chant mentioned there had already been “numerous work achieved to overview, mirror and study on the state ranges and internationally”.
“We now have learnt rather a lot as we’ve been by COVID. Robyn Kruk has led the one-system overview … there’s been a deep dive in public well being, and I feel that identifies a number of the teachings discovered,” she mentioned.
When requested about whether or not, in hindsight, Chant would advocate lockdowns, she mentioned:
I feel these issues can’t be answered in a easy query. I feel one of many key learnings is that it’s vital that we take into consideration the long run, however we don’t plan completely for the following pandemic primarily based on completely what we’ve been by for the final. That’s really very harmful…”
Pushed for a solution on the appropriateness of lockdowns, Chant responded:
I feel the lesson could be by no means preclude something. If we’re future-proofing our response, we’ve received to consider all contingencies. I feel if COVID’s taught us something, it’s actually round ensuring you contemplate all totally different eventualities.”
When this masthead requested about particular classes discovered from the pandemic, Chant spoke about disaster communication.
“The opinions and likewise the parliamentary inquiries into disaster communication in CALD communities … actually highlighted a number of the classes learnt,” she mentioned.
“And they are going to be on the fore of what we construct into our business-as-usual.”
I feel it’s vital to keep in mind that we didn’t really suppose we’d get a vaccine for a lot of 2020. However for now, we’ll be getting into into a brand new pandemic with data that vaccines will emerge fairly rapidly.
So while we have to study a lot about and mirror on the teachings from this pandemic, we will likely be getting into the brand new pandemic with new instruments and so due to this fact, additionally should ask ourselves new questions.”
