As 2023 draws to a close, almost four years on since the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed, we continue to see cases and have adjusted to living with COVID-19. So, is the COVID-19 pandemic officially over?

In this episode, Infectious diseases expert and Director of the Doherty Institute, Professor Sharon Lewin answers this question and fills us in on what the experts are discussing behind the scenes to prepare us for the next pandemic.

Show notes:

Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics Foundation Grants are open globally for applications. 

Get in touch

Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.au

As 2023 draws to a close, almost four years on since the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed, we continue to see cases and have adjusted to living with COVID-19. So, is the COVID-19 pandemic officially over?
In this episode, Infectious diseases expert and Director of the Doherty Institute, Professor Sharon Lewin answers this question and fills us in on what the experts are discussing behind the scenes to prepare us for the next pandemic.
Show notes:
<a href="https://www.doherty.edu.au/cumming-global-centre-for-pandemic-therapeutics/work-with-us/grants">Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics Foundation Grants</a> are open globally for applications. 
Get in touch
Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email <a href="mailto:doherty-media@unimelb.edu.au">doherty-media@unimelb.edu.au</a>

Welcome to Infection and Immunity - Evidence Explained, a Doherty Institute podcast. Each fortnight we bring you the latest news and information on all things infectious diseases and immunology from the Doherty Institute and our collaborators.

Join us as we talk with world-leading experts to discuss the latest scientific and public health evidence around emerging and endemic diseases, from COVID-19 and Buruli ulcer, to HIV and the flu.

Welcome to Infection and Immunity - Evidence Explained, a Doherty Institute podcast. Each fortnight we bring you the latest news and information on all things infectious diseases and immunology from the Doherty Institute and our collaborators.
Join us as we talk with world-leading experts to discuss the latest scientific and public health evidence around emerging and endemic diseases, from COVID-19 and Buruli ulcer, to HIV and the flu.

Infection and Immunity

Welcome to Infection and Immunity - Evidence Explained, a Doherty Institute podcast. 

Each fortnight on a Friday, we’ll bring you the latest news and information on all things infectious diseases and immunology from the Doherty Institute and our collaborators. Join us as we talk with world-leading experts to discuss the latest scientific evidence around emerging and endemic diseases – from COVID-19 and Buruli ulcer to HIV, the flu and everything in between.

Welcome to Infection and Immunity - Evidence Explained, a Doherty Institute podcast. 
Each fortnight on a Friday, we’ll bring you the latest news and information on all things infectious diseases and immunology from the Doherty Institute and our collaborators. Join us as we talk with world-leading experts to discuss the latest scientific evidence around emerging and endemic diseases – from COVID-19 and Buruli ulcer to HIV, the flu and everything in between.

As 2023 draws to a close, almost four years on since the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed, we continue to see cases and have adjusted to living with COVID-19. So, is the COVID-19 pandemic officially over?

Is the COVID-19 pandemic over?

Off Script Episode 5: The Future We Could Have

Off Script is brought to you by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics.

Episode Summary

In the final episode of this five-part series, we imagine the pandemic future we could have if we start preparing now. With therapeutic drugs ready before the next pandemic hits, we could keep more people out of hospital, help economies stay resilient, and make better-informed decisions about public health measures. This episode brings together Australia's leading health economists, policymakers, and scientists to explore how pandemic therapeutics fit into comprehensive pandemic preparedness.

What You'll Learn:

Economic blind spot - How Australia's pre-pandemic plans overlooked economic impacts.

The $3 billion weekly cost - Quantifying lockdowns' massive economic impact and how therapeutics could dramatically reduce restrictive measures in future pandemics.

Risk-based decision making - Why having treatments available transforms political leaders' risk calculations, enabling more nuanced responses than "zero tolerance" approaches.

Trust and communication challenges - Lessons from COVID-19 on science communication, why advice changes as evidence evolves, and building public trust for future pandemic responses.

Platform technology promise - How preparedness investments in foundational research infrastructure could enable rapid response to unknown future pathogens.

CDC establishment - Australia's new Centre for Disease Control and how it will coordinate research, evidence, and rapid response for future pandemics.

Equity and accessibility imperative - Why therapeutics must be widely available and trusted to truly make a difference, especially for the most vulnerable populations.

Global investment reality - The scale of funding needed for pandemic preparedness and why the returns far outweigh the costs.

Featured Experts

Dr. Angela Jackson - Health economist and co-leader of Australia's independent COVID-19 inquiry, revealing how economic planning failures prolonged lockdowns and why therapeutic availability changes everything for future pandemic management.

Professor Michael Kidd - Australia's Chief Medical Officer, outlining the comprehensive infrastructure being built for pandemic preparedness, from the Australian CDC to international research collaborations.

Professor Brett Sutton - Former Victorian Chief Health Officer and current CSIRO researcher, exploring the science communication challenges ahead and how therapeutics could provide crucial protection for society's most vulnerable.

Professor Sharon Lewin - Doherty Institute Director, assessing Australia's pandemic preparedness progress while highlighting the trust and global cooperation challenges that remain.

Off Script is hosted by Dr. Matt Agnew and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. 

Off Script Episode 5: The Future We Could Have
Off Script is brought to you by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics.
Episode Summary
In the final episode of this five-part series, we imagine the pandemic future we could have if we start preparing now. With therapeutic drugs ready before the next pandemic hits, we could keep more people out of hospital, help economies stay resilient, and make better-informed decisions about public health measures. This episode brings together Australia's leading health economists, policymakers, and scientists to explore how pandemic therapeutics fit into comprehensive pandemic preparedness.
What You'll Learn:
Economic blind spot - How Australia's pre-pandemic plans overlooked economic impacts.
The $3 billion weekly cost&nbsp;- Quantifying lockdowns' massive economic impact and how therapeutics could dramatically reduce restrictive measures in future pandemics.
Risk-based decision making&nbsp;- Why having treatments available transforms political leaders' risk calculations, enabling more nuanced responses than "zero tolerance" approaches.
Trust and communication challenges&nbsp;- Lessons from COVID-19 on science communication, why advice changes as evidence evolves, and building public trust for future pandemic responses.
Platform technology promise&nbsp;- How preparedness investments in foundational research infrastructure could enable rapid response to unknown future pathogens.
CDC establishment - Australia's new Centre for Disease Control and how it will coordinate research, evidence, and rapid response for future pandemics.
Equity and accessibility imperative&nbsp;- Why therapeutics must be widely available and trusted to truly make a difference, especially for the most vulnerable populations.
Global investment reality&nbsp;- The scale of funding needed for pandemic preparedness and why the returns far outweigh the costs.
Featured Experts
Dr. Angela Jackson&nbsp;- Health economist and co-leader of Australia's independent COVID-19 inquiry, revealing how economic planning failures prolonged lockdowns and why therapeutic availability changes everything for future pandemic management.
Professor Michael Kidd&nbsp;- Australia's Chief Medical Officer, outlining the comprehensive infrastructure being built for pandemic preparedness, from the Australian CDC to international research collaborations.
Professor Brett Sutton&nbsp;- Former Victorian Chief Health Officer and current CSIRO researcher, exploring the science communication challenges ahead and how therapeutics could provide crucial protection for society's most vulnerable.
Professor Sharon Lewin&nbsp;- Doherty Institute Director, assessing Australia's pandemic preparedness progress while highlighting the trust and global cooperation challenges that remain.
Off Script is hosted by Dr. Matt Agnew and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity.

The Future We Could Have

Off Script Episode 4: Global Health Equity

Off Script is brought to you by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics.

Episode Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic hit many developing countries especially hard, overwhelming already stretched health systems while devastating tourism-dependent economies. Looking ahead, widely available therapeutics could be game-changers – keeping people out of hospitals, easing pressure on health systems, and helping keep economies open. This episode explores the global collaboration needed to ensure pandemic preparedness reaches everyone, everywhere.

What You'll Learn:

Pacific resilience - How Pacific Island nations' experience with natural disasters creates unique strengths and vulnerabilities in pandemic response.

Health system flexibility - Why limited resources sometimes breed innovation, and how Pacific health workers adapt to multiple crisis situations.

Therapeutic advantage - How having treatments available could help countries reopen borders and return to normal faster than vaccines alone.

Global collaboration in action - The cross-border support systems that make Pacific pandemic response possible, from emergency medical teams to resource sharing.

Pandemic agreement breakthrough - The world's second global health treaty and how it will ensure equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics.

The preparedness gap - Why high-income countries failed while some "poorly prepared" nations succeeded, and what this teaches us about true pandemic readiness.

Investment ecosystem revealed - The complex pipeline from university research to patient treatment, and why all stages matter.

Featured Experts

Dr. Gina Samaan - WHO Regional Emergency Director explaining how Pacific health systems adapt to constant challenges and why therapeutics are crucial for future preparedness

Professor Michel Kazatchkine - Former Global Fund Executive Director and Member of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness, sharing lessons from COVID-19's devastating impact on global health programs.

The technology exists. The investment is flowing. The question now is: will we be ready?

Off Script is hosted by Dr. Matt Agnew and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity.

Off Script Episode 4: Global Health Equity
Off Script is brought to you by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics.
Episode Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic hit many developing countries especially hard, overwhelming already stretched health systems while devastating tourism-dependent economies. Looking ahead, widely available therapeutics could be game-changers &ndash; keeping people out of hospitals, easing pressure on health systems, and helping keep economies open. This episode explores the global collaboration needed to ensure pandemic preparedness reaches everyone, everywhere.
What You'll Learn:
Pacific resilience&nbsp;- How Pacific Island nations' experience with natural disasters creates unique strengths and vulnerabilities in pandemic response.
Health system flexibility&nbsp;- Why limited resources sometimes breed innovation, and how Pacific health workers adapt to multiple crisis situations.
Therapeutic advantage&nbsp;- How having treatments available could help countries reopen borders and return to normal faster than vaccines alone.
Global collaboration in action&nbsp;- The cross-border support systems that make Pacific pandemic response possible, from emergency medical teams to resource sharing.
Pandemic agreement breakthrough&nbsp;- The world's second global health treaty and how it will ensure equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics.
The preparedness gap&nbsp;- Why high-income countries failed while some "poorly prepared" nations succeeded, and what this teaches us about true pandemic readiness.
Investment ecosystem revealed&nbsp;- The complex pipeline from university research to patient treatment, and why all stages matter.
Featured Experts
Dr. Gina Samaan&nbsp;- WHO Regional Emergency Director explaining how Pacific health systems adapt to constant challenges and why therapeutics are crucial for future preparedness
Professor Michel Kazatchkine&nbsp;- Former Global Fund Executive Director and Member of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness, sharing lessons from COVID-19's devastating impact on global health programs.
The technology exists. The investment is flowing. The question now is: will we be ready?
Off Script is hosted by Dr. Matt Agnew and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity.

Global Health Equity

Off Script Episode 3: The mRNA Revolution

Off Script is brought to you by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics.

Episode Summary

mRNA technology isn't just about vaccines – it's a platform that could revolutionise pandemic therapeutics. Discover how Melbourne has become a global leader in mRNA research, from the government strategy positioning Victoria as a biotech powerhouse to the cutting-edge science happening in our labs. Learn how this technology works, why it was ready for COVID-19, and how it's being adapted to create the next generation of pandemic treatments.

What You'll Learn:

Platform technology power - Why mRNA is like "IKEA furniture" – modular components that can be quickly assembled to respond to different viruses

Melbourne's mRNA ecosystem - How Victoria's 25-year investment in medical research led to securing both Moderna and BioNTech manufacturing facilities.

The messenger explained - Understanding how mRNA works as nature's instruction manual, delivering recipes to cells to produce therapeutic proteins.

Beyond vaccines - How mRNA is being developed as a therapeutic for cancer treatment, HIV cure research, and respiratory pathogens.

Delivery innovation - The breakthrough research turning therapeutic mRNA into inhalable aerosols that target the lungs directly.

Investment pipeline - The complex journey from university discovery to patient treatment, and why platform technologies accelerate development.

Speed advantage - How mRNA can be designed and ordered online, enabling rapid response to future pandemic threats.

Featured Experts

Dr. Amanda Caples - Victoria's Lead Scientist and Chair of mRNA Victoria's Science Advisory Group, explaining how mRNA works and Victoria's strategic investment in the technology

Dr. Paula Cevaal - Doherty Institute researcher pioneering mRNA therapeutics, including revolutionary delivery methods that could transform pandemic response

Devon Sok - Head of Science at Global Health Investment Corporation, revealing the investment ecosystem that brings breakthrough technologies from lab to patient

What's Coming Next

Episode 4 explores how these breakthrough technologies can reach everyone, everywhere – especially in developing countries where health systems are most vulnerable. Discover the global collaboration needed to ensure pandemic therapeutics reach those who need them most.

Off Script is hosted by Dr. Matt Agnew and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity.

Off Script Episode 3: The mRNA Revolution
Off Script is brought to you by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics.
Episode Summary
mRNA technology isn't just about vaccines &ndash; it's a platform that could revolutionise pandemic therapeutics. Discover how Melbourne has become a global leader in mRNA research, from the government strategy positioning Victoria as a biotech powerhouse to the cutting-edge science happening in our labs. Learn how this technology works, why it was ready for COVID-19, and how it's being adapted to create the next generation of pandemic treatments.
What You'll Learn:
Platform technology power&nbsp;- Why mRNA is like "IKEA furniture" &ndash; modular components that can be quickly assembled to respond to different viruses
Melbourne's mRNA ecosystem&nbsp;- How Victoria's 25-year investment in medical research led to securing both Moderna and BioNTech manufacturing facilities.
The messenger explained&nbsp;- Understanding how mRNA works as nature's instruction manual, delivering recipes to cells to produce therapeutic proteins.
Beyond vaccines&nbsp;- How mRNA is being developed as a therapeutic for cancer treatment, HIV cure research, and respiratory pathogens.
Delivery innovation&nbsp;- The breakthrough research turning therapeutic mRNA into inhalable aerosols that target the lungs directly.
Investment pipeline&nbsp;- The complex journey from university discovery to patient treatment, and why platform technologies accelerate development.
Speed advantage&nbsp;- How mRNA can be designed and ordered online, enabling rapid response to future pandemic threats.
Featured Experts
Dr. Amanda Caples&nbsp;- Victoria's Lead Scientist and Chair of mRNA Victoria's Science Advisory Group, explaining how mRNA works and Victoria's strategic investment in the technology
Dr. Paula Cevaal&nbsp;- Doherty Institute researcher pioneering mRNA therapeutics, including revolutionary delivery methods that could transform pandemic response
Devon Sok&nbsp;- Head of Science at Global Health Investment Corporation, revealing the investment ecosystem that brings breakthrough technologies from lab to patient
What's Coming Next
Episode 4 explores how these breakthrough technologies can reach everyone, everywhere &ndash; especially in developing countries where health systems are most vulnerable. Discover the global collaboration needed to ensure pandemic therapeutics reach those who need them most.
Off Script is hosted by Dr. Matt Agnew and produced by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, part of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity.

Is the COVID-19 pandemic over?

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