Coronavirus call for action: ‘We can’t be caught short again’

Australia must create a US-style centre for disease control if it hopes to avoid the worst of future pandemics.

Medics suit up in personal protective equipment as they prepare to pick up a patient in severe respiratory distress in New York on Monday. Picture: Getty Images

Australia must create a US-style centre for disease control, increase its stockpile of medical equipment and give greater rein to its intelligence agencies to gather inform­ation on emerging diseases if it hopes to avoid the worst of future pandemics.

Paul Barnes of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said the coronavirus had exposed gaps in Australia’s ability to manage ­sudden, widespread outbreaks of disease.

In order to detect and respond to future outbreaks, Dr Barnes said, it was essential that Australia establish a body similar to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the US.

“They are a central clearing house for emerging or re-emerg­ent diseases,’’ he said.

“It allows faster co-ordination between agencies that have standing to go into the field. We can’t have piecemeal sets of eyes looking at these things.’’

Dr Barnes said as new diseases emerged, particularly ones with pandemic potential, there was a case for involving Australia’s overseas intelligence agencies to ­gather information on them.

This could prove valuable if the size and severity of the outbreak was unclear or if it was occurring inside a secretive country.

“At some point cabinet would want to get advice from the intel people. Is there information they can value-add?’’

The circumstances of the corona­virus outbreak have been the subject of intense debate, with the Chinese government accused of suppressing information and playing down the severity and ­extent of the virus’s spread.

The controversy highlights the challenges of getting accurate, early information about new diseases from secretive regimes.

Dr Barnes said the scale of the COVID-19 crisis had also underscored the need for greater domestic­ stockpiles of drugs and medical equipment.

Face masks, gloves and surgical gowns have been at a premium since the pandemic began. Critical care capabilities, such as ventilators, have also been exposed. Dr Barnes said Australia needed to be able to “scale up’’ production of such items, rather than be beholden to international suppliers.