Now on @CHFofAustralia webinar, Prof Michael Kidd and Dr Nick Coatsworth discussing the reasons behind Australia's success (so far) in controlling the novel coronavirus.

Their bio details are here: https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/government-response-to-the-covid-19-outbreak/our-medical-experts

Factors include: 1. A degree of luck that we weren’t the first country where this appeared so we had time to prepare our health system. 2. Decision to close our borders very early in the process. 3. Decisions around quarantine. 4. The way the community rallied.

A caution against complacency. Discussion also of wider #SDOH affected by pandemic & response, inc job loss, mental health & wellbeing. cc @CroakeyNews @LRussellWolpe

A personal reflection: webinars are enabling members of the public and journalists access to key decision makers in a way that wasn't always possible, pre-Zoom etc. Will govts continue to provide public access to key health & medical advisors, post-pandemic?

Prof Kidd hopes that post-pandemic we don't "lose that beautiful sense of community we’ve seen across the country", eg young people reaching out to elderly neighbours, doing the shopping for people, other community initiatives, sharing songs from balconies etc.

Dr Coatsworth hopes that post pandemic, we remain focused on care for elderly people, to take a much more positive and focused look at how older Australians are part of our community and the important role that they play in our community.