Professor Michael Baker will be speaking about New Zealand’s successful Covid-19 response and what it teaches about science-led decision making at the Wanaka Branch of the Royal Society this week.

Michael is a public health physician and Professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington, where he has worked full-time since 2003.

He has a wide range of public health research interests, with a focus on infectious diseases, environmental health, and improving housing conditions.

Michael’s work during 2020-21 has been dominated by assisting with the Covid-19 pandemic response. He is a member of the Ministry of Health’s Covid-19 Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and has been the leading architect and advocate for the Covid-19 elimination strategy.  

He established a programme of research on the epidemiology, prevention and control of Covid-19 in New Zealand and internationally (Co-Search). With this group he has published widely, including papers in the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, and British Medical Journal.

His contribution to public health, and the Covid-19 response, has been recognised by his selection as the 2020 Wellingtonian of the Year, the 2020 Public Health Champion award (Public Health Association), the 2020 Critic and Conscience of Society Award (Universities New Zealand), and was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the 2021 New Year’s Honours list.

Michael’s presentation in Wanaka will cover key aspects of the New Zealand response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including a discussion of how the pandemic threat was assessed, the range of response options, why New Zealand chose an elimination strategy, and the impact of that choice. 

Michael will also talk about the importance of effective science communication, managing misinformation and disinformation, and where we go from here with vaccines, borders and medium to long-term recovery.

He will also reflect on the shared experience of living through a very intense period in New Zealand history and the opportunities arising from the post-Covid reset.

The presentation will take place on Thursday (April 15) at 6.00pm at the Presbyterian Community Centre, Tenby Street. The cost is $5 per person.