Opportunities to strengthen respiratory virus surveillance systems in Australia: lessons learned from the COVID-19 response

Disease surveillance data was critical in supporting public health decisions throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. At the same time, the unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic revealed many shortcomings of surveillance systems for viral respiratory pathogens. Strengthening of surveillance systems was identified as a priority for the recently established Australian Centre for Disease Control, which represents a critical opportunity to review pre-pandemic and pandemic surveillance practices, and to decide on future priorities, during both pandemic and inter-pandemic periods.

Citation:
Shearer FM, Edwards L, Kirk M, ……… Golding N, Hassall J, ……. Ryan GE, Sullivan S, et al. Opportunities to strengthen respiratory virus surveillance systems in Australia: lessons learned from the COVID-19 response. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2024;48.

Keywords:
COVID-19 pandemic; public health surveillance; viral respiratory infections

Abstract:
Disease surveillance data was critical in supporting public health decisions throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. At the same time, the unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic revealed many shortcomings of surveillance systems for viral respiratory pathogens. Strengthening of surveillance systems was identified as a priority for the recently established Australian Centre for Disease Control, which represents a critical opportunity to review pre-pandemic and pandemic surveillance practices, and to decide on future priorities, during both pandemic and inter-pandemic periods.