ABSTRACT
The greatest preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic considered by those who had obtained it was previous experience in dealing with pathogens of comparable infectivity and seriousness, especially in emergency situations. The author describes the role of ‘outbreak response teams’, comprising environmental health professionals working in multi-disciplinary units at district, provincial and national level, where communication is seen as a key element of this system working as effectively and consistently as it might in each country. Getting the balance right between continuing to deliver a routine service, and dealing with the infection risk behind the emergency is reported to have been difficult, but there is little sense of panic or an unwillingness to make whatever changes were necessary. The response in Australia is especially interesting for the different sorts of activities performed by Environmental Health Practitioners in different states and territories.
