Richard Baker, MBChB, presents "Why 'elimination' should be the default strategy for future severe pandemics". Health Watch USA(sm) 2025 Webinar: Combating Infectious Disease Challenges. Aug. 29, 2025.
 
In this presentation, Professor Michael Baker, a key figure in New Zealand's COVID-19 response, discusses the country's elimination strategy against the pandemic. A public health physician and epidemiologist at the University of Otago, Baker highlights that a clear strategy is crucial for effective pandemic management. He emphasizes three primary response strategies: mitigation, suppression, and elimination. In March 2020, New Zealand adopted an elimination approach characterized by rapid border closures and stringent public health measures to stamp out infections despite having only 100 reported cases at the time.

Baker details how elimination allowed New Zealand to maintain near zero transmission of COVID-19 for almost two years, thereby affording time to enhance vaccination efforts and improve healthcare responses before widespread infection. This strategy resulted in low cumulative mortality compared to other nations, which generally employed less coordinated approaches. He notes that the elimination strategy bought time to manage healthcare and maintain community functions, leading to fewer restrictions and economic impacts compared to countries that faced uncontrolled outbreaks.

However, he acknowledges challenges such as public compliance, equity concerns, and the logistics of implementing border controls. As new variants emerged, New Zealand transitioned from elimination to suppression and now operates under a mitigation strategy. Baker concludes that successful pandemic responses rely on evidence-informed strategies and political leadership, advocating for global coordination in health responses and preparedness for future pandemics. In discussion, he notes negative excess mortality in New Zealand during the pandemic, highlighting the role of infectious disease management in reducing overall mortality. (Summary AI Assisted)
  
YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/I7DIJA87sI8
 
Health Watch USA^sm Webinar, Combating Infectious Disease Challenges. Have we gone twenty steps forward or backwards?  Aug. 29, 2025  Download Slides
   
Presentations from additional countries can be viewed at:  https://www.healthwatchusa.org/conference2025/index.html