We are fighting a war on Covid-19, a cunning and wily enemy that has sprung upon us very quickly in a surprise and concerted attack.
There was warning and prophecy, with Otago-trained global expert Prof Robert Webster writing in his book Flu Hunter that “nature will eventually challenge mankind again with an equivalent of the 1918 influenza virus. We need to be careful, but we also need to be prepared”. Our preparations are now being tested—we look to be winning the battle in Aotearoa, with some loss and much personal sacrifice, but the outcome is in the balance globally.
The role of our universities and research organisations, public- and private-sector alike, cannot be underestimated at this time of national need. Akin to the response to the Blitz in the Battle of Britain, research and expert guidance is needed to identify the enemy as it comes towards us, track it when it is here, and develop methods to eliminate it before it inflicts damage to our homes, businesses and communities. Rapid development and deployment of radar stations to track German aircraft was one of the crowning contributions of science to UK society at that time. With Covid-19 we are facing our own “radar moments”, with similar successes.
Identifying the threat and tracking the enemy as early as possible is essential in this fight. University of Otago researchers Professor Miguel Quiñones-Mateu and Associate Professor James Ussher began developing a powerful Covid-19 test some weeks before the first New Zealand cases were identified, and this test is now in use alongside international equivalents in our testing laboratories.
Allied to this, the seamless transfer of equipment, staff and resources from university and public-sector labs into our diagnostic laboratories has been critical to scaling-up testing. We have gone from 10 tests per day to more than 4,000 tests per day in less than six weeks, and our per-capita testing capability is world-leading. The quality of our testing is very high, supported by sound science at ESR and within our university labs.
Advising the Government and citizens on the right public health response to this once-in-a-century crisis has also relied on strong academic contributions: public health and epidemiology expertise from people like Professor Michael Baker and Dr Ayesha Verrall; modelling from people like Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Associate Professor Alex James and Dr Nick Wilson; and integrated expert public communication from people like Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles, Professor Shaun Hendy and Dr Ayesha Verrall (also a very busy clinician!)
This augments the expertise that sits within the Ministry of Health, and is connected to an efficient government department science advisory network, orchestrated by the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor. As with diagnostic testing, we have been able to rapidly scale-up our policy, modelling, advisory and public communication effort to meet the challenge of this surprise attack because of the reservist forces that reside and hone their skills within our research sector.
In the midst of this battle, new challenges are thrown at us on a daily basis, and we need to respond rapidly and collectively. As a nation of nearly five million people, separated by only two degrees of freedom, we are large enough to be able to mount a credible defence, but perfectly sized to be able to do this nimbly and collaboratively. We can succeed where other nations are failing due to their cumbersome bureaucracy and competitive political or commercial structures.
One of the challenges is maintaining supplies of key resources to fight Covid-19, such as testing reagents, PPE or medical equipment, when global demand outstrips supply. Our ministry procurement teams, private sector and diplomatic corps have stepped up to the plate, calling in favours and using trusted relationships to ensure that we do not get forgotten.
The research and technology sectors have also answered the call here, to explore rapidly methods for local production of key equipment or consumables, some of which is now in production. There will be stories to be told, and heroes to be identified from this effort. Our scholarly community of historians, economists and entrepreneurs will also ensure that lessons do not go un-told, and opportunities are not lost.
The efforts described here, and across other battle fronts, sits at the tip of the spear in our fight against Covid-19. We have, as I remember a quote from businessman Dick Hubbard ONZM, taken a “ready, fire, aim” approach to getting this spear in flight early and aimed at the heart of the enemy. It looks to be right on target, at least for the current onslaught.
But this effort also represents the tip of the iceberg of the broader, critical national research capabilities held in our universities, CRIs (Crown Research Institutes), industries and independent research organisations. We do not know what battles lie ahead in this war, or what conflicts lie over the horizon, but we should rest assured that our research community will respond to the call to arms again when required.
