The case for an Australian public health rapid response unit: The outbreak response experience of AUSMAT and the NCCTRC during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted countries' health capacity and ability to respond rapidly to a protracted and complex public health emergency. In response, Australia has established a Centre for Disease Control (CDC). Here we detail lessons learned from a national public health outbreak rapid response unit managed by the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC) and Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) during the pandemic. STUDY DESIGN: A descriptive retrospective review of all NCCTRC/AUSMAT public health emergency deployments during the COVID-19 national response. METHODS: We reviewed, collated and identified operational themes for all COVID-19 related deployments by AUSMAT and the NCCTRC's Rapid Response Team. Of the 26 deployments during the period 2020 - 2022, all were dedicated to the prevention and management of the various manifestations of COVID-19 related health emergencies. RESULTS: The NCCTRC's operational capacity to address the range of COVID-19 related emergencies was broad, appropriate to the domestic context and aligned with international models. This included quarantine, infection prevention and control, rapid outbreak assessment and response, and epidemiologic and virtual technical support to deployed teams, laboratory diagnostics, novel vaccination delivery models, community engagement, and workforce training. CONCLUSIONS: This demonstrated public health rapid response model may provide a template for such a unit associated with the new CDC. Such a model provides a standardised operational mechanism to initially address public health outbreaks at the national level.