NOVEL HONOUR

By his own admission, his was the ‘‘loudest voice’’ advocating in March for the unthinkable: a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Now Professor Michael Baker’s efforts have been recognised, as he is made amember of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Baker, a University of Otago (Wellington) epidemiologist who helped inform the Government’s Covid-19 response, was taken aback by the honour.

‘‘It came as a surprise, as it does for most people,’’ he said. ‘‘It is quite surreal for me. I didn’t think for very long and said, ‘Yes, of course.’’’

It bookmarked what had been the ‘‘ most intense year ofmy working life’’, Baker said.

There is still uncertainty over how Covid-19 started. But somewhere in late 2019, someone at a seafood market inWuhan was infected with the novel coronavirus.

Baker was talking to media as well as advising the Government about the virus in January, as it spread across China and then worldwide. In March, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the virus was a pandemic.

Baker, who has been involved with public health for more than 30 years, knew the stakes were high. He looked at how China had contained Covid-19 and he pushed for an elimination strategy here, at a time when other countries were trying to merely flatten the curve.

‘‘I realised in March we didn’t have the infrastructure to contain the virus,’’ he said. ‘‘Nothing was as intense as those few weeks around the point where New Zealand decided to do something unthinkable: send everyone home.’’

It wasn’t an easy call and Baker felt ‘‘racked with uncertainty’’.

‘‘I just didn’t know if it would work – if people would adhere to it and if it would be enough,’’ he said.

‘‘Up to that point, New Zealand and Australia were pretty much doing their own thing but we departed from Australia and became the only country in the OECD to follow the elimination model.’’ It paid off, and all eyes turned to New Zealand as the country announced it was Covid-19 free in June.

Baker points to his colleagues at the university and sees the award as ‘‘recognition for our professional group’’. ‘‘I am also hoping this will be a huge boost for the idea the future lies with scientists and politicians working together.’’

For now, Baker is taking some much-deserved time off with his family near Lake Taupo¯.