About OzSAGE

Our Principles

We are guided by the values of respect, diversity and inclusion, justice, equity, transparency, authenticity, compassion and solidarity.

The precautionary principle

We use the precautionary principle, ethics, real-world examples and understand that recommendations may change over time as evidence or problems change.

Reasonable steps to protect people and reduce risk should not await scientific certainty.

Much is still unknown (such as the chronic health impact and long-term health effects including on children) and the virus is clearly still evolving/worsening. Omicron is very unlikely to be the last SARS-Cov-2 variant we face, nor the worst.

Analogies to seasonal influenza are less accurate than comparing SARS-Cov2 to measles or polio.

“Vaccine-Plus” strategy

A “Vaccine-Plus’ strategy is the pillar of living safely during and after a pandemic. “Plus” refers to proven non-pharmaceutical interventions to mitigate airborne transmission of COVID, including testing, safe indoor air (through ventilation and filtration) and masks, with a particular focus on high-risk settings such as health and aged care, schools, workplaces, social venues and homes.

Ethical considerations influence our advice

This includes an appreciation of impact of both disease and disease-prevention measures, especially on high risk and disadvantaged populations, on children and on low-and-middle-income countries.

Risk, uncertainty and probability

Coming to terms with these concepts is key to navigating both personal and institutional decision making during and after a pandemic.

We all do this in our daily lives, but the stakes are higher and the uncertainty is greater with novel pathogens. Good decisions are based on a thoughtful weighing of the alternatives and their likely consequences and on how we weight those consequences and risks.

Science works by peer review, engagement, criticism, and collaboration

Mostly playing out in conferences, peer review, grant applications and scholarly editorials. As hard as this is to do when things are changing rapidly, this is still a crucial principle that we encourage policy makers to understand and engage in.

Real-world data

In the early days of the pandemic knowledge about SARS-CoV2 was very limited and decisions were based on analogy with other viruses and predictions of models. As more data have been acquired in epidemiological studies, these data can inform decisions directly and also lead to be better predictive models.

Changing recommendations over time

Changing advice is evidence of science working.

We will challenge our own thinking and recommendations constantly as knowledge advances and new tools and data become available. We aim to be agile and responsive to changing situations and changing evidence.

Our Board and Executive

OzSAGE is led by a Board comprising medical, public health, infection control and communication expertise. Our publications and other initiatives are produced with the support of an Executive group with a broad range of expertise relevant to the pandemic. Meet the OzSAGE Board and Executive.

Our Subject Matter Experts

OzSAGE draws on a diverse, multi-disciplinary group of Australian scientists, doctors and professionals with subject matter expertise relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their impressive breadth of expertise is listed here: Subject Matter Experts.

Our Patron

OzSAGE is proud to have Ms Irene Moss as our generous patron, providing an example and selfless leadership in her support for caring for the whole community, especially the disadvantaged.

Support us

If you’d like to support OzSAGE’s public health advocacy work, you can make a donation and become a supporter. OzSAGE Trust is a public health promotion charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) - meaning supporter contributions and donations are tax deductible in Australia.