Mary-Louise McLaws b. March 17, 1953 d. August 12 , 2023
Australia has mourned the passing of epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws who has succumbed to a brain tumour at the age of 70.
Mary-Louise McLaws
Wikipedia has described her as being “widely known to the Australian public through her media appearances during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. She was one of the first public advocates for mandatory face masks and the closure of the Australian border. She later advocated for mandatory vaccination, including the establishment of vaccination hubs to achieve herd immunity.”
ABC’s medical expert, Norman Swan, told J-Wire: “Mary-Louise was a working epidemiologist with immense and practical experience which shone through during the worst days of the pandemic. She expressed views based on evidence, not caring if they were palatable but always expressed with elegance and grace. I wish her husband and family long lives.”
Long-time friend Rachael Kohn who was also featured on the ABC, added: “Mary-Lou had such a positive outlook on life, and it shone through in all she did. She was always immaculate, loving her nifty little sports car, and then when it came to talking about her diagnosis, she was a paragon of grace and wisdom. Mary-Lou was a true inspiration and a beautiful human being.”
Her seminal work in developing surveillance systems to detect infectious diseases and to stop them from spreading made a real difference for the better to the lives of countless people on a global scale. She became a household name during the recent global pandemic and generously made her expertise available to all, including Jewish organisations who sought her guidance.
Professor Mary-Louise McLaws provided us with a bedrock of calm and rational reassurance during a time of unprecedented fear and uncertainty. She will be sorely missed.”
David Ossip, the president of The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, said: “On behalf of the NSW Jewish community, we wish a long life to the family and friends of Professor Mary-Louise McLaws.
Professor McLaws provided life-saving advice to many throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and was a much-loved member of our community.
Her incredible contribution to our country – and the world – will not be forgotten.”
In June 2023, The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies hosted a function at the Emanuel Synagogue, marking the honour of becoming an AO in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2022.
At that time, Mary-Louise was a member of the frontline team dealing with COVID, but her work had been curtailed as she was battling brain cancer.
She told J-Wire: “I’m basically a bit surprised to have been nominated but it’s so beautiful, that you couldn’t possibly be anything other than really feeling like your community service cared enough for you to have it arranged….that’s a wonderful feeling.
There were just something like nearly 3700 cases back in 2021. So this year has been unbelievably unusual because you wouldn’t think that you would get 7 million cases in only half a year. So it’s very difficult to accept this and it’s very sad now. Last year, we had 1390 cases of death, and this year we had 6550 cases of death.
A lot of people have, unfortunately, had terrible COVID, but most of them have had COVID without even realising it or without feeling very, very sick. So I hope that continues.”
The extent of her academic and practical achievements was spelt out in the citation accompanying her AO award.
University of New South Wales (UNSW)
- Deputy President, Academic Board, since 2017.
- Member, Academic Board, since 2012.
- UNSW Diplomat, Universities Social Responsibly Network Steering Committee, since 2019.
- Water-Health Leader, UNSW Global Water Institute, since 2016.
- Member, UNSW Institutional Biosafety Committee, 2002-2015.
- Member, Vice-Chancellor’s Childcare Support Fund for Women Researchers, 2005-2008.
School of Population Health and Community Medicine, UNSW
- Professor of Epidemiology, Hospital Infection and Infectious Diseases Control, since 1992.
- WHO Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network Focal Point, since 2021.
- Director, Public Health Program, 2009-2010.
- Director, Graduate Health Services Management Programs, Hong Kong, 2000-2008.
- Director, Research Degree Training, 1998-2004.
- Member, Faculty Higher Degrees Committee, 1998-2004.
- Member, Faculty Research Student Sub Committee, 1998-2004.
World Health Organisation (WHO)
- Member, Ad-hoc Infection Prevention and Control Epidemiology Methodology Group for COVID-19, since 2020.
- Member, WHO Health Emergencies Program Ad-hoc COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Guidance Development Group, since 2020.
- Member, Technical Advisory Committee, WHO Infection Prevention and Control Global Unit, since 2017.
- Member, Task Force, WHO First Global Patient Safety Challenge: Healthcare Associated Infection Burden, 2010-2013.
- Epidemiology Advisor, six global pilot test sites project, 2009-2013.
- WHO Advisor, Malaysian Ministry of Health National Nosocomial Surveillance system, 2004-2005.
- WHO Advisor, People’s Republic of China Infection Control Surveillance Accreditation, 2002-2003.
NSW Clinical Excellence Commission
- Member, NSW Infection Prevention and Control Specialty COVID-19 Taskforce, since 2020.
- Member, Writing Group, Multiple Resistance Organisms Policy, 2013-2015.
- Clinical Epidemiologist, Sepsis Research Group, 2011-2015.
- Member, Healthcare Associated Infections, Expert Advisory Sub-Committee, 2010-2019.
- Member, Antibiotic Stewardship in ICU Committee, 2009-2012.
- Clinical Epidemiology Advisor, Healthcare Associated infection related activities, Clinical Excellence Commission, 2011-2017.
- Honorary Consultant Advisor, since 2011.
- Clinical Epidemiology Advisor, Clean Hands Save Lives state-wide intervention, 2005-2010.
Ministerial Appointments/Reports
- Member, National Advisory Committee, evaluating the Australian hand hygiene interventions to reduce healthcare associated infection, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2010-2012.
- Evidence-Based algorithm for personnel protective equipment to be worn by healthcare workers during pandemic influenza, Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, 2008.
- Consultant to NSW Ministry of Health to establish first standardised surveillance of healthcare associated infections for public hospitals pilot, 1998-2001.
Research and Publications
- Fields of research include epidemiology, infectious diseases, Medical Microbiology and Public Health and Health Services.
- Research Output: g-index >50, citations=10138.
- Author, over 180 publications.
- Editorial Board Member, Journal of Hospital Infection, since 2017.
- Editorial Board Member, American Journal of Infection Control, since 2017 and 2012-2015.
- Editorial Board Member, International Journal of Health Governance, 2006-2019.
Honorary Appointments
- Visiting Professor, Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, 2014-2017.
- Adjunct Professor, Biotechnology Institute for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Science, University of Technology, 2011-2013.
- Advisor, Patient Safety Infection Control, Republica Popular Da China Regiao Administrativa Especial De Macau, Centro Hospitalar Conde De Sao Januario, 2002-2013.
- Advisor, Patient Safety Infection Control, Prince of Wales/Sydney Children’s Hospitals, since 1996.
Professional Organisations
- Foundation Member, Australasian Epidemiology Association, current.
- Member, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (USA), current.
- Member, Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases, current.
- Fellow, Royal Society of New South Wales, since 2020.
- Member, European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.
- Member, Hospital Infection Society United Kingdom.
- Member, Society for Healthcare Epidemiologist of America.
Awards and recognition include:
- Value in Action Award for Impact (COVID-19), Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, 2021.
- The Australian’s Health and Medical Sciences Leader in the Field of Epidemiology, 2020.
- Excellence in Postgraduate Research Supervision, School of Population Health and Community Medicine, UNSW, 2017 and 2015.
- Global Sepsis Alliance Award Government category, SEPSIS KILLS: Early Intervention Saves Lives, 2016.
- Leadership Pin, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology, 2010.
I liked watching her health and pandemic opinions on TV news.