An epidemiologist who guided Australia through the COVID-19 pandemic has died aged 70 following a long illness.
Professor Mary-Louise McLaws was a renowned epidemiologist at the University of NSW and an adviser to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
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She regularly appeared in media interviews during the pandemic, providing expert advice to Australians, but in January 2022, revealed she had been diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Also that year, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to medical research, particularly to epidemiology and infection prevention, to tertiary education, and to health administration.
Medical professionals and members of the public paid tribute to the academic online, many of them thanking her for her wisdom and calling her one of the most reliable commentators during the pandemic.
“Somehow you had the wisdom, calm and class we needed. ‘Thank you’ doesn’t seem enough,” psychologist and author Brad Desmond tweeted.
“I listened to her all through COVID … a lovely … totally calm voice in all the mayhem … l absolutely knew everything she said was true … a wonderful epidemiologist and human,” clinician Cheryl Allderladd tweeted.
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McLaws died in her sleep on Saturday evening, her husband Richard Flook confirmed in a statement.
She leaves behind two children.
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