Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: The first priority area is improving prevention and control, including through better understanding of disease transmission and future vaccine research. The second is improving our management of infectious diseases—for instance, through diagnostics, surveillance, and therapeutics. Reducing the impact of infectious diseases on Māori and Pacific people will also be a key focus. That work can only be done here in Aotearoa New Zealand. I also see this research platform as promoting the development of our next generation of pandemic scientists. This work will not just help with our current response to COVID-19 but also help prevent future pandemics. 