In early 2020, as Covid spread across the globe, Australia scrambled to respond. Protective equipment ran short, national stockpiles had dwindled, and the vaccine rollout lagged behind much of the developed world. Lockdowns became the default – not because they were ideal but because better options weren’t in place. When the dust settled, governments pledged to learn from their mistakes.

A new threat is now emerging: avian influenza, or bird flu.