Paul Kelly (doctor)

Not to be confused with the Australian musician or the Australian journalist.
Professor
Paul Kelly
Chief Medical Officer
Incumbent
Assumed office
29 June 2020
Acting: 29 June – 22 December 2020
Preceded byBrendan Murphy
Personal details
NationalityAustralian
ProfessionEpidemiologist
Signature

Paul M. Kelly is an Australian public health physician, epidemiologist and public servant who is the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Australia, having served since 29 June 2020.[1] He succeeded Brendan Murphy, who became the Secretary of the Department of Health.[2][3]

Kelly is also the head of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and in that role an adviser to the National Cabinet of Australia created to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

In the past, Kelly assumed a leadership role in the FluCAN project,[5] a national system used to track people hospitalised with influenza, which helps to determine the efficacy of the flu vaccine.[3]

On 22 December 2020, Kelly was officially appointed to the role of Chief Medical Officer on a permanent basis, having previously served in an acting capacity.[6]

In 2022, Kelly reportedly advised against instituting mandatory COVID-19 tests for travellers from China, though the advice was ignored in favor of adopting a policy more in-line with other countries around the world, including the United States, France, and the United Kingdom.[7]

  1. ^ Tsirtsakis, Anastasia (26 June 2020). "Outgoing Chief Medical Officer praised for work during the pandemic". newsGP. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  2. ^ Probyn, Andrew (25 June 2020). "Brendan Murphy leaves Chief Medical Officer role, warning borders could remain closed until coronavirus vaccine is developed". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Leadership: Acting Chief Medical Officer". Australian Government. Dept of Health. Retrieved 3 November 2020.}
  4. ^ Grattan, Michelle (7 April 2020). "Scott Morrison indicates 'eliminating' COVID-19 would come at too high a cost". The Conversation. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  5. ^ Kelly, Paul M; Kotsimbos, Tom; Reynolds, Anna; et al. (21 February 2011). "FluCAN 2009: initial results from sentinel surveillance for adult influenza and pneumonia in eight Australian hospitals". The Medical Journal of Australia. 194 (4): 169–174. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2011.tb03764.x. PMID 21401456. S2CID 11201851. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  6. ^ Jenkins, Shannon (22 December 2020). "SPaul Kelly officially promoted to chief medical officer". The Mandarin. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly advised against mandatory COVID-19 testing for travellers from China". ABC News. 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.