Michael Baker | |
|---|---|
 Baker in 2020 | |
| Born | Michael George Baker |
| Citizenship | New Zealand |
| Board member of | New Zealand Drug Foundation[1] |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | |
| Institutions | University of Otago |
Michael George BakerMNZM is a New Zealand epidemiologist. He is a professor ofpublic health at theUniversity of Otago.[2] Baker has worked as an advisor and member of multiple organisations. Notably, Baker was formerly a member of theNew Zealand Food Safety Authority's Academy and of theNew Zealand Ministry of Health's Pandemic Influenza Technical Advisory Group (PITAG).[3][4][5]He was later a member of the Ministry of Health'sCovid-19 Response Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and Pandemic Science Advisory Group.
Baker has an identical twin brother, David, who is ageneral practitioner in Sydney, Australia. The twins are the eldest of four children. They attended secondary school inHamilton and medical school at theUniversity of Auckland.[6] Michael Baker graduated withBachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) and Diploma inObstetrics[7] from the University of Auckland.
He subsequently studied at the University of Otago, where he earned a Diploma in Public Health followed by specialist training in public health medicine (Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine and Fellow of the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine).
He originally wanted to specialise inemergency medicine orpsychiatry, but got a job inWellington as a medical advisor for the Minister of Health. In that role he worked on the response to theHIV/AIDS epidemic, and helped to set up aneedle exchange programme.[8] That work introduced him to the impact of effective public health interventions and he decided to pursue a career in public health.
He subsequently worked at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR). There he led work to improve surveillance of infectious diseases and the investigation and control of outbreaks. A particular focus was on the emerging epidemic of meningococcal disease which showed a strong association with poverty and household crowding.[9]
He was appointed to the faculty at the University of Otago in 1997, rising to the rank of professor in the Department of Public Health at theUniversity of Otago, Wellington in 2013.[7]
He is the director[10] of thePublic Health Communication Centre which was launched in February 2023.[11][12][13]
Baker is also director of the Health Protection Aotearoa Research Centre (HPARC).
He has campaigned to reducecampylobacter contamination in chicken in New Zealand.[2]
In January 2020, Baker began to read reports about theCOVID-19 outbreak in China, and he was asked to join the Ministry of Health's COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group.[8] In February 2020 he was advocating with colleagues at the University of Otago to 'stamp out'COVID-19 in New Zealand and keep it out, rather than trying to 'flatten the curve'.[8] The Government eventually introduced a countrywide lockdown.
In April 2020, Baker stated that New Zealand had the "most decisive and strongest lockdown in the world at the moment" and that it is the only Western country where the goal is to eliminate COVID-19.[14] Baker thinks we will look back on COVID-19 as "the most profound public health intervention in our history".[8]
In October 2021, Baker advocated a regional approach to countering theDelta variant outbreak in Auckland that began in August 2021. He argued that a regional approach would allow Auckland to pursue a suppression approach while the rest of the country could continue with an elimination strategy.[15]
In November 2021, Baker and several fellow University of Otago academics including Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard, Dr Jennifer Summers, and Lesley Gray criticised theManaged Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) system's requirement that vaccinated travellers be tested as "inconsistent and arbitrary," asserting that they posed a lower risk of contracting COVID-19 than Aucklanders during the Delta variant.[16]
In December 2021, Baker expressed concerns that the Government's newCOVID-19 Protection Framework ("traffic light system") in and abandonment of internal borders could lead to a rise in cases but added that the infection could be blunted byvaccination efforts and the warmer summer weather. He credited vaccination, contact tracing and the previous Alert Level 3 lockdown with helping to combat the spread of the virus in 2021.[17] In mid-December, Baker advocated that the Government delay its planned reopening of New Zealand's borders in January 2022 to counter the spread of theSARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. He also stated that New Zealand was one of the few countries alongside Taiwan, China and some Australian states to have a "robust border quarantine system."[18]
In early January 2022, Baker questioned the effectiveness of the "traffic light system" in dealing with Omicron community outbreaks and has advocated localised lockdowns. He has also expressed support for the Government's moves to lower the waiting period between second vaccines doses and booster shots from six to four months and encouraged the vaccination of children.[19]
In February 2022, Baker expressed concerns that theMinistry of Health's daily COVID-19 reports underestimated infections within the community since many of the infected took several days to develop symptoms of COVID-19. He also credited the country's "traffic light settings" and contact tracing efforts with slowing the spread of COVID-19 in comparison to overseas.[20]
In early September 2022, Baker advocated scrapping the "traffic light system" in favour of moving the country towards a "more straightforward system." Baker's remarks accompanies reports that the Government was considering abandoning the "traffic light system" when it reviewed New Zealand's COVID-19 settings later in the month.[21]
In mid-October 2022, Baker advocated the reinstatement of a form of thealert level system after the country reported its first case of theOmicron subvariant BQ.1.1 on 13 October.[22]
In early November 2022, Baker advocated reinstating mask requirements for public transportation and flights to combat rising COVID-19 hospitalisation and death rates caused by the third wave of COVID-19 sweeping through New Zealand in 2022.[23]
On 10 April 2023, Baker urged the New Zealand Government to retain the few remaining COVID-19 restrictions including the mandatory seven-day isolation period for positive cases and mask wearing at hospitals.[24] In response to rising case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths reported on 17 April, Baker stated that New Zealand was experiencing its fourth wave of COVID-19 infections. Baker advocated encouraging people to get the new Covid vaccine booster, isolate if they are infected, and wear facemasks in poorly ventilated environments.[25]
In 2013, Baker was awarded the HRCLiley Medal for his contribution to the health and medical sciences.[26] He was a joint recipient of theShorland Medal in 2019 for his work with the SHIVERS team of influenza researchers.[27]
In the2021 New Year Honours, Baker was appointed aMember of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to public health science.[28]
Baker received the 2020Prime Minister's Science Communication Prize, recognising his 2000+ interviews on COVID-19 since January 2020.[29] He was awarded the 2021Cranwell Medal for science communication by theNew Zealand Association of Scientists.[30] In 2022, he was awarded theCallaghan Medal by theRoyal Society Te Apārangi for "science-informed commentary on the Covid-19 pandemic and other major public health issues in Aotearoa New Zealand".[31]
Baker lives inBrooklyn, Wellington, with his family.[2]
Baker ownsThe Big House, a notable 21 room property constructed in the 1870s in Parnell, Auckland.[32][33] In 1981, Baker, a then–medical student living in the attic, purchased the run–down house to prevent its likely demolition upon the Mercep family trust's decision for its sale. Later, Baker established a unique living arrangement, creating a house constitution that employs consensus decision–making and regular house meetings.[32][33]
The Big House was built in the mid–1870s for now–dissolved Melmerly Collegiate School for girls. Former notable students include PrincessTe Puea Hērangi and aviatorJean Batten.[32] The house has been subject to media coverage due to associated residents and notable events such as a balcony collapse in 2005.[34][35]
