When the COVID pandemic hit, epidemiologist Professor Emeritus Mary-Louise McLaws AO became the go-to expert for many journalists across the media spectrum. With new research being released daily, access to calm, reliable and knowledgeable experts like Mary-Louise – or “ML” as she was known to her friends – became paramount for them and many Australians.
Her manner was friendly and unassuming for someone so highly regarded in scientific circles. She had a gentle and calm presence on camera and a way of cutting through scientific terms and jargon to get to the heart of what really mattered to viewers, readers and listeners.
Yet she was also not afraid to question whether authorities were making the correct decisions. She expressed concerns that too few measures were being taken to stop the virus spreading through the air and about the time it took for rapid antigen tests to become publicly and freely available.
