Mary-Louise McLaws, a respected epidemiologist who provided valuable advice to Australians throughout the Covid pandemic, has died at the age of 70.
Professor McLaws, a health expert at the University of New South Wales, was a frequent presence on our television screens during the crisis, and also worked for a major advisory panel with the World Health Organisation.
Her guidance during the pandemic capped a long and distinguished career, devoted to limiting the spread of dangerous diseases.
She was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year, shortly before being named an Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday honours list, in recognition of her “distinguished service to medical research, particularly epidemiology and infection prevention”.
“Our dear Mary-Louise passed away in her sleep on Saturday night,” Prof McLaws’ husband, Richard Flook, said in a statement on Sunday.
“She had been so well cared for by the nurses and doctors at Wolper Hospital in Woollahra and had enjoyed the visits of her many friends, who have been so supportive of her and our family.
“We will be planning her funeral service at Emmanuel Synagogue in the next few days.”
In addition to her husband, Prof McLaws leaves behind two children, Zachary and Zia.
Prof McLaws announced her diagnosis in January of 2022, saying severe headaches had prompted her to seek help.
“After a severe headache on Thursday, I was diagnosed with a brain tumour,” she said at the time, adding that she would be taking sick leave from both UNSW and the WHO.
That prompted an outpouring of support from Australians.
“Mary-Louise, I think it’s fair to say that all of us here at The Project were heartbroken to hear the news,” Lisa Wilkinson, then a co-host of the Channel 10 show, said.
“In these troubled times, your calm, considered information and advice has been invaluable to millions of Australians across the country and we want to thank you so much for being so generous with your knowledge, your time, and we wish you and your beautiful family all the strength in the world.”
The next month, Prof McLaws revealed that her treatment had started, and encouraged Australians to support brain tumour research by donating to Carrie Bickmore’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer initiative.
She thanked the public for its support while speaking to the ABC in June.
“Now all of a sudden the Australian community’s caring for me,” she said.
“I have been very fortunate to be well-organised by doctors and nurses.
“Right now, I’m enjoying the family, the kids, some friends while I’m on leave. I have a perfect husband who makes great dinner and lunches. So for the moment, I’m going to enjoy this change.”
Prof McLaws was remarkably calm about her health battle.
“I assume that I will die,” she told the national broadcaster.
“I don’t know when. And I’m just enjoying life and friends, and I think that’s what you have to do.”
During the pandemic, Prof McLaws regularly called for tightened restrictions to curb the rate of infection, including border closures and social distancing. She was especially critical of the government for failing to distribute rapid antigen tests swiftly enough.
“Her legacy will not only be the major work she did in evidence-based research to control and limit the spread of disease and infection in this region and around the world, but in the words of her friend Professor (Robyn) Richmond, it will be the decades she spent translating science from her research into her teaching, and in guiding communities in safe public health practises,” wrote ABC radio host Virginia Trioli, one of many prominent Australians to pay tribute to Prof McLaws after her death.
“For most of us, her legacy will be her enduring presence as the kind, calm, wise figure holding firm in the eye of the most terrible storm.”
Prof Richmond, a colleague of Prof McLaws at the University of New South Wales, had previously described her as “the focal point of reason and information” in Australia’s part of the world for the World Health Organisation.
Professor Adrian Esterman, an expert in epidemiology at the University of South Australia, said he was “very sad” about Prof McLaws’ death.
“Mary-Louise was an esteemed colleague and a voice of reason,” he wrote on Twitter.
Medical expert Professor Kathy Eagar said it was a “tragic loss for Australia”.
“A voice of reason on Covid, among a lifetime of achievements,” Prof Eagar said.
“This is very sad news,” said broadcast journalist Naveen Razik, who recalled speaking to Prof McLaws for SBS during “the dark days of Covid”, saying she had given “calm, reasoned and well-researched insights without any agenda”.
“Of the many voices and experts during the pandemic, the clarity and knowledge always stood out in every single interview I had with her in trying to make sense of Covid,” recalled AAP reporter Andrew Brown.
“Such a sad loss for this country,” said Dr Monique Ryan, an independent MP.
“Such a loss,” said Kellie Sloane, a NSW MP.
“We all owe Mary-Louise McLaws a debt of gratitude for her work in Australia during Covid, and through the WHO. Thoughts with her family.”