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These are just听a few of the听research听projects, commentary and听stories that captured听public attention听during 2021.

In July, a team of researchers at the听Centre for Complex Systems听led by Professor Mikhail Prokopenko conducted modelling that found that the level of social distancing in Sydney was inadequate.

Instead, they found that to see a sufficient drop in COVID-19 case numbers after听one month, social distancing听would need to听be听observed听by over 80 percent of people.听

In the days following a release of the modelling, NSW tightened restrictions.

Read more听(Published July 2021).

Professor Jamie Triccas from the Sydney Institute for infectious Diseases was part of the Australian research team predicting that protection from COVID vaccines would wane over time (losing half of their antibodies approximately every 100 days). He and the team also studied the impact of COVID-19 variants on our immune protection, and the importance of booster shots. The findings were published in Nature Medicine and Lancet Microbe.

Read more (Published May 2021)

Ongoing studies into transmission rates in听NSW听schools and early childcare education settings听informed听return to school policies听in听October 2021.听The work is led by听Professor Kristine Macartney,听Dr Archana Koirala and researchers at the听听(NCIRS)听in partnership with NSW Health and the NSW Department of Education.听

Professor Julie Leask was a trusted name听during 2021听helping the media and public navigate vaccination and public health information. Her team leads important work exploring听why some people who get symptoms听don鈥檛听get tested and why some might not accept the vaccine. These studies help听inform听organisations听in Australia and internationally to plan and produce information in a way听that鈥檚听most likely to be effective.听

Read more听(笔耻产濒颈蝉丑别诲听贵别产谤耻补谤测听2021)

What did Australians want in May 2021? Access to the rest of the world, research by the University of Sydney Policy Lab and Essential Media found. Most Australians supported a careful reopening of international borders once more people were vaccinated, their poll results showed. This research burst open this debate publicly, at a time when many people felt betrayed by the government鈥檚 hard border policies.

Read more (Published May 2021)

Dynamic modelling by researchers from the University of Sydney鈥檚听Brain and Mind Centre,revealed听the听approach听required to help prevent suicide in the face of the pandemic鈥檚 ongoing听impacts on mental health.

It demonstrated that taking a holistic approach to COVID-19 responses to avoid a 鈥渓ong shadow鈥� made sense not only from a mental health perspective, but also economically.听

Read more (Published September 2021)

Once supply issues were addressed, Australia went from being a COVID-19 vaccine uptake laggard to leader. This is due to our relatively听high levels听of trust in science. Believing in science is a shortcut to believing in vaccines, the authors of a study in听Nature Human Behaviour听found. They used the biggest data survey on vaccine confidence, covering over 120,000 respondents across 126 countries, to听determine听how trust in science across society drives vaccine confidence in individuals.听

Read more听听(Published May 2021)

What are the benefits of vaccinating children, both for the child and the community? And how will we know that vaccines are safe and effective for young children? Throughout 2021, Associate Professor Nick Wood and Honorary Professor Robert Booy provided expert guidance on this topic.听

Read more听(Published August 2021)

Dr Anna Lene Seidler and听Professor Angela Webster听from the led a study reviewing the COVID-19听funding landscape in Australia.听

The study called for improved national coordination of Australian COVID-19 trials, after an analysis found a lack of data sharing and collaboration resulting in crucial research gaps.听

Read more听(Published July 2021)

How do we get inside the psyches of people who听deliberately听flout听COVID-19听public health regulations?Easy, you survey them 鈥� as University of Sydney academics and their international colleagues did. They found that听these people tend to be less open to听new ideas, and more extroverted and driven by self-interest.听Their findings can guide public health policies, in terms of being the basis for targeted interventions to curb this kind of behaviour.

Read more听听(Published July 2021)

Professor听Eddie听Holmes was awarded the prestigious 2021 Prime Minister鈥檚 Prize for Science for his transformative role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Working with international collaborators at Fudan University in Shanghai, Professor Holmes was the first person to publicly share the entire genome of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans.听That moment marked the start of the scientific fightback against COVID-19, allowing scientists across the world to begin work on vaccines and understanding how the virus evolves.听

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The University听also听acknowledges听and thanks听the many staff, students and alumni who contributed to the COVID-19 response听in 2021听in听a myriad听of ways: as health听professionals on the front line,听vaccinators and contract tracers,听through research and听advocacy,听and as invaluable advisers to governments,听health authorities and advisory听bodies.听