How do you develop a societal plan for a novel, highly transmissible and virulent virus of the magnitude that the world experienced in the Covid-19 pandemic?  Answering this question requires a fundamental reflection on the nature of planning itself, the organisation of preparedness and readiness, and the nature of coordinating a government-led, multi-agency response. 

Typically, emergency, disaster or crisis plans look backwards to think forwards.  They tell you how you should have dealt with the last emergency, disaster or crisis.  They are rarely useful for dealing with the unusually novel circumstances in which you currently find yourself when the next disaster strikes