Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced who will take over from controversial doctor Dr Jeannette Young as the state's new chief health officer.
Gold Coast infectious diseases expert Dr John Gerrard will fill the role from mid-December, taking over from Dr Jeanette Young who left the high-profile job she'd held for 16 years to become the Governor of Queensland.
Dr Gerrard is the replacement for Dr Krispin Hajkowicz, who had earlier been named to take over from Dr Young but then pulled out of the role for 'personal reasons' just days before he was due to start in late October.
Dr Gerrard has 30 years' experience as a researcher and clinician, and was the first doctor in Queensland to treat a Covid patient.
'What we have seen in Queensland is quite extraordinary,' Dr Gerrard said during a press conference with Ms Palaszczuk on Monday.
'We have been able to keep Covid-19 out of Queensland for two years.
'This is something that has not been achieved anywhere else in the world.'
Dr Gerrard led international responses as a medical specialist in two former viral outbreaks, on board the Diamond Princess in Japan in February 2020 and in the Dutch Antilles in early 2021.
He is considered responsible for designing the specialist Covid ward at Gold Coast University Hospital, where Hollywood star Tom Hanks found himself after testing positive to the disease in March 2020.
Dr Gerrard praised Dr Young as he readied to assume the high-profile role.
'Dr Young showed the importance of implementing public health measures and being able to explain them in a way people could appreciate and understand,' Dr Gerrard said.
'That has never been more important than now as we encourage people to get vaccinated before more cases arrive.'
Gold Coast infectious diseases expert Dr John Gerrard will become Queensland's chief health officer from mid-December, taking over from the sometimes controversial Dr Jeannette Young
Dr Jeannette Young, who was Queensland's chief health officer for 16 years, at her investiture as Queensland's Governor
Dr Young made headlines a number of times during the course of the Covid pandemic, in particular for her comments on the AstraZeneca vaccine at a press conference in June.
'I don’t want an 18-year-old in Queensland dying from a clotting illness who, if they got COVID, probably wouldn’t
