Vertical Transmission

Despite a very hectic start to the year, we are turning a corner now that we are reaching the end of 2021. We are beginning to enjoy living COVID-safe because of the availability of multiple, excellent vaccines, our public health workforce, and so many others in our community who have carried us safely through the past 2 years. Please continue to look after yourselves; the difficulties we experienced during this time have left lingering and sometimes debilitating after effects that may take time to recover from. For this reason, checking in with colleagues has become more important than ever. If there is one thing the pandemic has reinforced it is that we all need each other to stay physically and mentally healthy.

The ASM has also changed and evolved during the past 2 years, especially in our leadership team. I would like to welcome our new ASM Theme Leaders, as well as those who are stepping into the newly formed roles of Associate Theme Leaders.

For Microbial Ecology and Environmental Microbiology, our current Theme Leader Linda Blackall will be joined by Chris Greening as the Co-Theme Leader and Kate Howell as the Associate Theme Leader.

For Molecular Microbiology, Melissa Brown is our new Theme Leader and Jai Tree is our new Associate Theme Leader.

For Virology, Peter Revill is our new Theme Leader and Adam Taylor is our new Associate Theme Leader.

For Clinical Microbiology, Roy Robins-Browne is our new Theme Leader and the position of Associate Theme Leader will be filled soon.

For Public Health Microbiology, Lea-Ann Kirkham is our new Theme Leader and the position of Associate Theme Leader will be filled soon.

Don’t forget to go to our new ASM Community portal, which allows members to connect with one another, to join special interest groups, have discussions with members who have similar interests, and to keep up to date on all ASM matters. To join the ASM community, go to https://community.theasm.org.au/ and click on the icon at the top RHS of the screen to set up your profile. Select ‘Communities’ from the banner menu to join a Special Interest Group community. Our other platforms, including our website www.theasm.org.au, ASM on Twitter, @AUSSOCMIC, or on Facebook, are also very active. We encourage and welcome your engagement using any option that suits you.