“No one ever comes back and asks us how could we do it better”: findings from First Nations community panels about ways to keep First Nations peoples safe from COVID-19

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Equity in pandemic planning and response for First Nations peoples in Australia requires a deeper understanding of sociocultural realities to determine appropriate public health actions. First Nations community panels were held in three locations across Australia between September 2020 to December 2020 to make decisions on how government authorities should help First Nations peoples keep safe from COVID-19. Twenty-two First Nations peoples participated in online panels. Panels heard from public health experts, examined the evidence and deliberated on the issues. All panels highlighted that embedding First Nations worldviews into health policy was important. First Nations peoples must be supported and resourced to enable self-determination in preparation for future infectious disease emergencies, otherwise their health could be negatively impacted if they are not intentionally considered or actively engaged.