That's according to a Human Rights Commission report released on Tuesday based on the experiences of 5000 Australians affected by border closures, school disruptions, vaccine mandates, lockdowns, quarantine and other heath restrictions.
The report detailed a series of traumatic experiences, including a woman forced to give birth to her stillborn son alone because her husband was refused entry to the hospital and denied any chance of holding him.
They included a man dressed up in a suit to watch his father's funeral from his kitchen table, an ovarian cancer patient unable to see her surgeon on the other side of a state border closure and a domestic violence victim left alone with her abuser as loved ones were unable to check in on her.
The report drew attention to the disproportionate impact restrictions had on families unable to say goodbye to their dying loved ones and residents of public housing towers subject to a "severe" lockdown in Melbourne in 2021.
That extended to those with a disability, First Nations Australians and migrant communities who faced barriers accessing services or essential information.
Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay said while Australia's pandemic response saved lives, it came at a significant cost.
She urged governments to strike a balance between individual freedoms and health responses in future disasters.
"We heard devastating stories of severe economic hardship, families unable to say goodbye to loved ones, women trapped in violent households, and communities left isolated due to blanket policies that failed to consider local realities," Ms Finlay said.
"These experiences should never be ignored or repeated."
All governments have been urged to adopt an Emergency Response Framework that mandates human rights as a priority, currently under development.
Principles include constantly reviewing responses, balancing risk with compassion, tailored communication to combat misinformation, avoiding abruptly withdrawing support and meaningful consultation vulnerable groups.
Disaster response measures did not operate in a vacuum, Ms Finlay said, and the full human impact of Australia's approach to the pandemic must be understood so the nation was better prepared for future emergencies.
"We are seeing this right now, as communities navigate the aftermath of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred," she said.
"Its impacts, as well as those in previous natural disasters, will inform the next stage of our project, as we look to ensure all future emergency responses have human rights at their core."
