Resources for Journalists

Using tobacco and cannabis together linked to anxiety and depression

Publicly released: Thu 14 Sep 2023 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

High rates of depression and anxiety in people who use both tobacco and cannabisAmong more than 50,000 COVID-19 Citizen Science Study participants, around a quarter of users of both ... In the new study, Read more about Using tobacco and cannabis together linked to anxiety and depression

Having a flu shot alongside a COVID-19 vaccine does not appear to weaken either

Publicly released: Sat 9 Sep 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

4/BA. 5 bivalent COVID-19 vaccine or both at the same time by giving them a questionnaire about their post-vaccine symptoms, and testing the antibody responses in their blood. ... or to more frequent Read more about Having a flu shot alongside a COVID-19 vaccine does not appear to weaken either

Labour laws need updating now remote work is here to stay

Publicly released: Fri 8 Sep 2023 at 1044 AEST | 1244 NZST

Australia’s employment laws and regulations must be updated to reflect the changing nature of work, with many people continuing to work from home long after the COVID-19 pandemic. ... with a job Read more about Labour laws need updating now remote work is here to stay

EXPERT REACTION: Aussies' wellbeing has improved since COVID-19, but not back to original levels

Publicly released: Thu 7 Sep 2023 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

Levels of life satisfaction and psychological distress have improved compared to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic but are still below pre-pandemic levels, according to a report from the Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Aussies' wellbeing has improved since COVID-19, but not back to original levels

Can ChatGPT curb COVID-19 conspiracies?

Publicly released: Mon 4 Sep 2023 at 0901 AEST | 1101 NZST

Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics

The team asked ChatGPT to answer the top 50 most frequently asked COVID-19 vaccine questions, and say that it was able to score nine out of ten on average for ... During the pandemic, misinformation Read more about Can ChatGPT curb COVID-19 conspiracies?

Developing a test for long COVID 'brain fog'

Publicly released: Fri 1 Sep 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Nature Medicine

The team looked at blood samples from more than 1800 British people hospitalised with COVID-19 between early 2020 and late 2021 who had self-reported any cognitive issues (subjective tests) Read more about Developing a test for long COVID 'brain fog'

Inhalable molecules neutralise COVID-19 in mice

Publicly released: Thu 31 Aug 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Molecular Therapy

When inhaled by mice, nanofitins quickly made their way to the lungs in high doses, both preventing and clearing early infections of COVID-19 by binding to the spike protein of ... We were able to generate Read more about Inhalable molecules neutralise COVID-19 in mice

Nearly half of phones tested during pandemic carried COVID-19 virus

Publicly released: Wed 30 Aug 2023 at 1500 AEST | 1700 NZST

Journal of Infection and Public Health

Of 511 phones, 231 (45 percent) tested positive for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19. ... Almost half of mobile phones tested at the height of the pandemic were contaminated with Read more about Nearly half of phones tested during pandemic carried COVID-19 virus

T-cells may be the key to why COVID-19 is life threatening in some people

Publicly released: Tue 29 Aug 2023 at 0300 AEST | 0500 NZST

Clinical & Translational Immunology

People who end up with life-threatening critical COVID-19 have increases in a type of immune cell known as cytotoxic CD4+ T cells (CTL), but the same increases don't ... The authors say this suggests Read more about T-cells may be the key to why COVID-19 is life threatening in some people

Depression in young children does not appear to be increasing

Publicly released: Tue 29 Aug 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Pediatrics

Depression in children under the age of 13 did not increase over the 15 years before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Australian researchers. ... They say while there is not much data available yet on Read more about Depression in young children does not appear to be increasing

Aussie woman found with parasitic roundworm in her brain caught from carpet python

Publicly released: Tue 29 Aug 2023 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

Emerging infectious diseases

This includes coronaviruses,” he said. “This Ophidascaris infection does not transmit between people, so it won’t cause a pandemic like SARS, COVID-19 or Ebola. ... The research team included Read more about Aussie woman found with parasitic roundworm in her brain caught from carpet python

New Zealand's COVID-19 wage subsidy saved jobs and businesses

Publicly released: Fri 25 Aug 2023 at 1117 AEST | 1317 NZST

Two reports highlight how New Zealand's COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme preserved employment and supported businesses during the pandemic. ... The COVID-19 pandemic has caused substantial disruption in Read more about New Zealand's COVID-19 wage subsidy saved jobs and businesses

When China's zero COVID-19 policy ended death rates may have spiked far higher than official estimates

Publicly released: Fri 25 Aug 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

In the two months after China's zero COVID-19 policy ended in December 2022, there were an estimated 1. ... COVID-19 related hospitalisations and deaths in hospitals hit their peak at the end of Read more about When China's zero COVID-19 policy ended death rates may have spiked far higher than official estimates

Climate change raising demand for more council environmental health officers

Publicly released: Thu 24 Aug 2023 at 1043 AEST | 1243 NZST

The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

during a public health emergency was capably demonstrated by their education and communication responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. ... The Flinders team’s survey and follow-up interviews examined the Read more about Climate change raising demand for more council environmental health officers

Microorganism that causes rare but severe eye infections detected in NSW coastal areas

Publicly released: Thu 24 Aug 2023 at 0930 AEST | 1130 NZST

Science of The Total Environment

Acanthamoeba from the environment can get trapped between the contact lens and the eye, leading to infection. ... The researchers collected multiple samples from each site each month from August 2019 to Read more about Microorganism that causes rare but severe eye infections detected in NSW coastal areas

Combining public health measures kept us safe from COVID-19

Publicly released: Thu 24 Aug 2023 at 0915 AEST | 1115 NZST

Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society A

the SARS-CoV-2 virus: masks and face coverings; social distancing and ‘lockdowns; test, trace and isolate; travel restrictions and controls across international borders; environmental controls; and Read more about Combining public health measures kept us safe from COVID-19

EXPERT REACTION: New RSV vaccine could be potent against future variants, suggests animal study

Publicly released: Thu 24 Aug 2023 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

Science Translational Medicine

As the COVID-19 pandemic has showed, vaccines can sometimes lose their potency against viral infections as the virus mutates over time. ... Although RSV doesn’t seem to evolve as quickly as SARS-CoV-2 Read more about EXPERT REACTION: New RSV vaccine could be potent against future variants, suggests animal study

Gender-affirming surgery in the US almost triples in 3 years

Publicly released: Thu 24 Aug 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

US scientists say gender-affirming surgery in the USA nearly tripled between 2016 and 2019, before dropping off in 2020 as COVID-19 hit. ... The team looked at health records of 48,019 patients who Read more about Gender-affirming surgery in the US almost triples in 3 years

Poor access to mental health services linked to suicide hotspots

Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2023 at 1515 AEST | 1715 NZST

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry

This is a real missed opportunity for youth suicide prevention and the prevention of suicide clusters,” Dr Hill said. ... WA has the nation’s highest population growth following COVID-19. This paper Read more about Poor access to mental health services linked to suicide hotspots

Mortal wombat: Social distancing can't save critters from deadly mange

Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2023 at 0901 AEST | 1101 NZST

Biology Letters

Social distancing may have helped curb COVID-19, but it doesn't appear to help stop the spread of deadly sarcoptic mange in wombats, according to Australian researchers. ... Over the study period, four Read more about Mortal wombat: Social distancing can't save critters from deadly mange