Resources for Journalists

NZ’s true ethnic disparities in Covid vaccine coverage remain unclear

Publicly released: Wed 22 Jun 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

New Zealand researchers have delved into COVID-19 vaccine coverage by ethnicity, finding that different ways of calculating the population size of each ethnic group - i. ... The authors say that although Read more about NZ’s true ethnic disparities in Covid vaccine coverage remain unclear

Women 22% more likely to suffer with long COVID than men

Publicly released: Tue 21 Jun 2022 at 1401 AEST, 1601 NZST

Current Medical Research and Opinion

As part of the review, researchers restricted their search of academic papers to those published between December 2019–August 2020 for COVID-19 and to January 2020–June 2021 for Long ... Therefore, Read more about Women 22% more likely to suffer with long COVID than men

EXPERT REACTION: Conversations may spread COVID-19 more than previously thought

Publicly released: Tue 21 Jun 2022 at 1128 AEST, 1328 NZST

PNAS

dominant portion of speech-generated aerosols with diameters between 5 and 20 microns; the findings indicate that many SARS-CoV-2 aerosols remain airborne for minutes rather than hours and, if Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Conversations may spread COVID-19 more than previously thought

5-minute record for diagnosis

Publicly released: Mon 20 Jun 2022 at 1600 AEST, 1800 NZST

Angewandte Chemie

An accessible universal solution to offer on-the-spot personalised bedside testing for infectious diseases including flu and COVID-19 – or diagnosis and delivery of targeted treatments for other Read more about 5-minute record for diagnosis

How does long-term anti-anxiety drug use affect the brain?

Publicly released: Mon 20 Jun 2022 at 1230 AEST, 1430 NZST

Nature Neuroscience

There are a number of serious illness conditions, such as dementia but notably also those characterised by often extreme or prolonged fatigue, such as we see now in ‘long COVID’ or ... Both systems Read more about How does long-term anti-anxiety drug use affect the brain?

Aussie COVID-19 cases higher than reported

Publicly released: Mon 20 Jun 2022 at 0600 AEST, 0800 NZST

It is estimated that by the end of February 2022 at least 17% of the Australian adult population had recently been infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes ... Adults aged 18–29 years had the Read more about Aussie COVID-19 cases higher than reported

How do we better prepare our health system for times of disaster?

Publicly released: Mon 20 Jun 2022 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

Medical Journal of Australia

Vardoulakis and colleagues pointed out that health professionals have responded heroically to COVID-19, bushfires and floods over the past 2 years “but it is not sustainable in the long run”. Read more about How do we better prepare our health system for times of disaster?

Omicron may be less likely to cause long Covid than Delta

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jun 2022 at 1053 AEST, 1253 NZST

The Lancet

In a world-first study, British researchers looked at self-reported data from a symptom tracking app to reveal the risk of Omicron-sparked long COVID. ... The team found the odds of long COVID were lower Read more about Omicron may be less likely to cause long Covid than Delta

WHO urges mental health action

Publicly released: Fri 17 Jun 2022 at 1039 AEST, 1239 NZST

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, just a small fraction of people in need had access to effective, affordable and quality mental health care. ... But change is not happening fast enough, and the story of Read more about WHO urges mental health action

Weighing the cost of increasing Saudi heritage tourism

Publicly released: Thu 16 Jun 2022 at 1433 AEST, 1633 NZST

Journal of Heritage Tourism

a few weeks before international travel bans due to COVID-19 were implemented. ... start reviving their business operations after COVID-19’s enforced disruptions. Read more about Weighing the cost of increasing Saudi heritage tourism

Time to rebuild construction

Publicly released: Thu 16 Jun 2022 at 1340 AEST, 1540 NZST

Sustainability

post-COVID-19 period to meet shortage and reduce the cost of construction;· Find novel solutions to global material shortages including recycling, sourcing raw materials more sustainably, and using Read more about Time to rebuild construction

Boosters or previous COVID-19 infection are needed to prevent symptomatic Omicron

Publicly released: Thu 16 Jun 2022 at 0700 AEST, 0900 NZST

New England Journal of Medicine

Two doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine has a negligible effect on the risk of symptomatic Omicron but previous infections and booster doses change this, according to international research. Read more about Boosters or previous COVID-19 infection are needed to prevent symptomatic Omicron

Home injuries up during COVID-19 lockdowns

Publicly released: Thu 16 Jun 2022 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

Adrian Webster (PhD). ‘COVID-19 restrictions contributed to a decrease in injury-related hospitalisations in the early months of 2020, with 14% fewer admissions between March and May compared with Read more about Home injuries up during COVID-19 lockdowns

Older Australians need more financial support amid pandemic

Publicly released: Wed 15 Jun 2022 at 1127 AEST, 1327 NZST

Conducted in partnership with RMIT, COTA and ECH, and funded by Ecstra Foundation, the report explores the financial behaviours, psychological wellbeing and financial decision-making of 1500 older Read more about Older Australians need more financial support amid pandemic

At least one in 500 children estimated to have caught COVID-19 in pandemic's first year

Publicly released: Mon 13 Jun 2022 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

Medical Journal of Australia

SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies were detected in seven children (5–9 years, one; 10–19 years, six): three in Victoria, three in New South Wales, one in Queensland; three specimens ... The crude Read more about At least one in 500 children estimated to have caught COVID-19 in pandemic's first year

Investing 1% of the world's GDP in a green recovery could reduce global emissions 8.5% by 2030

Publicly released: Fri 10 Jun 2022 at 1011 AEST, 1211 NZST

Frontiers in Climate

Main Text: The Covid-19 pandemic not only caused a global health and economic crisis but also significantly reduced global CO2 emissions in 2020 by 6 to 7%, compared to 2019. ... Reduction of CO2 Read more about Investing 1% of the world's GDP in a green recovery could reduce global emissions 8.5% by 2030

COVID-19 during pregnancy could impact baby’s development later on

Publicly released: Fri 10 Jun 2022 at 0945 AEST, 1145 NZST

JAMA Network Open

Early evidence has found that babies born to mothers that had a COVID-19 infection while pregnant in 2020 were more likely to receive a neurodevelopmental diagnosis in the first year ... Most of these Read more about COVID-19 during pregnancy could impact baby’s development later on

The pandemic’s impact on lung cancer diagnoses for Māori

Publicly released: Fri 10 Jun 2022 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

New Zealand Medical Journal

occur - not just in the context of Covid-19. ... Te Aho o Te Kahu – Cancer Control Agency has been monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on access to cancer services since the start of the pandemic. Read more about The pandemic’s impact on lung cancer diagnoses for Māori

Fewer than 1-in-2 frontline healthcare workers say they had formal PPE training when COVID-19 hit

Publicly released: Thu 9 Jun 2022 at 1615 AEST, 1815 NZST

PLOS ONE

One in five healthcare workers received no training on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when COVID-19 hit and less than one in two received formal training in the ... The participants also Read more about Fewer than 1-in-2 frontline healthcare workers say they had formal PPE training when COVID-19 hit

Probiotics didn’t reduce uni test stress, but lockdown had an unexpected effect

Publicly released: Thu 9 Jun 2022 at 1121 AEST, 1321 NZST

PLOS One

They found no difference between the probiotic and a placebo, but highlight that overall student stress levels actually went down right before exams. ... The team says NZ’s COVID-19 lockdown went from Read more about Probiotics didn’t reduce uni test stress, but lockdown had an unexpected effect