Resources for Journalists

Trump's 'beautiful' wall led to a 5-fold increase in hospitalised migrants, at a cost of US$13m

Publicly released: Sat 30 Apr 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Surgery

This surge in preventable border wall injuries not only increased unfunded costs to the hospital system, they say, but occurred at a time when hospitals were already slammed by the ... 19 pandemic. Read more about Trump's 'beautiful' wall led to a 5-fold increase in hospitalised migrants, at a cost of US$13m

Genetic links revealed between severe COVID-19 and other diseases

Publicly released: Fri 29 Apr 2022 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS Genetics

Among veterans of African and Hispanic ancestry, they also found genetic links between severe COVID-19 and neutropenia, although this was not the case for veterans of European ancestry. ... Despite some Read more about Genetic links revealed between severe COVID-19 and other diseases

EXPERT REACTION: Mysterious hepatitis outbreak in kids

Publicly released: Thu 28 Apr 2022 at 1237 AEST, 1437 NZST

According to the World Health Organization, there are at least 169 cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin in the UK, Spain, Israel, USA, Denmark, Ireland, The Netherlands, Italy, Norway, France, Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Mysterious hepatitis outbreak in kids

Hype up fitness to support kids’ health post-lockdowns

Publicly released: Thu 28 Apr 2022 at 1030 AEST, 1230 NZST

Journal of Sports Sciences

of life and body mass index (BMI), after the 2020 COVID-19 UK lockdowns. ... says. “When COVID-19 hit the United Kingdom in 2020, infection control measures led to the closure of schools for most pupils; Read more about Hype up fitness to support kids’ health post-lockdowns

Highly-vaxxed communities see significantly fewer COVID-19 deaths

Publicly released: Thu 28 Apr 2022 at 0830 AEST, 1030 NZST

The BMJ

Their findings are based on more than 30 million cases of covid-19 and over 400,000 deaths linked to covid-19 across 2558 counties, which were reported during the second ... For example, during the first Read more about Highly-vaxxed communities see significantly fewer COVID-19 deaths

Why video calls are bad for brainstorming

Publicly released: Thu 28 Apr 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

Nature

During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of employees were required to work from home indefinitely and collaborate virtually using videoconferencing technologies. ... However, the effects of this shift away Read more about Why video calls are bad for brainstorming

COVID-19 impacted mental health in teen girls more than in boys

Publicly released: Wed 27 Apr 2022 at 0901 AEST, 1101 NZST

Royal Society Open Science

One group were not exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic between baseline and follow-up (n = 6,419) and the second group were exposed to the pandemic (n = 5,031). ... Mental health and COVID-19 – Cases of Read more about COVID-19 impacted mental health in teen girls more than in boys

Long COVID more common among those who had severe COVID-19 initially

Publicly released: Tue 26 Apr 2022 at 1330 AEST, 1530 NZST

European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (EECMID)

April), suggests that the clinical trajectories and characteristics of long COVID may be different depending on the severity of the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection. ... Among 205,241 adults with SARS-CoV-2 Read more about Long COVID more common among those who had severe COVID-19 initially

The unvaccinated increase the risk of COVID-19 for the vaccinated when they mingle

Publicly released: Mon 25 Apr 2022 at 1401 AEST, 1601 NZST

Canadian Medical Association Journal

Researchers used a simple model to explore the effect of mixing between unvaccinated and vaccinated people to understand the dynamics of an infectious disease like SARS-CoV-2. ... These findings may be Read more about The unvaccinated increase the risk of COVID-19 for the vaccinated when they mingle

Time for Australia to step up as drug, vaccine manufacturer

Publicly released: Mon 25 Apr 2022 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

Medical Journal of Australia

has the means to increase its local manufacturing capacity and make self-reliance for essential medical supplies the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic. ... One of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic Read more about Time for Australia to step up as drug, vaccine manufacturer

Only 1 in 4 people hospitalised with COVID-19 feel fully recovered after one year

Publicly released: Sun 24 Apr 2022 at 0830 AEST, 1030 NZST

The Lancet Respiratory Medicine/ European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID)

Please credit both the congress and the journal in your storiesA new UK study of more than 2,000 patients after hospitalisation with COVID-19 presented at this year’s European ... Congress of Clinical Read more about Only 1 in 4 people hospitalised with COVID-19 feel fully recovered after one year

Omicron patients 36% less likely to end up in hospital than Delta patients

Publicly released: Sat 23 Apr 2022 at 0830 AEST, 1030 NZST

The Lancet Infectious Diseases/ European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID)

Individuals were identified in the national COVID-19 surveillance system database, which included results of a variant specific PCR test that detected omicron cases, and data on SARS-CoV-2 related Read more about Omicron patients 36% less likely to end up in hospital than Delta patients

Further evidence that COVID-19 vaccination is still effective against Omicron

Publicly released: Sat 23 Apr 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

COVID-19 vaccination still provides around 87 per cent immunity to SARS-CoV-2's Omicron variant according to international researchers. ... The Omicron variant features a mutated spike protein which could Read more about Further evidence that COVID-19 vaccination is still effective against Omicron

COVID-19 vaccination status does not affect fresh IVF outcomes

Publicly released: Sat 23 Apr 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

There is no difference in fertility outcomes between women vaccinated against COVID-19 and unvaccinated women who undergo IVF using fresh embryo transfer, according to international research. Read more about COVID-19 vaccination status does not affect fresh IVF outcomes

505 days of COVID-19: World's longest infection recorded

Publicly released: Fri 22 Apr 2022 at 1100 AEST, 1300 NZST

European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID)

The team, from King’s College London and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, were interested in how SARS-CoV-2 changes over time in immunocompromised individuals. ... First author, Dr Luke Read more about 505 days of COVID-19: World's longest infection recorded

Why boosters work against Omicron

Publicly released: Fri 22 Apr 2022 at 1045 AEST, 1245 NZST

Nature

dose. None of the participants in the study had previously been infected with SARS-CoV-2. ... The authors observed an increase in the range of memory B cells — which can respond rapidly and produce Read more about Why boosters work against Omicron

Strict lockdowns' effects on mental health in Victoria

Publicly released: Fri 22 Apr 2022 at 0830 AEST, 1030 NZST

The Lancet Public Health

countries that tried to control virus transmission was more impacted by COVID-19 than that of people in countries that tried to suppress transmission. ... Over the course of the pandemic, governments Read more about Strict lockdowns' effects on mental health in Victoria

In 2020, people in hospital with COVID-19 were 3 times more likely to die than those in hospital with the flu

Publicly released: Fri 22 Apr 2022 at 0801 AEST, 1001 NZST

European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID)

Pharmacy treatment and testing costs were also significantly higher in the COVID-19 group. ... 1, the results may not reflect the current scenario in which multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants are circulating Read more about In 2020, people in hospital with COVID-19 were 3 times more likely to die than those in hospital with the flu

Paxlovid is WHO's drug of choice for at-risk COVID-19 patients

Publicly released: Fri 22 Apr 2022 at 0801 AEST, 1001 NZST

The BMJ

low and middle income countries challenging, noting, also, that the access to these drugs is tied to the access to SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests, especially for those targeting the early ... Today’s Read more about Paxlovid is WHO's drug of choice for at-risk COVID-19 patients

A longer interval between COVID-19 vaccine doses may be 9 times better

Publicly released: Fri 22 Apr 2022 at 0801 AEST, 1001 NZST

European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases

The study is available as a preprint. Understanding the immune response to vaccination against COVID-19 is integral to controlling the virus and reducing the number of deaths. ... from almost 6,000 Read more about A longer interval between COVID-19 vaccine doses may be 9 times better