Resources for Journalists

Mixed results for research into COVID-19 vaccines and hearing loss

Publicly released: Fri 25 Feb 2022 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

JAMA Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery

A study out of Israel has suggested there may be a weak link between COVID-19 vaccination and sudden hearing loss, while a second, larger study from the US found no ... Paper 2 What The Study Did: This Read more about Mixed results for research into COVID-19 vaccines and hearing loss

Ditching distancing could risk vaccine-resistant virus strains

Publicly released: Fri 25 Feb 2022 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

Nature Human Behaviour

Keeping social distancing in place while vaccination is underway could help prevent new vaccine-resistant strains of the COVID-19 virus, suggests a modelling study. ... Using vaccination and infection Read more about Ditching distancing could risk vaccine-resistant virus strains

Mental health and addiction service users lag behind in vaccine rollout

Publicly released: Fri 25 Feb 2022 at 0001 AEDT, 0201 NZDT

New Zealand Medical Journal

People with mental health and addiction issues are far more likely to be hospitalised or die from COVID-19, say mental health academics in a commentary piece. ... The authors say coverage varies by DHB, Read more about Mental health and addiction service users lag behind in vaccine rollout

Severe COVID-19 late in pregnancy increases risk of pre-term birth, stillbirths

Publicly released: Thu 24 Feb 2022 at 1601 AEDT, 1801 NZDT

Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica

Women who contract severe COVID-19 late in their pregnancy are at heightened risk of pre-labor caesarean birth, a very or extreme preterm birth, stillborn birth, and the need for ... Using data from over Read more about Severe COVID-19 late in pregnancy increases risk of pre-term birth, stillbirths

A digital future keeps arts alive amid uncertainty

Publicly released: Thu 24 Feb 2022 at 1102 AEDT, 1302 NZDT

philanthropy to help navigate the sector towards a brighter future amid COVID-19. ... The arts have been hit harder than other industries by COVID-19, leading to extensive closures, slowdowns, lockdowns, Read more about A digital future keeps arts alive amid uncertainty

Widely-used RAT may miss up to 80% of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections

Publicly released: Thu 24 Feb 2022 at 1030 AEDT, 1230 NZDT

The BMJ

The authors acknowledge that LFTs are an important tool in controlling the covid-19 pandemic, but say claims that LFTs can identify “the vast majority who are infectious” have been overstated, Read more about Widely-used RAT may miss up to 80% of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections

Gauteng province, Omicron's ground zero, saw fewer hospitalisations relative to cases

Publicly released: Thu 24 Feb 2022 at 0900 AEDT, 1100 NZDT

New England Journal of Medicine

Gauteng Province is the place Omicron was first discovered, and researchers tested the blood of 7000 residents to estimate how many people had COVID-19 antibodies at the time Omicron was ... circulating. Read more about Gauteng province, Omicron's ground zero, saw fewer hospitalisations relative to cases

Children seem to spread less aerosol particles than adults do

Publicly released: Wed 23 Feb 2022 at 1101 AEDT, 1301 NZDT

Journal of the Royal Society Interface

Children produce less aerosol particles (which are tiny droplets in the breath that can carry SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses) when speaking and singing than adults do, according to international Read more about Children seem to spread less aerosol particles than adults do

COVID-19 complications in teens a one in a million chance after vaccine

Publicly released: Wed 23 Feb 2022 at 1030 AEDT, 1230 NZDT

The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health

Of these 47 reports, 21 fit the CDC MIS-C criteria. These were separated into those with and without evidence of a past or recent SARS-CoV-2 infection from laboratory ... growing literature supporting the Read more about COVID-19 complications in teens a one in a million chance after vaccine

New data suggest only a small extra risk of blood clots after AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

Publicly released: Wed 23 Feb 2022 at 0600 AEDT, 0800 NZDT

PLOS Medicine

ChAdOx1-S are likely to be outweighed by the vaccines’ effect in reducing COVID-19 mortality and morbidity,” the authors say. ... Whiteley adds, “Because of its very large size, this research study Read more about New data suggest only a small extra risk of blood clots after AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

New global vaccine trial launched to evaluate fractional COVID-19 booster shots

Publicly released: Tue 22 Feb 2022 at 0800 AEDT, 1000 NZDT

epidemics. Prior to COVID-19 CEPI’s work focused on developing vaccines against Ebola virus, Lassa virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, Nipah virus, Rift Valley Fever virus and Read more about New global vaccine trial launched to evaluate fractional COVID-19 booster shots

COVID-19 complications in kids a greater health burden than the flu

Publicly released: Tue 22 Feb 2022 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

JAMA Pediatrics

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a condition that can develop as a result of COVID-19, is more severe and therefore as great a health burden as previous flu ... The study compared Read more about COVID-19 complications in kids a greater health burden than the flu

Serious allergic reaction to 2nd COVID-19 jab rare, even after reaction to 1st dose

Publicly released: Tue 22 Feb 2022 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

JAMA Internal Medicine

Risk of Second Allergic Reaction to SARS-CoV-2 VaccinesWhat The Study Did: In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 studies, the risk of immediate allergic reactions and severe ... immediate Read more about Serious allergic reaction to 2nd COVID-19 jab rare, even after reaction to 1st dose

Aiming to end the refrigeration of vaccines

Publicly released: Tue 22 Feb 2022 at 0001 AEDT, 0201 NZDT

Acta Biomaterialia

CSIRO scientist and immunologist, Dr Daniel Layton, said the breakthrough science would now focus on proving the approach for other animal and human vaccines, including mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Read more about Aiming to end the refrigeration of vaccines

Distrust in science underpins conspiracy-driven vaccine doubt

Publicly released: Mon 21 Feb 2022 at 1355 AEDT, 1555 NZDT

Vaccine

Right-wing voters in NZ may be more hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine than left-leaning voters - due in part to believing COVID-19 conspiracy theories, finds a study ... of 1358 Kiwi adults surveyed Read more about Distrust in science underpins conspiracy-driven vaccine doubt

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy high among injecting drug users

Publicly released: Mon 21 Feb 2022 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

Drug and Alcohol Review

Around half of the injecting drug users surveyed as part of a national illicit drug monitoring system reported being hesitant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Australian research. Read more about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy high among injecting drug users

Ivermectin fails to stop COVID-19 becoming severe

Publicly released: Sat 19 Feb 2022 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

JAMA Internal Medicine

The authors say the study findings do not support the use of ivermectin for patients with COVID-19. ... Assessing Efficacy of Ivermectin on Disease Progression in Patients With COVID-19JAMA Internal Read more about Ivermectin fails to stop COVID-19 becoming severe

Museum cold case uncovers new species of sea scorpion

Publicly released: Fri 18 Feb 2022 at 1100 AEDT, 1300 NZDT

Historical Biology

Fast forward several years and COVID-19 related closures allowed the team at the museum to take another look at some of the fossils within the collection. ... Queensland Museum Principal Curator Read more about Museum cold case uncovers new species of sea scorpion

How antibodies neutralise the COVID-19 virus and how it might evolve to escape

Publicly released: Fri 18 Feb 2022 at 0600 AEDT, 0800 NZDT

PLOS Pathogens

US researchers have outlined the landscape of antibodies that can stop the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) from entering our cells and how changes to the virus' spike protein may ... Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 Read more about How antibodies neutralise the COVID-19 virus and how it might evolve to escape

Kids over 5 can learn to test themselves for COVID-19

Publicly released: Fri 18 Feb 2022 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

Going back to school during the pandemic might be difficult if every child needs regular COVID-19 testing, but US researchers have found kids over age 5 could give themselves the ... The team followed 296 Read more about Kids over 5 can learn to test themselves for COVID-19