Resources for Journalists

What can we learn from Australia's pandemic response?

Publicly released: Tue 26 Oct 2021 at 1000 AEDT, 1200 NZDT

Annals of Internal Medicine

We can learn a lot from how Australia handled the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Aussie researchers who say early action has led to some success, but that success has also ... the COVID-19 pandemic and Read more about What can we learn from Australia's pandemic response?

Almost all COVID-19's early global spread went undetected

Publicly released: Tue 26 Oct 2021 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

Nature

Retracing the steps of the COVID-19 pandemicCommunity transmission of SARS-CoV-2 may have begun as early as January 2020 in some areas of Europe and the USA according to ... Nearly two years into the COVID Read more about Almost all COVID-19's early global spread went undetected

You're much more likely to have neurological complications from COVID-19 than vaccines

Publicly released: Tue 26 Oct 2021 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

Nature Medicine

Several vaccines, including the Oxford–AstraZeneca and Pfizer–BioNTech vaccines, are approved for use in multiple countries and have been shown to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infections, transmissions, Read more about You're much more likely to have neurological complications from COVID-19 than vaccines

Paying people to get vaxxed works

Publicly released: Tue 26 Oct 2021 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

JAMA Internal Medicine

A pilot program in North Carolina where people were paid $25 to either get their Covid-19 vaccine or drive someone to their appointment, has shown promise for stemming the declining ... The payments Read more about Paying people to get vaxxed works

Mentoring a boost for women breaking into senior medical research roles

Publicly released: Mon 25 Oct 2021 at 1005 AEDT, 1205 NZDT

BMJ Open

The findings demonstrated changes to knowledge, skills, behaviours and research metrics that were directly attributed to the program. ... Women in the health and medical research sector are missing from Read more about Mentoring a boost for women breaking into senior medical research roles

COVID-19 risks explained with new tool

Publicly released: Mon 25 Oct 2021 at 0500 AEDT, 0700 NZDT

GPs are spending a lot of time trying to explain the risks of COVID-19 and the various vaccines to their patients,” Dr Litt said. ... It presents risk using simple bar-charts, so that it’s easy to Read more about COVID-19 risks explained with new tool

Living guidelines for care of kids and teens with COVID-19

Publicly released: Mon 25 Oct 2021 at 0001 AEDT, 0201 NZDT

MJA

The effects of COVID-19 on children's wellbeing and development must also be taken into account, they add. ... The potential impact of emerging aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as “long Read more about Living guidelines for care of kids and teens with COVID-19

COVID-19's silver lining: improving cancer care

Publicly released: Mon 25 Oct 2021 at 0001 AEDT, 0201 NZDT

MJA

cancer. ”“Health systems and health care professionals have demonstrated a remarkable ability to rapidly adapt or modify care practices to deliver optimal cancer care, while minimising risk of Read more about COVID-19's silver lining: improving cancer care

COVID-19 patients have shorter attention spans, worse memories

Publicly released: Sat 23 Oct 2021 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

Months after recovery, many Covid-19 patients have reported feeling like they're swimming through a 'brain fog'. ... US researchers looked at a group of 740 relatively young patients who survived Read more about COVID-19 patients have shorter attention spans, worse memories

Revealing the 'hidden half' of grain using synchrotron imaging

Publicly released: Fri 22 Oct 2021 at 1400 AEDT, 1600 NZDT

A pioneering new technique using synchrotron light captures the complex interaction of roots and soil. ... the experiments during COVID-19 lockdown. Read more about Revealing the 'hidden half' of grain using synchrotron imaging

Mix-and-match COVID-19 vaccines could be more effective

Publicly released: Fri 22 Oct 2021 at 1030 AEDT, 1230 NZDT

Nature

Having a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and a second dose of the Pfizer could halve your risk of COVID-19 infection compared to two Pfizer doses, according to an ... 76 per cent of people in the Read more about Mix-and-match COVID-19 vaccines could be more effective

Cocaine, ice, ecstasy, ketamine - Major changes in Australian drug use during 2021

Publicly released: Fri 22 Oct 2021 at 0801 AEDT, 1001 NZDT

Frequency of use, however, remained low and stable at a median of three days in the past six months. · ... Further, most of these surveys occurred before the current wave of COVID-19 cases and government Read more about Cocaine, ice, ecstasy, ketamine - Major changes in Australian drug use during 2021

Patients with severe COVID-19 could benefit from higher doses of corticosteroids

Publicly released: Fri 22 Oct 2021 at 0600 AEDT, 0800 NZDT

JAMA

In this study, researchers recruited 1000 adult patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection across 31 sites in 26 hospitals in Denmark, India, Sweden, and Switzerland between August 2020 and May Read more about Patients with severe COVID-19 could benefit from higher doses of corticosteroids

Vaccine requirements rather than recommendations could be best to get more people jabbed

Publicly released: Fri 22 Oct 2021 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

Scientific Reports

COVID-19: Vaccination requirements may promote vaccine uptake in the USAMaking vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 a requirement for work, school or travel in the USA may be more effective at ... The findings Read more about Vaccine requirements rather than recommendations could be best to get more people jabbed

No link between COVID-19 vaccines and early pregnancy loss

Publicly released: Thu 21 Oct 2021 at 1615 AEDT, 1815 NZDT

New England Journal of Medicine

An international study has found no link between COVID-19 vaccinations and miscarriages early on in pregnancy. ... Using Norwegian registries on first trimester pregnancies, COVID-19 vaccinations and Read more about No link between COVID-19 vaccines and early pregnancy loss

Pfizer reaches 90% effectiveness at preventing COVID-19 infection in teens

Publicly released: Thu 21 Oct 2021 at 1545 AEDT, 1745 NZDT

New England Journal of Medicine

At its peak, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is 90 per cent effective at preventing infection in children aged 12 to 18, according to an international study. ... From a week to 21 days after the second dose, Read more about Pfizer reaches 90% effectiveness at preventing COVID-19 infection in teens

How well are the vaccines preventing death from Delta?

Publicly released: Thu 21 Oct 2021 at 1515 AEDT, 1715 NZDT

New England Journal of Medicine

Both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are about 90 per cent effective at preventing death after infection with the Delta COVID-19 variant, according to a Scottish study. ... No fully Read more about How well are the vaccines preventing death from Delta?

More people are poisoning themselves by taking unproven Covid treatment Ivermectin

Publicly released: Thu 21 Oct 2021 at 1251 AEDT, 1451 NZDT

NEJM

Six people ended up being hospitalised after using the drug to prevent Covid-19, and three had been prescribed the horse de-wormer by medical professionals. ... Ivermectin has been shown to decrease Read more about More people are poisoning themselves by taking unproven Covid treatment Ivermectin

Code red for a healthy future: COVID-19 recovery plans failing to account for climate change

Publicly released: Thu 21 Oct 2021 at 0930 AEDT, 1130 NZDT

The Lancet

But the good news is that the huge efforts countries are making to kick-start their economies after the pandemic can be orientated towards responding to climate change and COVID-19 ... Less than one Read more about Code red for a healthy future: COVID-19 recovery plans failing to account for climate change

Productivity in science exploded with COVID-19, but women may have been left behind

Publicly released: Thu 21 Oct 2021 at 0500 AEDT, 0700 NZDT

PLOS ONE

million authors A study of 2,329 academic journals has found that, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer manuscripts were submitted by women than by men, and ... This gender gap was Read more about Productivity in science exploded with COVID-19, but women may have been left behind