Resources for Journalists

How does COVID-19 spread in a highly vaccinated aged care home?

Publicly released: Tue 14 Sep 2021 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

COVID-19 outbreaks can still occur in a highly vaccinated aged care facility but vaccines can reduce the severity of disease, according to a French case study. ... 17 residents were diagnosed with Read more about How does COVID-19 spread in a highly vaccinated aged care home?

COVID-19 vaccination mandate needs “strong justification” and fairness

Publicly released: Mon 13 Sep 2021 at 1650 AEST, 1850 NZST

Medical Journal of Australia

COVID VACCINATION MANDATE NEEDS “STRONG JUSTIFICATION” AND FAIRNESS MANDATORY vaccination proposals must be backed by “strong justification”, and less restrictive avenues to increase uptake Read more about COVID-19 vaccination mandate needs “strong justification” and fairness

The little-known condition costing hospitals more than breast and lung cancer combined

Publicly released: Mon 13 Sep 2021 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

With leading global experts recently recognising that patients critically ill with COVID-19 have viral sepsis, the picture is likely to look much worse as the global pandemic progresses. ... Even in Read more about The little-known condition costing hospitals more than breast and lung cancer combined

Ultra-efficient tech to power devices of tomorrow and forge sustainable energy future

Publicly released: Fri 10 Sep 2021 at 1900 AEST, 2100 NZST

Nature Communications

is a necessary first step in creating the computers and smartphones of tomorrow. ... pre-covid. Read more about Ultra-efficient tech to power devices of tomorrow and forge sustainable energy future

Health insights for a year with COVID-19 in Australia

Publicly released: Fri 10 Sep 2021 at 1141 AEST, 1341 NZST

In the first year of COVID-19 in Australia, there were almost 30,000 cases over 2 distinct waves, and around 900 deaths from the disease, according to the report, while ... As the COVID-19 situation Read more about Health insights for a year with COVID-19 in Australia

Some FDA-approved drugs for other conditions may also be useful in treating COVID-19

Publicly released: Fri 10 Sep 2021 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS Pathogens

Some FDA-approved Drugs Could Be Repurposed to Treat People Infected with COVID-19 Study suggests several medications might inhibit virus replication in human cells Despite the development of SARS-CoV Read more about Some FDA-approved drugs for other conditions may also be useful in treating COVID-19

How has working from home changed the workplace?

Publicly released: Fri 10 Sep 2021 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

Nature Human Behaviour

Work-from-home policies at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic led many firms to rapidly shift nearly all employees to remote work. ... Longqi Yang and colleagues used this shift in work patterns to Read more about How has working from home changed the workplace?

COVID-19 vaccines not associated with miscarriage

Publicly released: Thu 9 Sep 2021 at 1600 AEST, 1800 NZST

JAMA

received a COVID-19 vaccine in the month prior. ... The researchers say they found no association between COVID-19 vaccinations and miscarriages within the cohort. Read more about COVID-19 vaccines not associated with miscarriage

Lockdown could cause trouble with love

Publicly released: Thu 9 Sep 2021 at 1530 AEST, 1730 NZST

Family Relations

Have COVID-19 lockdowns affected passion and intimacy in relationships?In a study of dating and married couples in India who were surveyed before and after India’s COVID-19 lockdown, ... Love in Read more about Lockdown could cause trouble with love

EXPERT REACTION: NSW roadmap to freedom

Publicly released: Thu 9 Sep 2021 at 1528 AEST, 1728 NZST

The NSW government has today released its 'roadmap to freedom' which outlines the freedoms that fully vaccinated people will enjoy once NSW reaches 70 per cent double dose vaccinated against Read more about EXPERT REACTION: NSW roadmap to freedom

EXPERT Q&A: The Mu variant and future of 'endemic' COVID-19

Publicly released: Thu 9 Sep 2021 at 0930 AEST, 1130 NZST

The world has a new COVID-19 variant of interest, with the WHO recently reclassifying the Mu variant after an uptick in cases in South America. ... Dr Vinod Balasubramaniam, a virologist from Monash Read more about EXPERT Q&A: The Mu variant and future of 'endemic' COVID-19

COVID-19 vaccines could help keep you out of the emergency department

Publicly released: Thu 9 Sep 2021 at 0700 AEST, 0900 NZST

New England Journal of Medicine

The study looked at more than 60,000 ED visits or hospital admissions and estimated vaccine effectiveness by comparing the odds of a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 infection among ... They found the mRNA Read more about COVID-19 vaccines could help keep you out of the emergency department

People stopped posting about climate change when Covid arrived

Publicly released: Thu 9 Sep 2021 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS One

The Covid-19 pandemic led to a dramatic fall in social media chatter about climate change, new research shows. ... Looking at Facebook link shares in the US, the researchers saw an 80% drop in climate Read more about People stopped posting about climate change when Covid arrived

Nationwide surveys suggest COVID-19 has increased domestic and family violence in Australia

Publicly released: Thu 9 Sep 2021 at 0300 AEST, 0500 NZST

Australian Journal of Social Issues

Australian scientists surveyed 362 participants from 253 agencies in the domestic and family violence (DFV) sector across Australia to investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic has made DFV worse. Read more about Nationwide surveys suggest COVID-19 has increased domestic and family violence in Australia

Need a hug? Social distancing could increase anxiety from a lack of intimate touch

Publicly released: Wed 8 Sep 2021 at 0901 AEST, 1101 NZST

Royal Society Open Science

We conducted an online-study during the first lockdown period to examine touch experiences during COVID-19, their impact on mental health and craving touch. ... Results highlight that intimate touch Read more about Need a hug? Social distancing could increase anxiety from a lack of intimate touch

Quarantine works best at low case numbers

Publicly released: Wed 8 Sep 2021 at 0901 AEST, 1101 NZST

Journal of the Royal Society Interface

Aggressive quarantine works best to stop the spread of COVID-19 when case numbers are low, while populations with a higher base rate of infection should rely more on social distancing ... The economic Read more about Quarantine works best at low case numbers

Overweight kids with asthma may not respond to steroid treatment

Publicly released: Wed 8 Sep 2021 at 0801 AEST, 1001 NZST

The European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress

study in Germany, 2009-2014, and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in England, 1991-1992. ... as COVID-19, asthma, COPD, lung cancer, pollution, and smoking. Read more about Overweight kids with asthma may not respond to steroid treatment

UniSA digs deep to prevent construction worker suicides

Publicly released: Wed 8 Sep 2021 at 0630 AEST, 0830 NZST

Supported by the industry body MATES in Construction and the Alison Milner Memorial Scholarship, the research will identify interventions that could help reduce devastating outcomes. ... Australian Read more about UniSA digs deep to prevent construction worker suicides

Making the tough decisions: what it will mean to live with COVID

Publicly released: Wed 8 Sep 2021 at 0600 AEST, 0800 NZST

Public Health Research & Practice

The virus is in the community, the COVID-19 transition has begun, and we are on track to live with the virus, but control the disease, from the first quarter of ... While the Australian Institute of Read more about Making the tough decisions: what it will mean to live with COVID

COVID-19 gives hearts a hard time and some people may be more at risk

Publicly released: Wed 8 Sep 2021 at 0300 AEST, 0500 NZST

Clinical & Translational Immunology

Aussie researchers have conducted a review of current evidence for the effects of acute and long-term heart disease for patients with COVID-19. ... The risk of more severe infection and death from Read more about COVID-19 gives hearts a hard time and some people may be more at risk