Resources for Journalists

Routine vaccination rates in Victoria unaffected by COVID-19

Publicly released: Mon 19 Jul 2021 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

MJA

THE COVID-19 epidemic “did not markedly affect vaccination rates for young children in Victoria, despite the longest and most restrictive response measures in Australia”, according to Australian Read more about Routine vaccination rates in Victoria unaffected by COVID-19

We need to come together on pandemic research

Publicly released: Mon 19 Jul 2021 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

MJA

Nor was there a nationally resourced and coordinated trials infrastructure in existence before the COVID- 19 pandemic. ... Bowen and colleagues concluded that “robust reflection” on what has been Read more about We need to come together on pandemic research

Alcohol remains in top position for Australian drugs of concern

Publicly released: Mon 19 Jul 2021 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)

Minimising the harms associated with alcohol, illicit drug and pharmaceutical drug use and the response to these harms requires a multifaceted response with clients often receiving multiple episodes Read more about Alcohol remains in top position for Australian drugs of concern

NZ scientists argue global Covid-19 elimination is achievable

Publicly released: Fri 16 Jul 2021 at 1100 AEST, 1300 NZST

BMJ

As authorities in England abandon most efforts to control Covid-19, New Zealand academics Sir David Skegg and Professor Phillip Hill say it’s critical for counties to see the difference ... between Read more about NZ scientists argue global Covid-19 elimination is achievable

One in two hospitalised COVID-19 patients develop complications, even young are affected

Publicly released: Fri 16 Jul 2021 at 0830 AEST, 1030 NZST

The Lancet

The new study assessed in-hospital complications in adults aged 19 years or over with confirmed or highly suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection leading to COVID-19 disease. ... Furthermore, research on the Read more about One in two hospitalised COVID-19 patients develop complications, even young are affected

Muslim refugee women feel othered in NZ’s health system

Publicly released: Fri 16 Jul 2021 at 0753 AEST, 0953 NZST

Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online

There was research conducted into the experiences of refugee communities overall in New Zealand in 2011 and they found similar results. ... Following Covid-19 the Government has reinstated its refugee Read more about Muslim refugee women feel othered in NZ’s health system

COVID-19 modelling finds level of social distancing in Sydney inadequate to control Delta outbreak

Publicly released: Thu 15 Jul 2021 at 1300 AEST, 1500 NZST

COVID-19 modeller and Director of the University of Sydney’s Centre for Complex Systems Professor Mikhail Prokopenko has today released modelling on pre-print server arXiv that shows Sydney’s Read more about COVID-19 modelling finds level of social distancing in Sydney inadequate to control Delta outbreak

New ‘warm vaccine’ effective against all key virus variants

Publicly released: Thu 15 Jul 2021 at 1200 AEST, 1400 NZST

ACS Infectious Diseases

Dr. S. S. Vasan, CSIRO’s COVID-19 project leader and co-author, said the Mynvax-vaccinated mice sera show a strong response to all variants of the live virus. ... The peer-reviewed paper, Read more about New ‘warm vaccine’ effective against all key virus variants

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted routine jabs

Publicly released: Thu 15 Jul 2021 at 0901 AEST, 1101 NZST

The Lancet

Many health systems around the world are still under immense pressure coping with COVID-19, and are working hard to roll out new vaccination programmes. ... At the same time, health workers were diverted Read more about The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted routine jabs

COVID-19 death risk significantly higher for those with learning disabilities

Publicly released: Thu 15 Jul 2021 at 0830 AEST, 1030 NZST

The BMJ

Data for 14,312,023 adults and 2,627,018 children were analysed across both waves of the covid-19 pandemic: wave 1 (registered with a general practice as of 1 ... What’s more, they say worrying Read more about COVID-19 death risk significantly higher for those with learning disabilities

When it comes to COVID-19, people trust a doctor

Publicly released: Thu 15 Jul 2021 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

Effect of Physician-Delivered COVID-19 Public Health Messages and Messages Acknowledging Racial Inequity on Black and White Adults’ Knowledge, Beliefs, and Practices Related to COVID-19 What The Read more about When it comes to COVID-19, people trust a doctor

COVID-19 is hitting the mental health of homeless women in the USA hard

Publicly released: Thu 15 Jul 2021 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

A US study surveyed mental health symptoms and social challenges experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic among 128 women who were homeless or in unstable housing in San Francisco. ... or anxiety or both Read more about COVID-19 is hitting the mental health of homeless women in the USA hard

Alcohol consumption linked to more than 740,000 new cancer cases in 2020

Publicly released: Wed 14 Jul 2021 at 1600 AEST, 1800 NZST

The Lancet Oncology

Disruptions to health care and cancer services across the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to have affected diagnosis rates for that year and may have led to ... There are several limitations Read more about Alcohol consumption linked to more than 740,000 new cancer cases in 2020

Viral respiratory infection on the rise in aged care

Publicly released: Wed 14 Jul 2021 at 1300 AEST, 1500 NZST

Australasian Journal on Ageing

New research from the Registry of Senior Australians at SAHMRI has shown viral respiratory infections have been increasing among Australia’s residential aged care population even before COVID-19. Read more about Viral respiratory infection on the rise in aged care

EXPERT REACTION: AstraZeneca advice changes amid Sydney outbreak

Publicly released: Wed 14 Jul 2021 at 0915 AEST, 1115 NZST

ATAGI has updated its advice on COVID-19 vaccination in response to NSW’s outbreak. ... with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, versus the rare risk of a serious side effect. ’ Read more about EXPERT REACTION: AstraZeneca advice changes amid Sydney outbreak

Lateral flow tests quick, cheap, and highly effective at detecting COVID-19

Publicly released: Wed 14 Jul 2021 at 0901 AEST, 1101 NZST

EClinicalMedicine

Institute for Advanced Studies, Vienna, and the Medical University of Graz, has found that lateral flow tests detect Covid-19 with similar accuracy to laboratory-based PCR tests, providing they are Read more about Lateral flow tests quick, cheap, and highly effective at detecting COVID-19

Middling vaccination rates could leave us vulnerable to variants

Publicly released: Wed 14 Jul 2021 at 0901 AEST, 1101 NZST

Royal Society Open Science

Vaccine escape in a heterogeneous population: insights for SARS-CoV-2 from a simple modelRoyal Society Open ScienceThe rapid development and deployment of vaccines is the success story of the Read more about Middling vaccination rates could leave us vulnerable to variants

Discovery points to targeted treatment for COVID-19

Publicly released: Tue 13 Jul 2021 at 1900 AEST, 2100 NZST

Nature Communications

a way to stop the SARS-CoV-2 virus from replicating in infected human cells, in a major step towards a new treatment for this and future pandemic viruses. ... In collaboration with Director Professor Read more about Discovery points to targeted treatment for COVID-19

COVID-19 - The facts - Australian Academy of Science launches new campaign

Publicly released: Tue 13 Jul 2021 at 1419 AEST, 1619 NZST

you. Even if you are fit and healthy and have a lower risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19, you might pass the virus on to a more vulnerable person ... Everyone can help reduce the impact and Read more about COVID-19 - The facts - Australian Academy of Science launches new campaign

The flu jab might provide some protection against COVID-19

Publicly released: Tue 13 Jul 2021 at 1129 AEST, 1329 NZST

European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID).

Members of the first group had received the flu vaccine between two weeks and six months before being diagnosed with COVID-19. ... Despite this, the influenza vaccine is by no means a replacement for the Read more about The flu jab might provide some protection against COVID-19