Resources for Journalists

We need herd immunity against COVID-19 vaccine misinformation

Publicly released: Thu 13 May 2021 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

Another post on social media suggested 160 doctors disapproved of the COVID-19 vaccine as it could change human DNA or that it could modify genes, cause cancers, and infertility. ... The most popular Read more about We need herd immunity against COVID-19 vaccine misinformation

Jobs require jabs: Employment should require COVID-19 vaccine for frontline healthcare workers

Publicly released: Wed 12 May 2021 at 0830 AEST, 1030 NZST

Journal of Medical Ethics

Employment for frontline healthcare workers should be conditional on COVID-19 vaccination unless they have a valid medical reason for not getting the jab, argue Australian and international ethicists. Read more about Jobs require jabs: Employment should require COVID-19 vaccine for frontline healthcare workers

80% of hospitalised COVID-19 patients have neurological symptoms

Publicly released: Wed 12 May 2021 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

What The Study Did: This global observational study included patients with COVID-19 representing 13 countries and four continents, and its findings suggest neurological manifestations are Read more about 80% of hospitalised COVID-19 patients have neurological symptoms

EXPERT REACTION: Federal Budget 2021/22

Publicly released: Wed 12 May 2021 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

Below are expert comments collected by the AusSMC on how the 2021-22 Federal Budget will impact science and research. Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Federal Budget 2021/22

How to predict severe influenza in hospitalised patients

Publicly released: Tue 11 May 2021 at 2000 AEST, 2200 NZST

Nature Communications

The COVID-19 pandemic, and before this, the swine flu pandemic, has highlighted the importance of improving our understanding of respiratory viral infections to improve the identification of patients Read more about How to predict severe influenza in hospitalised patients

1.5°C degrowth scenarios suggest need for new mitigation pathways

Publicly released: Tue 11 May 2021 at 1900 AEST, 2100 NZST

Nature Communications

Currently the IPCC and the established modelling community, integrated assessment model (IAM), does not consider degrowth scenarios where reduced production and consumption in the global North is Read more about 1.5°C degrowth scenarios suggest need for new mitigation pathways

The COVID-19 vaccines could help stop the next pandemic in its tracks

Publicly released: Tue 11 May 2021 at 1100 AEST, 1300 NZST

Nature Medicine

Current vaccines used for the COVID-19 pandemic could provide a blueprint for protecting against the next coronavirus, according to a US study. ... The researchers believe mRNA vaccines can therefore Read more about The COVID-19 vaccines could help stop the next pandemic in its tracks

Mild COVID-19 linked to slight increase in medication, doctor's visits

Publicly released: Tue 11 May 2021 at 1000 AEST, 1200 NZST

The Lancet Infectious Diseases

complications in people who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus but did not require hospitalisation and compared these to people who tested negative for the COVID-19 virus. ... According to the Read more about Mild COVID-19 linked to slight increase in medication, doctor's visits

New tool to speed up growth of the COVID-19 genomic sequencing tree

Publicly released: Tue 11 May 2021 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

Nature Genetics

Genomic sequencing has grown to play a significant role in tracing the spread of COVID-19, as contact tracers look at viral genomes to link cases to one another and track ... With nearly 100,000 sequences Read more about New tool to speed up growth of the COVID-19 genomic sequencing tree

Drug target pathway could unlock treatments for diabetes, cancer and COVID

Publicly released: Mon 10 May 2021 at 2000 AEST, 2200 NZST

Nature Communications

Scientists have visualised and investigated a key molecular pathway that could one day help treat inflammation, diabetes, cancer, infectious diseases and potentially even COVID-19. ... By better Read more about Drug target pathway could unlock treatments for diabetes, cancer and COVID

Patients liked telehealth during COVID-19

Publicly released: Mon 10 May 2021 at 1030 AEST, 1230 NZST

BMC Family Practice

The interviews were conducted between May and June 2020 during a period of considerable community concern about COVID-19. ... The expansion of telehealth supported access to general practice during the Read more about Patients liked telehealth during COVID-19

Mapping Australia's mental health through the COVID-19 pandemic

Publicly released: Mon 10 May 2021 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

MJA

anxiety and their changes during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. ... Batterham and colleagues administered seven fortnightly only surveys to 1296 Australian adults from the Read more about Mapping Australia's mental health through the COVID-19 pandemic

Pfizer vaccine linked to lower COVID-19 infection rate in heath workers

Publicly released: Fri 7 May 2021 at 1125 AEST, 1325 NZST

JAMA

Association Between Vaccination With BNT162b2 and Incidence of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections Among Health Care WorkersWhat The Study Did: This study estimates the association Read more about Pfizer vaccine linked to lower COVID-19 infection rate in heath workers

AstraZeneca vaccine benefit outweighs clot risk

Publicly released: Fri 7 May 2021 at 1111 AEST, 1311 NZST

The BMJ

A large study of 280,000 adults from Denmark and Norway sheds more light on the risk of rare blood clots after the first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 ... In a linked editorial, scientists Read more about AstraZeneca vaccine benefit outweighs clot risk

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is 95% effective after two doses

Publicly released: Fri 7 May 2021 at 1000 AEST, 1200 NZST

The Lancet

The duration of immunity to COVID-19 – both from infection and immunisation – remains unknown, and it is possible that new, vaccine-resistant variants could emerge in the future. ... By April 2021, Read more about Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is 95% effective after two doses

Vaccinating the elderly and vulnerable first is most likely to prevent deaths from COVID-19

Publicly released: Fri 7 May 2021 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS Computational Biology

Targeting COVID-19 vaccine delivery to older age groups and the medically vulnerable has the greatest impact in minimizing the loss of life, according to UK modelling. ... In order to test the efficacy of Read more about Vaccinating the elderly and vulnerable first is most likely to prevent deaths from COVID-19

Five months after COVID-19 hit a football team, most of those affected still appeared to be immune

Publicly released: Fri 7 May 2021 at 0300 AEST, 0500 NZST

Clinical & Translational Immunology

Researchers studied the immune responses of an Italian football club five months after a COVID-19 cluster spread among players and staff. ... Of the 30 participants previously exposed to COVID-19, four in Read more about Five months after COVID-19 hit a football team, most of those affected still appeared to be immune

EXPERT REACTION: Five more clotting cases likely linked to AstraZeneca vaccine

Publicly released: Thu 6 May 2021 at 1530 AEST, 1730 NZST

It has just been reported that in the last week there have been five more clotting cases believed likely linked to AstraZeneca vaccine. ... They are: A 74-year-old man; A 51-year-old woman in Victoria; A Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Five more clotting cases likely linked to AstraZeneca vaccine

Low achieving students benefit most from online switch in Covid-19 lockdowns

Publicly released: Thu 6 May 2021 at 1200 AEST, 1400 NZST

China Economic Review

Students struggling academically benefited most when schools around the world transitioned from classroom teaching to online learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the switch also Read more about Low achieving students benefit most from online switch in Covid-19 lockdowns

EXPERT REACTION: NSW mystery COVID-19 case

Publicly released: Thu 6 May 2021 at 1130 AEST, 1330 NZST

It has just been reported that there is still a ‘missing link’ to the current COVID-19 infection in NSW and the government has introduced some social-distancing measures, but not Read more about EXPERT REACTION: NSW mystery COVID-19 case