Resources for Journalists

COVID-19 may accelerate the development of type 1 diabetes in kids

Publicly released: Tue 16 Jul 2024 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA

type 1 diabetes, so the accelerated progression only happened in kids with COVID-19. ... About The Study: Follow-up of youth with pre-symptomatic type 1 diabetes demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic Read more about COVID-19 may accelerate the development of type 1 diabetes in kids

Kids born during COVID-19 lockdowns had lower rates of wheezing

Publicly released: Wed 10 Jul 2024 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

Kids born during COVID-19 lockdown had a 44% lower risk of wheezing and used less respiratory medicines than those born before the pandemic, according to an Italian study. ... The respiratory syncytial Read more about Kids born during COVID-19 lockdowns had lower rates of wheezing

EXPERT REACTION: NZ academic harassed during the pandemic wins in court

Publicly released: Tue 9 Jul 2024 at 1145 AEST, 1345 NZST

contractual obligations to protect Associate Professor Wiles’s health and safety in the wake of harassment she experienced for speaking publicly about the COVID-19 pandemic. ... Both the University of Read more about EXPERT REACTION: NZ academic harassed during the pandemic wins in court

Humpbacks happier during pandemic pause

Publicly released: Fri 5 Jul 2024 at 1300 AEST, 1500 NZST

Marine Environmental Research

University of Queensland-led research has found migrating humpback whales off Australia’s east coast became less stressed over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. ... health. ” The researchers Read more about Humpbacks happier during pandemic pause

Children in areas with high COVID-19 vaccine coverage reported fewer asthma symptoms during the pandemic

Publicly released: Thu 4 Jul 2024 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

The team looked at data on parent-reported asthma symptoms, COVID-19 death rates and COVID-19 vaccination coverage for people aged five and over in different US states. ... COVID-19 vaccination yields Read more about Children in areas with high COVID-19 vaccine coverage reported fewer asthma symptoms during the pandemic

Kids may be more resistant to COVID-19 because of all the other viruses they're exposed to

Publicly released: Wed 3 Jul 2024 at 1130 AEST, 1330 NZST

Journal of Experimental Medicine

Children may be less likely to experience the worst effects of COVID-19 because they are developing immunity from all the other viruses they're exposed to, according to international researchers. Read more about Kids may be more resistant to COVID-19 because of all the other viruses they're exposed to

Destroying cancer-causing RNA could lead to bespoke treatments

Publicly released: Tue 2 Jul 2024 at 1200 AEST, 1400 NZST

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology

They initially engineered a version of Cas13b to silence the COVID-19 virus just after the beginning of the pandemic. ... RNA is enjoying a renaissance in both biology and medicine due to the efficacy of Read more about Destroying cancer-causing RNA could lead to bespoke treatments

Australia's health report 2024: Australians’ health faring well despite ongoing challenges

Publicly released: Tue 2 Jul 2024 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

COVID-19 and the health system During the pandemic, some health services were suspended, access restricted or changed, while health service workers faced additional burdens. ... 7 per 1,000 population in Read more about Australia's health report 2024: Australians’ health faring well despite ongoing challenges

Giving kids 'digital pacifiers' to calm tantrums could affect anger management later

Publicly released: Fri 28 Jun 2024 at 1400 AEST, 1600 NZST

Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

The results highlight the importance of letting children experience negative emotions and the crucial role parents play in the process. ... The researchers also stressed the importance of letting children Read more about Giving kids 'digital pacifiers' to calm tantrums could affect anger management later

AI-generated exam submissions evade detection at reputable university

Publicly released: Thu 27 Jun 2024 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

Such concerns are heightened by the fact that many universities and schools transitioned from supervised in-person exams to unsupervised take-home exams during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many now Read more about AI-generated exam submissions evade detection at reputable university

Healthy eating is getting pricier in NZ

Publicly released: Tue 25 Jun 2024 at 1211 AEST, 1411 NZST

Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand

The cost of sweetened foods has been decreasing relative to the costs of fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy in Aotearoa. ... Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a particularly steep Read more about Healthy eating is getting pricier in NZ

Getting boosted with newer COVID-19 vaccines reduces your risk of ending up in hospital

Publicly released: Tue 25 Jun 2024 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Internal Medicine

The researchers looked at US data on COVID-19 hospitalisations in late 2023 and vaccination histories, and say there was no clear difference in risk for unvaccinated people and those ... Pfizer-BioNTech; Read more about Getting boosted with newer COVID-19 vaccines reduces your risk of ending up in hospital

Smoking tobacco or cannabis could increase the risk of hospitalisation from COVID-19

Publicly released: Sat 22 Jun 2024 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

Smoking cannabis or tobacco may increase your risk of ending up in hospital or intensive care due to COVID-19, according to international research. ... Cannabis, Tobacco Use, and COVID-19 OutcomesAbout Read more about Smoking tobacco or cannabis could increase the risk of hospitalisation from COVID-19

Risky drinking even riskier for women

Publicly released: Thu 20 Jun 2024 at 1415 AEST, 1615 NZST

Drug and Alcohol Review

Jacqueline Bowden, Director of the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA). ... 1111/dar. 13865Also see ‘Social Class and Changes in Australian Women’s Affect and Alcohol Read more about Risky drinking even riskier for women

Housing and health link draws into focus need for more resettlement support

Publicly released: Wed 19 Jun 2024 at 1200 AEST, 1400 NZST

BMC Public Health

Professor Ziersch highlights that the research was conducted around COVID-19, saying: “Our community interviews were conducted before and during the pandemic, prior to the latest housing and rental Read more about Housing and health link draws into focus need for more resettlement support

More than one in five people take longer than three months to recover from COVID-19

Publicly released: Tue 18 Jun 2024 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

The team recruited the participants, all adults who self-reported a COVID-19 infection, and asked them three months after their infection if they felt recovered. ... About The Study: More than 1 in 5 Read more about More than one in five people take longer than three months to recover from COVID-19

EXPERT REACTION: Working from home flexibility can improve staff retention without impacting their performance

Publicly released: Thu 13 Jun 2024 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

Nature

The COVID-19 pandemic drove a shift towards working from home becoming more common. ... The authors assess the effect of hybrid working on employee performance and promotion. Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Working from home flexibility can improve staff retention without impacting their performance

More than 40,000 Australians could have missed out on joint replacement surgeries in the pandemic years

Publicly released: Tue 11 Jun 2024 at 1220 AEST, 1420 NZST

Medical Journal of Australia

Just over 42,000 fewer elective joint replacement surgeries than expected were done in Australia from 2020-2022, according to Australian researchers looking at the potential backlog of surgeries the Read more about More than 40,000 Australians could have missed out on joint replacement surgeries in the pandemic years

COVID-19 jab side effects may mean you're better protected

Publicly released: Tue 11 Jun 2024 at 0700 AEST, 0900 NZST

Annals of Internal Medicine

The study looked at 363 people in the US who had not been vaccinated against, or exposed to, COVID-19, who then received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna jab. ... or exposed to SARS-CoV-2, who then Read more about COVID-19 jab side effects may mean you're better protected

Positive feedback for new intensive youth suicide prevention program

Publicly released: Tue 11 Jun 2024 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS Mental Health

The clients surveyed gave positive feedback about the service being given outside a clinical setting, including practical support for life tasks they were struggling with, assisting parents, and the Read more about Positive feedback for new intensive youth suicide prevention program