Resources for Journalists

BACKGROUND BRIEFING: Answering your questions on the AstraZeneca vaccine

Publicly released: Tue 23 Mar 2021 at 0001 AEDT, 0201 NZDT

The aim of this briefing is not to generate news but to provide you with information and background to assist your ongoing reporting. ... See all our supporters and read about our independence. Paul Read more about BACKGROUND BRIEFING: Answering your questions on the AstraZeneca vaccine

Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on people involved in maternity care

Publicly released: Mon 22 Mar 2021 at 1600 AEDT, 1800 NZDT

MedRxiv

Lead author Dr Zoe Bradfield from Curtin School of Nursing said health services had been forced to undergo rapid changes in response to COVID-19 and the study’s findings will ... The paper, titled Read more about Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on people involved in maternity care

Political leanings more influential than pandemic severity in COVID-19 risk perception

Publicly released: Mon 22 Mar 2021 at 1101 AEDT, 1301 NZDT

Journal of Risk Research

Personal values and political worldviews shape our perception of the risk of COVID-19 more than its severity - study of 6,000 UK residentsStudy taken throughout the pandemic shows those who Read more about Political leanings more influential than pandemic severity in COVID-19 risk perception

Don't rely on the seasons to help control COVID-19, WMO warns

Publicly released: Fri 19 Mar 2021 at 1230 AEDT, 1430 NZDT

Laboratory studies of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have yielded some evidence that the virus survives longer under cold, dry, and low ultraviolet radiation conditions. ... 1). Laboratory Read more about Don't rely on the seasons to help control COVID-19, WMO warns

Wine consumption patterns relatively stable under COVID

Publicly released: Fri 19 Mar 2021 at 1206 AEDT, 1406 NZDT

Both surveys were answered by 274 – split equally between men and women – Australian wine enthusiasts, fully representative in gender, age and wine consumption of the wine consuming population. Read more about Wine consumption patterns relatively stable under COVID

4 months later, around half of COVID-19 patients have lingering symptoms

Publicly released: Fri 19 Mar 2021 at 1145 AEDT, 1345 NZDT

JAMA

French researchers followed up a group of 478 COVID-19 patients four months after they'd cleared the disease and found just over half (51 per cent) reported new-onset symptoms. ... Fatigue was the most Read more about 4 months later, around half of COVID-19 patients have lingering symptoms

COVID-19 reinfections are rare, but more common in over 65s

Publicly released: Fri 19 Mar 2021 at 1128 AEDT, 1328 NZDT

The Lancet

19. The closely related coronaviruses SARS and MERS have both been shown to confer immune protection against reinfection lasting up to three years, but ongoing analysis of COVID-19 is needed Read more about COVID-19 reinfections are rare, but more common in over 65s

Vaccinating all UK adults won't be enough to stop the virus

Publicly released: Fri 19 Mar 2021 at 1103 AEDT, 1303 NZDT

The Lancet

The Lancet Infectious Diseases: Vaccination alone is unlikely to contain COVID-19 infections in the UK but gradual reopening and high vaccine uptake could minimise future waves of infectionCOVID-19 Read more about Vaccinating all UK adults won't be enough to stop the virus

Three-dimensional imaging provides valuable insight to immune responses

Publicly released: Fri 19 Mar 2021 at 1100 AEDT, 1300 NZDT

Nature Immunology

These memory cells are particularly important because they keep chronic infections and cancers in check and act rapidly if we see the virus a second time,” Ms Duckworth said. ... Understanding vaccine Read more about Three-dimensional imaging provides valuable insight to immune responses

Got kids? They may be (slightly) increasing your risk of catching COVID-19

Publicly released: Fri 19 Mar 2021 at 1030 AEDT, 1230 NZDT

The BMJ

hospital stay during second wave, but no materially increased risk of death A study published by The BMJ today sheds light on the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and ... The researchers then analysed Read more about Got kids? They may be (slightly) increasing your risk of catching COVID-19

By April 2020, 7% of people in Wuhan had COVID but around 8 in 10 had no symptoms

Publicly released: Fri 19 Mar 2021 at 1030 AEDT, 1230 NZDT

The Lancet

By April 2020 around 7 per cent of the Wuhan population already had COVID antibodies, suggesting they had been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but 8 out of 10 ... Lead author, Dr Chen Wang, Chinese Read more about By April 2020, 7% of people in Wuhan had COVID but around 8 in 10 had no symptoms

Human coronavirus immunity is widespread but weak

Publicly released: Thu 18 Mar 2021 at 0500 AEDT, 0700 NZDT

Clinical & Translational Immunology

They tested the immune responses of 42 people who had not had COVID-19, and found around half had an immune response when exposed to coronavirus spike antigens - substances that cause ... The Read more about Human coronavirus immunity is widespread but weak

Insights into the multi-organ effects of COVID-19

Publicly released: Wed 17 Mar 2021 at 1600 AEDT, 1800 NZDT

Journal of Proteome Research

New research has identified how each person responds differently to COVID-19 and the importance of monitoring that response early in the patient journey to help optimise the healthcare pathway. Read more about Insights into the multi-organ effects of COVID-19

Fake COVID-19 news spreads quickly on Twitter, and brands and celebs are partly to blame

Publicly released: Wed 17 Mar 2021 at 1530 AEDT, 1730 NZDT

Online Social Networks and Media

Who’s responsible for the spread of COVID-19 misinformation? During the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation about symptoms, vaccines and infections rates has been rife. ... Using data from over 92 Read more about Fake COVID-19 news spreads quickly on Twitter, and brands and celebs are partly to blame

A taste for travel: how Australia could become a culinary capital

Publicly released: Wed 17 Mar 2021 at 1130 AEDT, 1330 NZDT

Tourism Recreation Research

Australia is well known around the world for its high-quality produce, particularly our fresh food and wine,” she said. ... When the world recovers from the devastating impacts of COVID-19, what better Read more about A taste for travel: how Australia could become a culinary capital

Winter is coming - how can we stop COVID-19 spreading indoors?

Publicly released: Wed 17 Mar 2021 at 1101 AEDT, 1301 NZDT

Proceedings of the Royal Society A

As winter approaches in the global south, UK researchers have summarised what we know about the spread of COVID-19 indoors, and suggested ways to reduce transmission. ... They focus on the three ways COVID Read more about Winter is coming - how can we stop COVID-19 spreading indoors?

As we get older, the risk of hospitalisation from COVID-19 grows exponentially

Publicly released: Wed 17 Mar 2021 at 1101 AEDT, 1301 NZDT

Journal of the Royal Society Interface

COVID-19 can therefore be added to the list of other diseases with this property, including those caused by MRSA, MERS-CoV, West Nile virus, Streptococcus Pneumonia and certain cancers. ... Exponential Read more about As we get older, the risk of hospitalisation from COVID-19 grows exponentially

Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine ineffective against mild to moderate COVID-19 from South African variant

Publicly released: Wed 17 Mar 2021 at 0800 AEDT, 1000 NZDT

NEJM

The Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is ineffective against the South African variant of the virus, according to South African scientists. ... Nineteen out of 750 vaccine recipients caught mild to Read more about Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine ineffective against mild to moderate COVID-19 from South African variant

Pandemic may offer opportunity to wind back unnecessary care

Publicly released: Wed 17 Mar 2021 at 0600 AEDT, 0800 NZDT

BMJ Open

Published today (MARCH 17) in BMJ Open, the review summarised 81 studies from the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic and found similar reductions across all forms of healthcare, ... Using the Read more about Pandemic may offer opportunity to wind back unnecessary care

Lockdown affected NZ's deprived neighbourhoods differently

Publicly released: Wed 17 Mar 2021 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health

COVID-19 response to determine whether our one-size-fits-all ‘lockdown’ policy is fit for purpose. ... at additional risk of exposure to the virus. Read more about Lockdown affected NZ's deprived neighbourhoods differently