Resources for Journalists

As if hay fever wasn't bad enough, pollen may make us more likely to catch COVID-19

Publicly released: Tue 9 Mar 2021 at 1110 AEDT, 1310 NZDT

PNAS

High concentrations of airborne pollen may be making people more susceptible to COVID-19, according to international scientists. ... They analysed data on airborne pollen and COVID-19 infection rates from Read more about As if hay fever wasn't bad enough, pollen may make us more likely to catch COVID-19

Anaphylaxis affects 0.025% of COVID-19 vaccine recipients

Publicly released: Tue 9 Mar 2021 at 1100 AEDT, 1300 NZDT

JAMA

US scientists looked at nearly 65,000 people who had been given either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and say anaphylactic shock occurred in 16 recipients, or 0. ... Milder but still Read more about Anaphylaxis affects 0.025% of COVID-19 vaccine recipients

First ever remote sinus surgical training

Publicly released: Tue 9 Mar 2021 at 1100 AEDT, 1300 NZDT

In 2020 with COVID-19 and a ban on international travel, Dr Suzuki, a prominent Japanese sinus surgeon from Hokkaido University in Sapporo, suggested the world’s first remote course. ... Sinus Read more about First ever remote sinus surgical training

Lockdown life hits women hardest

Publicly released: Tue 9 Mar 2021 at 0926 AEDT, 1126 NZDT

PNAS

The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated household burdens on women - and especially mothers - according to new research. ... Gender differences in time use and happiness during COVID-19 A study of 31,141 Read more about Lockdown life hits women hardest

Face masks during exercise might be uncomfortable, but they're not unsafe

Publicly released: Mon 8 Mar 2021 at 1101 AEDT, 1301 NZDT

European Respiratory Journal

Professor Agostoni added: “COVID-19 has hit our region and our hospital so hard, with devastating effects at a personal, professional and organisational level. ... He said: “There are still gaps in Read more about Face masks during exercise might be uncomfortable, but they're not unsafe

Fast food brands used NZ's lockdown to market unhealthy nibbles

Publicly released: Mon 8 Mar 2021 at 1000 AEDT, 1200 NZDT

Frontiers in Nutrition

New research by Kiwi and Australian researchers suggests that unhealthy food and drink brands leveraged the Covid-19 lockdown to boost their marketing in New Zealand. ... Social media posts from 14 of 20 Read more about Fast food brands used NZ's lockdown to market unhealthy nibbles

New research may be key to making safe, durable COVID-19 vaccines

Publicly released: Mon 8 Mar 2021 at 0500 AEDT, 0700 NZDT

Clinical and Translational Immunology.

Vaccines work by inducing antibodies that block the interaction between the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2’s Spike protein and its receptor, angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), Read more about New research may be key to making safe, durable COVID-19 vaccines

Frog cakes and Fruchocs: famous foods attract valuable tourist dollars

Publicly released: Fri 5 Mar 2021 at 1400 AEDT, 1600 NZDT

Tourism Management Perspectives

amid COVID-19, where the safest and most reliable travel options are within our own State. ... With international travel on indefinite hold since the onset of COVID-19, local tourism bodies must now focus Read more about Frog cakes and Fruchocs: famous foods attract valuable tourist dollars

Ivermectin does not help those with mild COVID recover faster

Publicly released: Fri 5 Mar 2021 at 1300 AEDT, 1500 NZDT

JAMA

Ivermectin, a controversial anti-parasitic drug that has been touted by some as a potential Covid-19 treatment, does not help people with mild covid-19 recover faster, according to a ... the authors say Read more about Ivermectin does not help those with mild COVID recover faster

Failing to see the wood for the trees may be preventing better cardiovascular outcomes

Publicly released: Fri 5 Mar 2021 at 0600 AEDT, 0800 NZDT

PLOS Medicine

number of deaths reported from the COVID-19 pandemic to date. ... This is urgently needed, given the rising rates of chronic disease in low- and middle-income countries, to save health services and the Read more about Failing to see the wood for the trees may be preventing better cardiovascular outcomes

Bill Clinton and Anthony Fauci to discuss need for equitable global access to medical oxygen

Publicly released: Thu 4 Mar 2021 at 1000 AEDT, 1200 NZDT

oxygen in saving lives, how the COVID-19 pandemic is widening gaps in access, and steps that can be taken to ensure that oxygen is sustainably available in low- and ... We work with our partners to Read more about Bill Clinton and Anthony Fauci to discuss need for equitable global access to medical oxygen

COVID conspiracy theorists: worried about others or just selfish?

Publicly released: Thu 4 Mar 2021 at 0900 AEDT, 1100 NZDT

European Journal of Social Psychology

COVID-19 conspiracy theorists are more concerned about their own health and less concerned about the health of others, according to a study led by University of Queensland researchers. ... People who more Read more about COVID conspiracy theorists: worried about others or just selfish?

Social distancing Tweets may help encourage people to stay home

Publicly released: Thu 4 Mar 2021 at 0600 AEDT, 0800 NZDT

PLOS ONE

They searched tweets by looking for COVID-19- related keywords, and used geotagging to determine where the tweeters were. ... Then they compared tweeting with people's movements in the state the next day. Read more about Social distancing Tweets may help encourage people to stay home

EXPERT REACTION: Albatrosses regularly fly to unprotected ‘Wild West’ areas

Publicly released: Thu 4 Mar 2021 at 0600 AEDT, 0800 NZDT

Science Advances

spend time in Chile and Peru, in Japan and the USA in the north Pacific Ocean, while others visit Namibia and South Africa. ... Economic Zones of different countries and the high seas. Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Albatrosses regularly fly to unprotected ‘Wild West’ areas

EXPERT REACTION: COVID-19 caused a 7% emissions drop, but how do we keep it going?

Publicly released: Thu 4 Mar 2021 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

Nature Climate Change

Building on their previous work, Corinne Le Quéré and colleagues report an annual summary of global CO2 emissions for 2020, assessing the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on emissions throughout the Read more about EXPERT REACTION: COVID-19 caused a 7% emissions drop, but how do we keep it going?

Identifying the cause and potential treatment for COVID-19-induced heart damage

Publicly released: Thu 4 Mar 2021 at 0100 AEDT, 0300 NZDT

BioRxiv

We exposed the bioengineered, stem-cell-derived heart tissue to COVID-19 patient blood and found it caused dysfunction even when the virus didn’t infect the tissue. ... These findings showcase the Read more about Identifying the cause and potential treatment for COVID-19-induced heart damage

COVID-19 vaccines may be less effective for all variants

Publicly released: Wed 3 Mar 2021 at 1700 AEDT, 1900 NZDT

Nature Medicine

STUDY 1 Immunology: The SARS-CoV-2 501Y. V2 variant escapes neutralization by some COVID-19 donor plasma and antibodiesA laboratory-developed pseudovirus containing the mutations found in the SARS-CoV Read more about COVID-19 vaccines may be less effective for all variants

COVID-19 drop in tourists a mixed bag for mammals

Publicly released: Wed 3 Mar 2021 at 1601 AEDT, 1801 NZDT

Mammal Review

Japanese and US scientists reviewed existing research and news reports to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mammals that live around tourism hotspots and in zoos, and found ... Impacts of the Read more about COVID-19 drop in tourists a mixed bag for mammals

Key steps discovered in production of critical immune cell

Publicly released: Wed 3 Mar 2021 at 1130 AEDT, 1330 NZDT

Nature Cell Biology

Flt3L hormone plays vital role in fighting off infectionDendritic cells are immune cells that activate ‘killer’ T cells, which are vital for clearing viral infections, such as COVID-19, but also Read more about Key steps discovered in production of critical immune cell

Facemasks do not impair kids' breathing

Publicly released: Wed 3 Mar 2021 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

Wearing surgical face masks for 30 minutes does not impair breathing or cause respiratory distress in kids and toddlers, according to Italian research. ... hour. The findings suggest kids could be Read more about Facemasks do not impair kids' breathing