Resources for Journalists

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

US COVID-19 cases may be more than double the number reported

Publicly released: Wed 17 Mar 2021 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

US researchers looked for COVID-19 antibodies in a sample of 61,910 people who did not think they had caught the virus, and say their findings suggest the number of ... Of the 61,910 participants, 4,094 Read more about US COVID-19 cases may be more than double the number reported

Second-wave COVID mortality dropped markedly in (most) wealthier zones

Publicly released: Wed 17 Mar 2021 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

Chaos

Mathematical analysis of COVID-19 mortality rates in the United States and Europe shows that death rates dropped considerably in the more wealthy European countries and northeastern US states. Read more about Second-wave COVID mortality dropped markedly in (most) wealthier zones

Safety signs help little penguin colony

Publicly released: Tue 16 Mar 2021 at 1425 AEDT, 1625 NZDT

Ibis: International Journal of Avian Science

Specifically, disturbances at night increased from less than 2% of the monitored nights before 2016 to more than 20% of the nights in 2017 and onwards. ... Compiling data about the penguins had been Read more about Safety signs help little penguin colony

EXPERT REACTION: Should Australia suspend use of the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine?

Publicly released: Tue 16 Mar 2021 at 1145 AEDT, 1345 NZDT

Several European countries, including Germany and France, have now suspended use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine after reports of blood clots. ... For comments from experts in other countries see Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Should Australia suspend use of the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine?

80% of older Australians at risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19

Publicly released: Tue 16 Mar 2021 at 0936 AEDT, 1136 NZDT

Australian Journal of General Practice

People with high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and cancer are more vulnerable to poor outcomes if they contract COVID-19 and having more than one of these conditions increases the Read more about 80% of older Australians at risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19

UK variant of Covid-19 linked to higher risk of death

Publicly released: Tue 16 Mar 2021 at 0848 AEDT, 1048 NZDT

Nature

implications for the future of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and efforts to curtail it. ... Nicholas Davies and colleagues analysed a database of 2,245,263 positive SARS-CoV-2 community test results Read more about UK variant of Covid-19 linked to higher risk of death

Could a virtual Bluetooth virus help us track COVID-19 more accurately?

Publicly released: Sat 13 Mar 2021 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

Patterns

A virtual virus that spreads anonymously between our phones via Bluetooth could help provide more accurate estimates of COVID-19 infections, according to US and Aussie researchers. ... Using artificial Read more about Could a virtual Bluetooth virus help us track COVID-19 more accurately?