Resources for Journalists

Rapid infectious disease shifts in Chinese children and adolescents prior to COVID-19

Publicly released: Sat 4 Apr 2020 at 0001 AEDT, 0201 NZDT

BMJ

Deaths of children and adolescents in China due to infectious diseases were becoming rare prior to the covid-19 pandemic, according to a new study. Read more about Rapid infectious disease shifts in Chinese children and adolescents prior to COVID-19

Academies join forces to launch COVID-19 expert database

Publicly released: Fri 3 Apr 2020 at 1430 AEDT, 1630 NZDT

Today, the learned academies of Australia—representing over 3,000 of the nation’s best and most eminent scientists, researchers and other experts—come together to launch a searchable database Read more about Academies join forces to launch COVID-19 expert database

Eliminating COVID-19 in New Zealand: what will it take?

Publicly released: Fri 3 Apr 2020 at 1400 AEDT, 1600 NZDT

New Zealand Medical Journal

New Zealand society has made an unprecedented sacrifice in pursuing an elimination strategy for COVID-19. ... But what will it take to make this strategy effective? In a new editorial, researchers at the Read more about Eliminating COVID-19 in New Zealand: what will it take?

COVID-19 need not be a 1918 repeat

Publicly released: Fri 3 Apr 2020 at 1400 AEDT, 1600 NZDT

New Zealand Medical Journal

New Zealand's leading historian of the 1918 influenza pandemic says history doesn't need to repeat itself, so long as the country continues to respond quickly. ... However, he warns that the pandemic Read more about COVID-19 need not be a 1918 repeat

Face masks won’t help the healthy, but are useful in high risk settings

Publicly released: Fri 3 Apr 2020 at 1300 AEDT, 1500 NZDT

Medical Sciences, to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and other infections. ... The recommendations build on JBI’s COVID-19 Special Collection released last week. Read more about Face masks won’t help the healthy, but are useful in high risk settings

Anti-COVID-19 antimalarial drugs are in short supply

Publicly released: Fri 3 Apr 2020 at 1215 AEDT, 1415 NZDT

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

of Covid-19. ... And their use against COVID-19 would stop patients who need the drugs for other conditions, such as rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, and malaria, from being able to access them, Read more about Anti-COVID-19 antimalarial drugs are in short supply

COVID-19 pandemic set to peak in several days in Australia

Publicly released: Fri 3 Apr 2020 at 1100 AEDT, 1300 NZDT

New edition of data study reveals Australia is nearing the COVID-19 pandemic incidence and prevalence peaks. ... Professor Prokopenko’s team recently found that if 90 percent of the population adopted Read more about COVID-19 pandemic set to peak in several days in Australia

Closing in on COVID-19 vaccine

Publicly released: Fri 3 Apr 2020 at 1100 AEDT, 1300 NZDT

South Australian researchers working with Oracle Cloud technology and vaccine technology developed by local company Vaxine Pty Ltd are testing a vaccine candidate against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus Read more about Closing in on COVID-19 vaccine

Coronavirus/COVID-19 and food safety: your questions answered

Publicly released: Fri 3 Apr 2020 at 0801 AEDT, 1001 NZDT

There is no international evidence that the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19 is transmitted through eating food. ... The Food Safety Information Council has released consumer information about shopping Read more about Coronavirus/COVID-19 and food safety: your questions answered

To flatten the curve, test those without symptoms too

Publicly released: Thu 2 Apr 2020 at 1600 AEDT, 1800 NZDT

MJA

The COVID-19 epidemic will bounce back if we don’t allow wider community testing and test people who don’t have symptoms, Aussie researchers say in a pre-print article ... South Korea and China are Read more about To flatten the curve, test those without symptoms too

NEWS BRIEFING: CSIRO starts testing COVID-19 vaccines

Publicly released: Thu 2 Apr 2020 at 0600 AEDT, 0800 NZDT

CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has commenced the first stage of testing potential vaccines for COVID-19  at its high-containment facility in Geelong. ... Join the briefing to hear from Read more about NEWS BRIEFING: CSIRO starts testing COVID-19 vaccines

‘Tequila’ powered biofuels more efficient than corn or sugar

Publicly released: Thu 2 Apr 2020 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

Journal of Cleaner Production

The agave plant used to make tequila could be established in semi-arid Australia as an environmentally friendly solution to Australia’s transport fuel shortage, a team of researchers at the Read more about ‘Tequila’ powered biofuels more efficient than corn or sugar

How COVID-19 sheds when symptoms are relatively mild

Publicly released: Wed 1 Apr 2020 at 2000 AEDT, 2200 NZDT

Nature

Scientists in Germany have published new findings from their analysis of nine young and middle-aged adults with comparatively mild symptoms of COVID-19. ... The researchers found an infectious form of the Read more about How COVID-19 sheds when symptoms are relatively mild

EXPERT REACTION: Adelaide baggage handlers COVID-19 cluster

Publicly released: Wed 1 Apr 2020 at 1202 AEDT, 1402 NZDT

It has been reported that the coronavirus cluster linked to Qantas baggage handlers at Adelaide Airport continues to grow. ... So, how likely is it that the baggage handlers caught the virus from luggage, Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Adelaide baggage handlers COVID-19 cluster

Are smokers more likely to catch COVID-19?

Publicly released: Wed 1 Apr 2020 at 1000 AEDT, 1200 NZDT

Two UNSW Sydney academics discuss how coronavirus – primarily a respiratory virus – affects smokers. Read more about Are smokers more likely to catch COVID-19?

Was it too soon to suggest Hydroxychloroquine can stop COVID-19?

Publicly released: Tue 31 Mar 2020 at 1325 AEDT, 1525 NZDT

Annals of Internal Medicine

There is no evidence to support the use of the anti-malaria drug Hydroxychloroquine to prevent infection from COVID-19, according to international experts, although they welcome continuing trials of Read more about Was it too soon to suggest Hydroxychloroquine can stop COVID-19?

How do we ration hospital supplies as COVID-19 gets worse?

Publicly released: Tue 31 Mar 2020 at 1220 AEDT, 1420 NZDT

JAMA

As the COVID-19 pandemic intensifies, shortages of ventilators have been a problem in Italy and this is likely to happen elsewhere. ... is ethically problematic, as it may introduce discriminations, and Read more about How do we ration hospital supplies as COVID-19 gets worse?

Can med students help in the flight against coronavirus?

Publicly released: Tue 31 Mar 2020 at 1157 AEDT, 1357 NZDT

MJA

Final year medical students may have a role in the COVD-19 response if they desire, but appropriate legal, operational and training safeguards must be in place, say the Australasian Students’ Read more about Can med students help in the flight against coronavirus?

COVID-19 lingers in poo and spit after throat swabs are clear

Publicly released: Tue 31 Mar 2020 at 1140 AEDT, 1340 NZDT

Annals of Internal Medicine

Chinese scientists say some COVID-19 patients who appear to have cleared the virus based on throat swabs may actually still be harbouring it in their spit and poo. ... Among 133 patients admitted to Read more about COVID-19 lingers in poo and spit after throat swabs are clear

Australia's ICU bed numbers able to nearly triple, but it still may not be enough

Publicly released: Tue 31 Mar 2020 at 1130 AEDT, 1330 NZDT

MJA

invasive ventilators to meet the maximal bed surge that could occur from coronavirus. ... The study, which is yet to be peer reviewed, also found that this would potentially require up to an additional Read more about Australia's ICU bed numbers able to nearly triple, but it still may not be enough