Resources for Journalists

What is the best COVID policy for Australia in 2023?

Publicly released: Fri 20 Jan 2023 at 1600 AEDT, 1800 NZDT

The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific

respirators). Ongoing vaccinations and earlier public health measures most effective responses to future COVID-19 variants: studyOngoing vaccination and lower thresholds for escalating public health Read more about What is the best COVID policy for Australia in 2023?

How well-protected are you against COVID-19 if you've already had it and been vaccinated?

Publicly released: Thu 19 Jan 2023 at 1437 AEDT, 1637 NZDT

The Lancet Infectious Diseases

People who have both been infected with COVID-19 and vaccinated have sustained protection against hospitalisation and severe disease when going another round with the virus, according to a systematic Read more about How well-protected are you against COVID-19 if you've already had it and been vaccinated?

COVID-19 vaccines may be less effective at neutralising new BQ.1.1 and XBB.1 variants

Publicly released: Thu 19 Jan 2023 at 1412 AEDT, 1612 NZDT

New England Journal of Medicine

1 and XBB. 1 COVID-19 variants than to previous dominant Omicron variants, according to international research. ... The researchers tested the antibody response of a small group of people who had received Read more about COVID-19 vaccines may be less effective at neutralising new BQ.1.1 and XBB.1 variants

Omicron-targeting bivalent boosters could better neutralise COVID-19

Publicly released: Thu 19 Jan 2023 at 0900 AEDT, 1100 NZDT

New England Journal of Medicine

Pfizer's bivalent vaccine targeting Omicron BA. 1 and the original COVID-19 variant can induce higher levels of neutralising antibodies than the original Pfizer vaccine, according to the company's Read more about Omicron-targeting bivalent boosters could better neutralise COVID-19

Climate change could be hurting our brains, too

Publicly released: Thu 19 Jan 2023 at 0600 AEDT, 0800 NZDT

PLOS Climate

With severe climate events such as wildfires and hurricanes expected to increase in the future, studying climate trauma is becoming more important. ... COVID-19 pandemic). Read more about Climate change could be hurting our brains, too

Vaccinations may reduce the risk of long COVID symptoms

Publicly released: Thu 19 Jan 2023 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

COVID-19 Symptoms 6 Months After Onset, Role of Vaccination for SARS-CoV-2 InfectionJAMA Network Open Original InvestigationPersistent COVID-19 Symptoms at 6 Months After Onset and the Role of Read more about Vaccinations may reduce the risk of long COVID symptoms

Reducing new hepatitis C infections through broad access to treatments among people with HIV in five countries

Publicly released: Mon 16 Jan 2023 at 0951 AEDT, 1151 NZDT

eClinicalMedicine

Continued monitoring is warranted, however, because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on incidence trends, and whether DAAs will continue to drive incidence reductions after 2019 is largely Read more about Reducing new hepatitis C infections through broad access to treatments among people with HIV in five countries

Were pregnant women given the information they needed about COVID-19?

Publicly released: Sat 14 Jan 2023 at 0600 AEDT, 0800 NZDT

PLOS ONE

Pregnant women in Australia found it difficult to get the information they needed about COVID-19 during the pandemic, increasing their risk of exposure to misinformation, according to Australian Read more about Were pregnant women given the information they needed about COVID-19?

Convalescent plasma may help immunocompromised COVID-19 patients avoid death

Publicly released: Fri 13 Jan 2023 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

The new research included eight controlled studies and 138 case studies, and found that transfusion of COVID-19 convalescent plasma was linked to a decrease in death risk in ... About The Study: The Read more about Convalescent plasma may help immunocompromised COVID-19 patients avoid death

Antidepressant fluvoxamine does not speed up COVID-19 recovery

Publicly released: Fri 13 Jan 2023 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

JAMA

There were no deaths in either group. These findings suggest fluvoxamine should not be used in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19, the authors conclude. ... These findings do not support the use Read more about Antidepressant fluvoxamine does not speed up COVID-19 recovery

COVID-19 now the 3rd highest cause of death in Australia

Publicly released: Thu 12 Jan 2023 at 1317 AEDT, 1517 NZDT

COVID-19 is now the 3rd highest cause of death in Australia, according to experts from OzSAGE, a broad group of experts looking at the well-being of Aussies before, during ... and after the COVID-19 Read more about COVID-19 now the 3rd highest cause of death in Australia

Most long covid symptoms after a mild infection are gone within a year

Publicly released: Thu 12 Jan 2023 at 1030 AEDT, 1230 NZDT

The BMJ

But the clinical effects of long covid one year after mild infection and their association with age, sex, covid-19 variants, and vaccination status are still unclear. ... Findings were similar across the Read more about Most long covid symptoms after a mild infection are gone within a year

COVID-19 antibody response may not be better after an Omicron-specific booster

Publicly released: Thu 12 Jan 2023 at 0900 AEDT, 1100 NZDT

New England Journal of Medicine

Vaccines designed specifically to target both the original COVID-19 variant and Omicron BA. ... Testing the participants' blood against multiple COVID-19 variants, the researchers say the strongest Read more about COVID-19 antibody response may not be better after an Omicron-specific booster

Paying people to get vaccinated likely not a bad option

Publicly released: Thu 12 Jan 2023 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

Nature

The team offered over 5,000 people in Sweden money to take the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and say that the cash did not affect the timing or ... of a COVID-19 vaccine did not affect the timing or Read more about Paying people to get vaccinated likely not a bad option

Music helped people get through the pandemic with lower stress levels

Publicly released: Wed 11 Jan 2023 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

The researchers say we can learn from this and use music, especially 'happy music', to help us through other stressful periods of our lives. ... About The Study: Listening to music in daily life was Read more about Music helped people get through the pandemic with lower stress levels

A child or young person died once every 4.4 seconds in 2021 – UN report

Publicly released: Tue 10 Jan 2023 at 1101 AEDT, 1301 NZDT

While COVID-19 has not directly increased childhood mortality – with children facing a lower likelihood of dying from the disease than adults – the pandemic may have increased future risks to Read more about A child or young person died once every 4.4 seconds in 2021 – UN report

Aussie year 11s and 12s had high rates of depression during the pandemic, despite few infections

Publicly released: Mon 9 Jan 2023 at 1500 AEDT, 1700 NZDT

Australian Journal of Social Issues

The authors say the mental health problems and poor levels of well-being occurred despite low rates of COVID-19 infection, suggesting that government policy responses contributed to the detrimental Read more about Aussie year 11s and 12s had high rates of depression during the pandemic, despite few infections

3D printing of single atom catalysts

Publicly released: Mon 9 Jan 2023 at 1135 AEDT, 1335 NZDT

Nature Synthesis

The research has been published in Nature Synthesis. The team mailed in samples to the Australian Synchrotron during the COVID lockdown for materials characterisation using the X-ray absorption Read more about 3D printing of single atom catalysts

Job losses increased and families' mental health worsened as Victoria's extended lockdown rolled on

Publicly released: Tue 27 Dec 2022 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

Australian Journal of Social Issues

As Victoria's initial COVID-19 lockdown extended to an ongoing lockdown in 2020, families in Victoria reported further job and income losses, and poorer mental health, according to Australian Read more about Job losses increased and families' mental health worsened as Victoria's extended lockdown rolled on

Merck's COVID-19 drug molnupiravir doesn't reduce deaths or hospitalisations but may speed up recovery

Publicly released: Fri 23 Dec 2022 at 1030 AEDT, 1230 NZDT

The Lancet

Previous studies suggested that molnupiravir is effective at reducing hospital admissions in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 and WHO recommends its use for patients with the highest risk of Read more about Merck's COVID-19 drug molnupiravir doesn't reduce deaths or hospitalisations but may speed up recovery