Resources for Journalists

Participants needed for clinical trial to test drug treatment for dementia

Publicly released: Thu 20 Oct 2022 at 1100 AEDT, 1300 NZDT

You are only able to come onsite if you:are feeling well and do not have a fever, a cough, sore throat, shortness of breath or other COVID-19 or respiratory ... dayshave not been diagnosed with COVID-19 Read more about Participants needed for clinical trial to test drug treatment for dementia

Heart problems after mRNA vaccination and after COVID-19 likely have similar cause

Publicly released: Thu 20 Oct 2022 at 0500 AEDT, 0700 NZDT

JACC: Basic to Translational Science

The mechanisms behind myocarditis or other rare heart problems following mRNA vaccination and similar heart problems following a COVID-19 infection may be the same, according to international Read more about Heart problems after mRNA vaccination and after COVID-19 likely have similar cause

How a country looks after its old people affects how many excess deaths COVID-19 has caused

Publicly released: Thu 20 Oct 2022 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

Countries with aging populations are likely to have seen fewer excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic if their older people have a generally higher life expectancy, according to international Read more about How a country looks after its old people affects how many excess deaths COVID-19 has caused

Under 5s' symptoms after Pfizer COVID-19 jab similar to vaccines for other conditions

Publicly released: Wed 19 Oct 2022 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

The symptoms reported in kids under five after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are comparable overall to those for approved non–SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, according to German and Read more about Under 5s' symptoms after Pfizer COVID-19 jab similar to vaccines for other conditions

Around 1-in-4 Omicron patients return a positive RAT after 7 days in iso

Publicly released: Wed 19 Oct 2022 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

be sufficient to prevent the ongoing spread of COVID-19, the scientists say. ... They suggest people with COVID-19 wait until they return a negative RAT test before mingling with others. Read more about Around 1-in-4 Omicron patients return a positive RAT after 7 days in iso

Monkeypox conspiracies are rife on TikTok

Publicly released: Wed 19 Oct 2022 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

Between them, the conspiracy videos had clocked up nearly 1. 5m views, 74,328 likes, 7,890 comments, and 13,783 shares. ... Some of the most popular theories were that monkeypox was deliberately Read more about Monkeypox conspiracies are rife on TikTok

1 in 6 younger Australians live in poverty - Why don't we care?

Publicly released: Tue 18 Oct 2022 at 1141 AEDT, 1341 NZDT

Youth

early phase of COVID-19 (though once again families with children benefited to a lesser degree than some other groups). ... Coram, V. (2022) Perceptions of intergenerational inequality in policymaking and Read more about 1 in 6 younger Australians live in poverty - Why don't we care?

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the obesity epidemic

Publicly released: Tue 18 Oct 2022 at 1001 AEDT, 1201 NZDT

The International Congress on Obesity

The Global Syndemic of obesity, undernutrition and climate change – made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, ignored at COP26, and fizzled out at the UN Food Systems Summit · The COVID pandemic Read more about The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the obesity epidemic

The start of the COVID-19 pandemic increased anxiety and depression

Publicly released: Tue 18 Oct 2022 at 0800 AEDT, 1000 NZDT

Annals of Internal Medicine

International scientists, including Australians, reviewed 43 previous studies, including a total of 331,628 people, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding that anxiety and depression Read more about The start of the COVID-19 pandemic increased anxiety and depression

How life expectancy has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began

Publicly released: Tue 18 Oct 2022 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

Nature Human Behaviour

1. COVID-19: Changes in life expectancy since COVID-19 Following a global decline in life expectancy in 2020, seven countries in Western Europe saw an incomplete but significant increase in Read more about How life expectancy has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began

Long COVID is likely to strain healthcare systems around the world

Publicly released: Mon 17 Oct 2022 at 1501 AEDT, 1701 NZDT

CMAJ

Long COVID implications: increased health care use after infection with SARS-CoV-2 A large study on the impact of long COVID found increased rates of health system use 2 months ... Researchers looked at Read more about Long COVID is likely to strain healthcare systems around the world

New way to prevent heart complications in children

Publicly released: Mon 17 Oct 2022 at 1430 AEDT, 1630 NZDT

Arthritis & Rheumatology

The specific cause of KD is unknown, but it is generally accepted that infections with common respiratory viruses, including coronavirus, can trigger the disease. ... Funding support for the research was Read more about New way to prevent heart complications in children

Viral infections are less frequent but more severe in people with Down Syndrome

Publicly released: Sat 15 Oct 2022 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

Immunity

Increased rates of hospitalization of people with Down syndrome have been documented for influenza A virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome due to coronavirus Read more about Viral infections are less frequent but more severe in people with Down Syndrome

How did COVID-19 impact Aussies' wellbeing?

Publicly released: Fri 14 Oct 2022 at 1115 AEDT, 1315 NZDT

PLOS ONE

The team suggests this is likely due to the different COVID-19 circumstances at the time, with the survey coming before Australia saw high cases, and while France still had heavy Read more about How did COVID-19 impact Aussies' wellbeing?

Europe experienced a 14% decrease in babies born nine months after the start of COVID-19

Publicly released: Fri 14 Oct 2022 at 1005 AEDT, 1205 NZDT

Human Reproduction

Europe saw a 14% decrease in live births in January 2021, just nine to ten months after the first peak of the COVID-19 epidemic and the first lockdowns, compared to ... They looked at data from 24 Read more about Europe experienced a 14% decrease in babies born nine months after the start of COVID-19

New Fellows elected to Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences

Publicly released: Thu 13 Oct 2022 at 1800 AEDT, 2000 NZDT

As an immunologist, and NHMRC Leadership Fellow, Professor Yu is Chair in Paediatric Immunotherapy and the inaugural director of the Ian Frazer Centre for Children's Immunotherapy Research at The Read more about New Fellows elected to Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences

National action needed to fast-track life-saving discoveries and back evidence-based healthcare

Publicly released: Thu 13 Oct 2022 at 1045 AEDT, 1245 NZDT

The rapid development of COVID vaccines has saved thousands of lives in Australia and many millions around the world. ... In response to COVID it rapidly scaled up and guided clinicians worldwide on the Read more about National action needed to fast-track life-saving discoveries and back evidence-based healthcare

Working from home usually boosts productivity, but less so during the pandemic

Publicly released: Thu 13 Oct 2022 at 0500 AEDT, 0700 NZDT

PLOS ONE

Working from home can often boost productivity but this was less likely to be the case during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a review by Australian and international researchers. ... The team chose Read more about Working from home usually boosts productivity, but less so during the pandemic

Lockdowns may have impeded pandemic babies’ social skills

Publicly released: Wed 12 Oct 2022 at 0930 AEDT, 1130 NZDT

Archives of Disease in Childhood

The enforced isolation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns may have impeded the social communication skills of babies born during these periods, according to Irish scientists. ... Before the advent Read more about Lockdowns may have impeded pandemic babies’ social skills

How common is Long COVID?

Publicly released: Tue 11 Oct 2022 at 1100 AEDT, 1300 NZDT

JAMA

2 million individuals (from 22 countries) who had symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in 2020 and 2021 and survived the acute phase, an estimated 6. ... onset. The risk of Long COVID was greater in females Read more about How common is Long COVID?