Resources for Journalists

Health leader honoured by bacteria naming

Publicly released: Tue 13 Sep 2022 at 1200 AEST, 1400 NZST

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology

of the COVID-19 pandemic. ... We decided to name the new bacteria after Nicola because she led a science-based strategy to manage the pandemic in South Australia to prevent COVID-19 from spreading before Read more about Health leader honoured by bacteria naming

Experts say access to late terminations in Queensland is vital

Publicly released: Mon 12 Sep 2022 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

Medical Journal of Australia

The most frequent fetal indications for late termination were neurological abnormalities (110 of 305, 36%), aneuploidy or genetic syndromes (67, 22%), and cardiac malformations (59, 19%). ... Equity of Read more about Experts say access to late terminations in Queensland is vital

COVID-19 jabs and boosters are safe for pregnant and lactating people

Publicly released: Fri 9 Sep 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

4%) of whom were lactating, suggests that COVID-19 boosters or third doses are well tolerated by people who are pregnant and lactating. ... The authors say data on COVID-19 vaccine boosters are Read more about COVID-19 jabs and boosters are safe for pregnant and lactating people

COVID-19 jabs with boosters should keep you out of hospital

Publicly released: Fri 9 Sep 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Internal Medicine

When Omicron was the dominant variant in the USA during the early months of 2022 from January to April, COVID-19-associated hospitalisation rates were 10. ... The scientists say this is yet more evidence Read more about COVID-19 jabs with boosters should keep you out of hospital

Which long COVID patients are most likely to lose their sense of smell?

Publicly released: Fri 9 Sep 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

hospitalised during the acute phase of COVID-19. ... of smell, with the highest prevalence among women, adults, and those not hospitalized during the acute phase of COVID-19. Read more about Which long COVID patients are most likely to lose their sense of smell?

Among the vaxxed and boosted, older men are most at risk of death from Omicron

Publicly released: Fri 9 Sep 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

UK scientists say those most at risk of dying from the Omicron variant of COVID-19 despite being double vaxxed and boosted are older men. ... Older men should be considered a priority for COVID-19 Read more about Among the vaxxed and boosted, older men are most at risk of death from Omicron

Could there soon be a nasal spray to help prevent COVID-19 infection?

Publicly released: Thu 8 Sep 2022 at 1127 AEST, 1327 NZST

Theranostics

Lab trial shows a way to block SARS-CoV-2 virus from entering human cellsResearch based on use of an ionised gas that already has several emerging medical usesCould be used ... 2 virus-like nanoparticles Read more about Could there soon be a nasal spray to help prevent COVID-19 infection?

Everyone needs a will but how we make one is changing

Publicly released: Thu 8 Sep 2022 at 1014 AEST, 1214 NZST

Minnesota Journal of International Law

COVID-19 has highlighted the stark reality of the fragility of the human condition and the inevitability of death. ... COVID-related isolation and social distancing have meant that the physical presence Read more about Everyone needs a will but how we make one is changing

Vitamin D supplements don't appear to ward off COVID-19 infection

Publicly released: Thu 8 Sep 2022 at 0830 AEST, 1030 NZST

The BMJ

respiratory infections Two large clinical trials published by The BMJ today show that boosting vitamin D levels in adults during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was not associated with protection against Read more about Vitamin D supplements don't appear to ward off COVID-19 infection

Fixing up Earth crucial to exit COVID-19

Publicly released: Thu 8 Sep 2022 at 0730 AEST, 0930 NZST

The Lancet - Planetary Health

COVID-19, even though the pandemic has exposed socioeconomic disparities and weaknesses in health systems worldwide. ... Exposure to healthy ecosystems can facilitate the transfer of immunoregulatory Read more about Fixing up Earth crucial to exit COVID-19

Climate data could help model the spread of COVID-19

Publicly released: Thu 8 Sep 2022 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

For instance, humidity was positively correlated with COVID-19 spread in the machine learning analysis and negatively correlated in the econometric analysis. ... They point out that this is supported by Read more about Climate data could help model the spread of COVID-19

Morality's role in COVID-19 conspiracies and prevention behaviours

Publicly released: Thu 8 Sep 2022 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

To help clarify the role of morality in COVID-19 conspiracy theories and prevention, Gkinopoulos and colleagues conducted a study of 49,965 adults across 67 countries. ... Statistical analysis of the Read more about Morality's role in COVID-19 conspiracies and prevention behaviours

Psychological distress may make you more susceptible to long COVID

Publicly released: Thu 8 Sep 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Psychiatry

2020, researchers found pre-infection psychological distress, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, worry about COVID-19, loneliness, and perceived stress, was strongly associated with the risk Read more about Psychological distress may make you more susceptible to long COVID

Winter may be over but COVID-19 is not - Aussies urged to get booster for spring and footy finals

Publicly released: Tue 6 Sep 2022 at 1645 AEST, 1845 NZST

The Australian Government data shows that only 71. 6% of eligible Australians aged 16 and over have had three or more doses of COVID-19 vaccines. ... Most of us are not perfect and forget important things Read more about Winter may be over but COVID-19 is not - Aussies urged to get booster for spring and footy finals

Hey Siri - do I have COVID? An app could detect COVID-19 from changes in your voice

Publicly released: Mon 5 Sep 2022 at 0801 AEST, 1001 NZST

European Respiratory Society International Congress

COVID-19 infection usually affects the upper respiratory track and vocal cords, leading to changes in a person’s voice Mobile phone app accurately detects COVID-19 infection in people’s Read more about Hey Siri - do I have COVID? An app could detect COVID-19 from changes in your voice

Serendipitous backyard experiment shines light on producing polymers

Publicly released: Fri 2 Sep 2022 at 1200 AEST, 1400 NZST

Nature Communications

The research, reported in the journal Nature Communications, is a result of a series of factors, including the COVID lockdown which impacted laboratory access, a decision to investigate a waste Read more about Serendipitous backyard experiment shines light on producing polymers

How the gut may help to drive COVID-19

Publicly released: Thu 1 Sep 2022 at 1217 AEST, 1417 NZST

Gut

Many genes linked to COVID-19 were found expressed in the different cell types lining the gut wall but only serotonin cells expressed all three receptors for the virus,” says Professor ... As COVID-19 Read more about How the gut may help to drive COVID-19

More kids left orphaned by COVID-19 in poorer countries

Publicly released: Thu 1 Sep 2022 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS Global Public Health

The authors say that due to pre-existing health and vaccine coverage inequity, more children will suffer the loss of their parents due to COVID-19 in poorer countries. ... We think of COVID-19 as a Read more about More kids left orphaned by COVID-19 in poorer countries

Boosters better for longer in the Omicron era

Publicly released: Thu 1 Sep 2022 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS Medicine

Three COVID-19 vaccines may provide greater protection from COVID-19 infections than twoTwo vaccine doses provide only limited and short-lived protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection with the Omicron Read more about Boosters better for longer in the Omicron era

COVID-19 restrictions in Fiji helped curb the spread of the virus

Publicly released: Wed 31 Aug 2022 at 0901 AEST, 1101 NZST

Royal Society Open Science

The team used a model on national COVID-19 to track how the rate of virus transmission changed over the course of the pandemic. ... The results show that the COVID-19 transmission had the strongest Read more about COVID-19 restrictions in Fiji helped curb the spread of the virus