Resources for Journalists

Side-effects of having an mRNA COVID-19 vax and a flu vax at the same time

Publicly released: Sat 16 Jul 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

Having an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and an influenza vaccine at the same time could increase the chances of side-effects, according to an international study of self-reported vaccination data ... The survey Read more about Side-effects of having an mRNA COVID-19 vax and a flu vax at the same time

EXPERT REACTION: Rising COVID-19 cases and reduced restrictions - what's going on?

Publicly released: Fri 15 Jul 2022 at 1128 AEST, 1328 NZST

COVID-19 cases continue to rise across Australia, while mask mandates and other regulations are being removed. ... 2. 75, nicknamed 'Centaurus' contributing to rising cases and evading existing immunity. Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Rising COVID-19 cases and reduced restrictions - what's going on?

COVID-19 pandemic fuels biggest drop in childhood vaccinations in three decades

Publicly released: Fri 15 Jul 2022 at 1045 AEST, 1245 NZST

diseases. The decline was due to many factors including an increased number of children living in conflict and fragile settings where immunization access is often challenging, increased ... The priority Read more about COVID-19 pandemic fuels biggest drop in childhood vaccinations in three decades

Booze offers no health benefits for under 40s, but a small tipple might benefit older Aussies

Publicly released: Fri 15 Jul 2022 at 0945 AEST, 1145 NZST

The Lancet

19 drinks for males and 3. 51 for females). The estimates suggest that small amounts of alcohol consumption in populations over 40 without underlying conditions may be associated with improved health Read more about Booze offers no health benefits for under 40s, but a small tipple might benefit older Aussies

Women in the health and care sector earn 24% less than men

Publicly released: Thu 14 Jul 2022 at 1500 AEST, 1700 NZST

The gender pay gap in the health and care sector: a global analysis in the time of COVID-19 finds that, even with the COVID-19 pandemic and the crucial role ... The COVID-19 pandemic clearly exposed this Read more about Women in the health and care sector earn 24% less than men

Antidepressant one of two drugs ruled out by the WHO for treating mild COVID-19

Publicly released: Thu 14 Jul 2022 at 0801 AEST, 1001 NZST

The BMJ

The antidepressant drug fluvoxamine and the gout drug colchicine should not be used to treat non-severe COVID-19 outside clinical trials, according to updated advice from the World Health ... Fluvoxamine Read more about Antidepressant one of two drugs ruled out by the WHO for treating mild COVID-19

Even after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, in-person activity levels stayed low

Publicly released: Thu 14 Jul 2022 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the U. K. joined many countries in introducing restrictions on people’s movement and social activities to mitigate viral spread. ... the COVID-19 pandemic and related Read more about Even after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, in-person activity levels stayed low

Kids under 6 may have some COVID-19 immunity up to 1 year after infection

Publicly released: Thu 14 Jul 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

Long-Term Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Children, Adults After Mild InfectionJAMA Network Open Original InvestigationAbout JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only Read more about Kids under 6 may have some COVID-19 immunity up to 1 year after infection

Mindfulness training in schools not a cure-all for mental health problems

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jul 2022 at 0830 AEST, 1030 NZST

Evidence Based Mental Health

matched study skills curriculum (225) before the advent of COVID-19, were monitored in the midst of the pandemic to see whether mindfulness training had enabled them to stave off worsening Read more about Mindfulness training in schools not a cure-all for mental health problems

Embrace technology and boost education outcomes

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jul 2022 at 0800 AEST, 1000 NZST

There’s no doubt that education lays the foundation for a child’s future success, but as teaching technologies continue to inundate classrooms - especially amid COVID-19 - educators at all levels Read more about Embrace technology and boost education outcomes

Every 8 minutes, an Aussie is diagnosed with diabetes

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jul 2022 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

Similarly, diabetes was a pre-existing condition in 20% of the 3,600 deaths due to COVID-19 between January 2020 and March 2022. ... Of the 4,700 hospitalisations involving a COVID-19 diagnosis in Read more about Every 8 minutes, an Aussie is diagnosed with diabetes

The WHO's first report on the equitable expansion of genomics

Publicly released: Tue 12 Jul 2022 at 2300 AEST, Wed 13 Jul 22 at 0100 NZST

the COVID-19 pandemic – as well as agriculture, biological research and more. ... It is already clear that genomics can make enormous contributions to human health, from surveying populations for Read more about The WHO's first report on the equitable expansion of genomics

More physical distancing led to less physical activity for kids and teens

Publicly released: Tue 12 Jul 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Pediatrics

Physical distancing measures designed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 also reduced the amount of activity for young people, according to a worldwide review of 22 studies that followed more Read more about More physical distancing led to less physical activity for kids and teens

Blood cancer patients who don't respond to two vaccines can respond to a booster

Publicly released: Mon 11 Jul 2022 at 1701 AEST, 1901 NZST

Cancer

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected in the blood of 181 patients (48%) after initial vaccination with one of three U. ... Tixagevimab and cilgavimab are antibody therapies that bind to Read more about Blood cancer patients who don't respond to two vaccines can respond to a booster

How many Aussies had a short term reaction to their first two COVID-19 vaccines?

Publicly released: Mon 11 Jul 2022 at 0001 AEST, 0201 NZST

Medical Journal of Australia

SAFETY REPORTS IN FOR PFIZER AND ASTRAZENECA VACCINESEMBARGOED UNTIL 12:01am Monday 11 July 2022ACTIVE surveillance by AusVaxSafety has confirmed the short-term safety of the COVID-19 vaccines Read more about How many Aussies had a short term reaction to their first two COVID-19 vaccines?

EXPERT REACTION: 1 in 5 people rely on wild species for income and food

Publicly released: Fri 8 Jul 2022 at 2130 AEST, 2330 NZST

Tourism, based on observing wild species, is one of the main reasons that, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, protected areas globally received 8 billion visitors and generated US$600 billion every Read more about EXPERT REACTION: 1 in 5 people rely on wild species for income and food

Wastewater testing could give us quicker warnings of new COVID-19 variants

Publicly released: Fri 8 Jul 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

Nature

Infectious disease: Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 monitoring reveals early variant transmission Related documents (1) Wastewater-based surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 genomic material can detect changes in the Read more about Wastewater testing could give us quicker warnings of new COVID-19 variants

EXPERT REACTION: 4th dose COVID boosters for the over 30s

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jul 2022 at 1549 AEST, 1749 NZST

Australians over the age of 30 will soon be eligible for a fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine as soon as next week, Health Minister Mark Butler has announced. ... ATAGI specifically recommended people Read more about EXPERT REACTION: 4th dose COVID boosters for the over 30s

Not much COVID-19 appears to have gone undetected in Melbourne's second wave

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jul 2022 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

Testing and tracing was able to pick up most of the COVID-19 circulating in the Melbourne community during the city's second wave in the winter of 2020, according to ... The team tested blood samples from Read more about Not much COVID-19 appears to have gone undetected in Melbourne's second wave

In less than a year, COVID-19 vaccines may have saved 235,000 lives in the US alone

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jul 2022 at 0100 AEST, 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

The team used computer modelling to estimate the number of COVID-19 infections, hospitalisations and deaths prevented by vaccination. ... Estimated Number of COVID-19 Infections, Hospitalizations, Deaths Read more about In less than a year, COVID-19 vaccines may have saved 235,000 lives in the US alone