Resources for Journalists

Australian Long COVID response lagging

Publicly released: Thu 5 Oct 2023 at 0900 AEDT | 1100 NZDT

Public Health Reviews

Co-lead author Associate Professor Zhen Zheng highlighted that while early investigation at week four after contracting COVID-19 is recommended by the Australian, UK and US guidelines, this is not Read more about Australian Long COVID response lagging

When cells go boom: revealing an inflammation-causing gene carried by millions

Publicly released: Tue 3 Oct 2023 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

Nature Communications

In the future researchers hope to pinpoint the genetic changes that might mean someone is more likely to have a severe case of COVID-19, or less likely to bounce back ... 1038/s41467-023-41724-6). The Read more about When cells go boom: revealing an inflammation-causing gene carried by millions

Believers in COVID-19 misinformation more likely to use discredited treatments

Publicly released: Sat 30 Sep 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0400 NZDT

JAMA Health Forum

People who believe COVID-19 misinformation, distrust western medicine, believe in conspiracy theories, and get their news from sources that have promoted COVID-19 misinformation are the most likely Read more about Believers in COVID-19 misinformation more likely to use discredited treatments

Prevention better than cure in race to slash rates of TB

Publicly released: Wed 27 Sep 2023 at 1400 AEST | 1700 NZDT

eClinical Medicine

worldwide, particularly in the wake of disruptions to health care caused by the COVID-19 pandemicIt is estimated that more than a quarter of the world’s population has latent TB ... Mr Liyew said Read more about Prevention better than cure in race to slash rates of TB

COVID-19 first infectious disease in top 5 causes of death since 1970

Publicly released: Wed 27 Sep 2023 at 1350 AEST | 1650 NZDT

COVID-19 was among the top ten leading causes of death in all states and territories in 2022, ranging from the third leading cause in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia ... Broken down by sex, we Read more about COVID-19 first infectious disease in top 5 causes of death since 1970

EXPERT REACTION: hMPV on the rise in Australia

Publicly released: Wed 27 Sep 2023 at 1345 AEST | 1645 NZDT

Human metapneumovirus or hMPV is a virus you have likely never heard of, but it is currently spreading quickly across NSW, having already infected over 1000 people in the last two ... weeks. Below, Read more about EXPERT REACTION: hMPV on the rise in Australia

EXPERT REACTION: Overly broad definitions and pitfalls may plague 'long COVID' research

Publicly released: Tue 26 Sep 2023 at 0830 AEST | 1130 NZDT

BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine

for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), and the Royal College of General Practitioners requires a causal link between the virus responsible for COVID Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Overly broad definitions and pitfalls may plague 'long COVID' research

COVID-19 antiviral drug may be driving changes in the virus itself

Publicly released: Tue 26 Sep 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0400 NZDT

Nature

Searching through more than 15 million SARS-CoV-2 virus genomes, the researchers found specific mutations occurring from 2022, after the introduction of molnupiravir treatment. ... COVID-19: Molnupiravir Read more about COVID-19 antiviral drug may be driving changes in the virus itself

COVID-19 payments helped disadvantaged Aussies with drug problems to pay bills and feel 'normal'

Publicly released: Fri 22 Sep 2023 at 0300 AEST | 0500 NZST

Australian Journal of Social Issues

Interviews with a small group of people in Victoria who inject drugs or use methamphetamine suggest that the extra social security payments and homelessness initiative during COVID-19 helped give Read more about COVID-19 payments helped disadvantaged Aussies with drug problems to pay bills and feel 'normal'

New nanopore tech for quicker, more thorough mRNA quality checks

Publicly released: Thu 21 Sep 2023 at 1900 AEST | 2100 NZST

Nature Communications

This approach promises to simplify and better ensure the quality of manufactured mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics worldwide. ... The recent success of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines had focused considerable Read more about New nanopore tech for quicker, more thorough mRNA quality checks

EXPERT REACTION: Government announces 12-month inquiry into Australia's COVID-19 response

Publicly released: Thu 21 Sep 2023 at 1030 AEST | 1230 NZST

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a nationwide inquiry into Australia's COVID-19 pandemic response today. ... The inquiry will be led by economist Angela Jackson, epidemiologist Catherine Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Government announces 12-month inquiry into Australia's COVID-19 response

First Nations people appear to have similar COVID-19 immune response to non-Indigenous Australians

Publicly released: Wed 20 Sep 2023 at 0300 AEST | 0500 NZST

Immunology & Cell Biology

First Nations people have a COVID-19 mortality rate 1. 6 times higher than the general population, so researchers investigated whether there were immunological differences contributing to this. Read more about First Nations people appear to have similar COVID-19 immune response to non-Indigenous Australians

Exercise-based rehabilitation might help patients with Long COVID

Publicly released: Wed 20 Sep 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

Breathing exercises and other exercise-based rehabilitation could improve life for patients suffering from post-COVID-19 conditions. ... The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest Read more about Exercise-based rehabilitation might help patients with Long COVID

Practising mindfulness can help rewire the brains of anxious pre-teens

Publicly released: Tue 19 Sep 2023 at 1500 AEST | 1700 NZST

Brain Imaging and Behaviour, Psychiatric Research

program. Parents also completed surveys. “The results were particularly interesting because half of the participants completed their second assessment during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Read more about Practising mindfulness can help rewire the brains of anxious pre-teens

Cancer drug may conquer COVID-19 inflammation as animal and tissue tests show promise

Publicly released: Mon 18 Sep 2023 at 2000 AEST | 2200 NZST

Nature Communications

The body’s inflammatory response to infection is important in controlling viruses, such as SARS-CoV- 2, the virus that causes COVID-19, but when inflammation gets out of control the ... FactsCOVID-19 Read more about Cancer drug may conquer COVID-19 inflammation as animal and tissue tests show promise

Predicting events with the help of machine learning

Publicly released: Fri 15 Sep 2023 at 1400 AEST | 1600 NZST

eBioMedicine

The team’s paper, published in eBioMedicine, reports that the resulting human-machine hybrid model and was more accurate than humans alone  for predicting COVID-19-related events. ... The COVID-19 Read more about Predicting events with the help of machine learning

Using tobacco and cannabis together linked to anxiety and depression

Publicly released: Thu 14 Sep 2023 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

High rates of depression and anxiety in people who use both tobacco and cannabisAmong more than 50,000 COVID-19 Citizen Science Study participants, around a quarter of users of both ... In the new study, Read more about Using tobacco and cannabis together linked to anxiety and depression

Having a flu shot alongside a COVID-19 vaccine does not appear to weaken either

Publicly released: Sat 9 Sep 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

4/BA. 5 bivalent COVID-19 vaccine or both at the same time by giving them a questionnaire about their post-vaccine symptoms, and testing the antibody responses in their blood. ... or to more frequent Read more about Having a flu shot alongside a COVID-19 vaccine does not appear to weaken either

Labour laws need updating now remote work is here to stay

Publicly released: Fri 8 Sep 2023 at 1044 AEST | 1244 NZST

Australia’s employment laws and regulations must be updated to reflect the changing nature of work, with many people continuing to work from home long after the COVID-19 pandemic. ... with a job Read more about Labour laws need updating now remote work is here to stay