Resources for Journalists

Diabetes drug shortly after infection cuts risk of long COVID by 40%

Publicly released: Fri 9 Jun 2023 at 0830 AEST | 1030 NZST

The Lancet Infectious Diseases

Taking a two-week course of metformin, a safe and affordable diabetes medication after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 leads to 40% fewer long COVID diagnoses over the following 10 ... Previous studies Read more about Diabetes drug shortly after infection cuts risk of long COVID by 40%

Older Australians who coped better mentally during the pandemic were smarter with their money

Publicly released: Fri 9 Jun 2023 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

Among older Australians, those who coped better mentally at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to be making good financial choices, according to Australian research. ... The team Read more about Older Australians who coped better mentally during the pandemic were smarter with their money

COVID-19 can cause brain cells to 'fuse'

Publicly released: Thu 8 Jun 2023 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

Science Advances

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been detected in the brains of people with ‘long COVID’ months after their initial infection. ... SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been Read more about COVID-19 can cause brain cells to 'fuse'

COVID-19 transformed road safety for older Australians

Publicly released: Mon 5 Jun 2023 at 1052 AEST | 1252 NZST

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

crash data before and after COVID-19 to determine the impact of the pandemic on the frequency and location of crashes involving older people. ... Police-reported crash data for the over-65 population in Read more about COVID-19 transformed road safety for older Australians

Focus on the non-health benefits of COVID-19 vaccination to convince people to get their booster

Publicly released: Sat 3 Jun 2023 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

Focusing on the non-health benefits of getting a COVID-19 booster could make vaccine messaging more persuasive, according to Australian research. ... The team recruited about 450 people to view different Read more about Focus on the non-health benefits of COVID-19 vaccination to convince people to get their booster

Parkinson's drug could help slow motor neurone disease progression

Publicly released: Fri 2 Jun 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Cell Stem Cell

While they say many of the patients dropped out of the study - mainly due to COVID-19 - those who continued to receive the treatment saw a slower progression of the disease. ... Many patients dropped out Read more about Parkinson's drug could help slow motor neurone disease progression

EXPERT REACTION: Can garlic fight flu and COVID-19?

Publicly released: Thu 1 Jun 2023 at 1515 AEST | 1715 NZST

Media releases issued by the Australian Garlic Producers Pty Ltd and the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry suggest that new research shows that garlic can kill COVID-19 and flu Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Can garlic fight flu and COVID-19?

EXPERT REACTION: Australia considers ban on ‘high-risk’ uses of AI

Publicly released: Thu 1 Jun 2023 at 1434 AEST | 1634 NZST

The Albanese government is considering a ban on “high-risk” uses of artificial intelligence and automated decision-making, warning of potential harms including the creation of deepfakes and Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Australia considers ban on ‘high-risk’ uses of AI

After two years, one in six people who had COVID-19 before vaccination still report health effects

Publicly released: Thu 1 Jun 2023 at 0830 AEST | 1030 NZST

The BMJ

The team followed a group of 1,106 people who caught the original COVID-19 variant and compared their self-reported symptoms with 628 people who hadn't had the virus ... Their findings are based on 1,106 Read more about After two years, one in six people who had COVID-19 before vaccination still report health effects

Lockdown really made us lose our sense of time

Publicly released: Thu 1 Jun 2023 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

The social isolation resulting from COVID-19 lockdowns significantly impacted people’s activities and emotions, and prior research has shown that the pandemic triggered distortions in people’s Read more about Lockdown really made us lose our sense of time

Fish were the most widely used animals in New Zealand research in 2021

Publicly released: Wed 31 May 2023 at 1650 AEST | 1850 NZST

The figures show that 309,872 animals were used in 2021, an increase from 245,522 used in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020. ... This is an increase from 245,522 used in the first year of the Read more about Fish were the most widely used animals in New Zealand research in 2021

Social networks the key to water management & sanitation in the Pacific

Publicly released: Wed 31 May 2023 at 1337 AEST | 1537 NZST

Water Policy

lead author Dr Mark Love, a research fellow at the International WaterCentre and the Australian Rivers Institute. ... For example, Facebook ‘live’ information discussions have been proactively used Read more about Social networks the key to water management & sanitation in the Pacific

Sourdough or #sourfaux?

Publicly released: Wed 31 May 2023 at 0900 AEST | 1100 NZST

International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition

Sourdough has had a renaissance in Australia in recent years. This has been partly driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown baking; from March to April 2020, Google searches for ... Grafenauer says. Read more about Sourdough or #sourfaux?

Has the pandemic changed our drinking habits?

Publicly released: Wed 31 May 2023 at 0300 AEST | 0500 NZST

Drug and Alcohol Review

Adult men and those aged 35 or over were most likely to increase their alcohol consumption during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Australian and international researchers Read more about Has the pandemic changed our drinking habits?

Sleeping well linked to a lower risk of long COVID

Publicly released: Wed 31 May 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

The team looked at 1,979 women who reported testing positive for COVID-19, and gave them a pre-pandemic sleep score of 0-5 based on a number of factors ... They found those with a pre-pandemic sleep score Read more about Sleeping well linked to a lower risk of long COVID

Over 250,000 COVID-19-related hospitalisations recorded across 2021-2022

Publicly released: Wed 31 May 2023 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

3% required ventilation and 2% died in hospital. The report says about 1 in five COVID-19-related hospitalisations were in patients with at least one other chronic health condition. ... 3% required Read more about Over 250,000 COVID-19-related hospitalisations recorded across 2021-2022

COVID-19 vaccine builds powerful immune response in First Nations peoples

Publicly released: Tue 30 May 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Nature Immunology

An Australian study has shown that vaccination against COVID-19 elicits an effective immune response in First Nations peoples, who are at higher risk of respiratory virus infections. ... We found Read more about COVID-19 vaccine builds powerful immune response in First Nations peoples

New compounds give important pandemic therapeutic option

Publicly released: Wed 24 May 2023 at 0600 AEST | 0800 NZST

Clinical & Translational Immunology

the ability of influenza virus to replicate in the lung, and protect against damaging inflammation. ... damaging. ” A/Prof Tate said. COVID-19 has shown us the damage that can be done by out-of-control Read more about New compounds give important pandemic therapeutic option

Rental housing standards a threat to resident health and wellbeing

Publicly released: Mon 22 May 2023 at 1230 AEST | 1430 NZST

Regional Studies, Regional Science

Prior to COVID-19, research found an estimated one million Australians were living in poor to very poor housing. ... Dr Daniel says rising interest rates and other factors are likely to have drastically Read more about Rental housing standards a threat to resident health and wellbeing