Resources for Journalists

Half of surveyed renters suffered mental health decline during COVID-19

Publicly released: Fri 4 Dec 2020 at 1400 AEDT | 1600 NZDT

Australian renters have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 facing income loss, the inability to pay rent, tenure insecurity and eviction risk and a new AHURI publication provides a stark Read more about Half of surveyed renters suffered mental health decline during COVID-19

Why does COVID-19 affect some animals, but not others?

Publicly released: Fri 4 Dec 2020 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS Computational Biology

Some animals are more susceptible to COVID-19 than others, and new international research suggests this may be due to distinctive structural features of a protein found on the surface of ... Using Read more about Why does COVID-19 affect some animals, but not others?

EXPERT REACTION: Aussies likely to start COVID-19 vaccinations in March after UK approves Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 1229 AEDT | 1429 NZDT

This follows the news from the UK overnight that they have approved the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID vaccine for emergency use. Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Aussies likely to start COVID-19 vaccinations in March after UK approves Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

Money won't save countries from climate change health harms

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 1030 AEDT | 1230 NZDT

The Lancet

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown what happens when health is affected on a global scale and there is an opportunity for a joint response to the converging crises, according to ... Such a response would Read more about Money won't save countries from climate change health harms

Don't drink the hand sanitiser - it can kill

Publicly released: Wed 2 Dec 2020 at 1030 AEDT | 1230 NZDT

BMJ Evidence Based Medicine

The author says the public is largely unaware of the potential safety hazards of this form of hand hygiene, which has become commonplace in homes, hospitals, schools, workplaces and public venues, Read more about Don't drink the hand sanitiser - it can kill

EXPERT REACTION: Māori and Pacific academics paid and promoted less

Publicly released: Wed 2 Dec 2020 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

MAI Journal

Māori and Pacific women are the most impacted, with a $7,700 pay gap and 65% less likely to be promoted to associate professor or professor. ... The research found the differences could not be explained Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Māori and Pacific academics paid and promoted less

Differences in immunity and blood vessels likely protect children from severe COVID-19

Publicly released: Wed 2 Dec 2020 at 0005 AEDT | 0205 NZDT

Archives of Disease in Childhood

Differences in the immune systems and better blood vessel health were among the factors protecting children from severe COVID-19, according to a new review. Read more about Differences in immunity and blood vessels likely protect children from severe COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2 might enter the brain through your nose

Publicly released: Tue 1 Dec 2020 at 1201 AEDT | 1401 NZDT

Nature Neuroscience

SARS-CoV-2 might enter the brain of people through the nose, according to an autopsy study which may help explain the neurological symptoms such as loss of smell, taste, headache, ... International Read more about SARS-CoV-2 might enter the brain through your nose

EXPERT REACTION: Moderna vaccine reports 100% efficacy against severe COVID

Publicly released: Tue 1 Dec 2020 at 1100 AEDT | 1300 NZDT

The results, based on 30,000 participants, included 196 cases of COVID-19, of which 30 cases were severe. ... The data also suggest the vaccine is 100 per cent effective against severe COVID-19. Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Moderna vaccine reports 100% efficacy against severe COVID

Pets, touch and COVID-19: why our furry friends are lifesavers

Publicly released: Tue 1 Dec 2020 at 0900 AEDT | 1100 NZDT

Journal of Behavioral Economics for Policy

A new study published by University of South Australia researchers points to the lifesaving role that pets have played in 2020 and why governments need to sit up and take notice. Read more about Pets, touch and COVID-19: why our furry friends are lifesavers

Dream a COVID dream: Pandemic stress continues in our sleep

Publicly released: Tue 1 Dec 2020 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS One

The mental suffering we experience during the COVID-19 pandemic is chasing us in our dreams, according to Brazilian researchers. ... The researchers used language processing tools to analyse 239 dream Read more about Dream a COVID dream: Pandemic stress continues in our sleep

HIV in Australia has declined by 12% in the past five years

Publicly released: Tue 1 Dec 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

New HIV data, released today by the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney for World AIDS Day, are a reminder for Australia to sustain its efforts in HIV prevention amidst the ... 19 pandemic. Read more about HIV in Australia has declined by 12% in the past five years

The challenge of communicating disaster risks examined

Publicly released: Mon 30 Nov 2020 at 1358 AEDT | 1558 NZDT

Progress in Disaster Science

and what governments have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. ... The authors call for public-interest media organisations to have viable business models and for students to be taught media literacy in Read more about The challenge of communicating disaster risks examined

Children's Word of the Year - 'virus'

Publicly released: Mon 30 Nov 2020 at 1130 AEDT | 1330 NZDT

Three million Australian schoolchildren’s most-used words in a writing exercise give valuable insights into the minds of school-aged children during the COVID-19 pandemic. ... After a disrupted school Read more about Children's Word of the Year - 'virus'

Has quality suffered in the rush to publish COVID-19 research?

Publicly released: Mon 30 Nov 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

MJA

And far fewer COVID-19 papers covered the 'gold standard' randomised controlled clinical trials, with more focused on smaller case studies, and more opinion pieces and editorials. ... They also found less Read more about Has quality suffered in the rush to publish COVID-19 research?

COVID-19 Peer Hub combats vaccine avoidance amid pandemic

Publicly released: Fri 27 Nov 2020 at 1516 AEDT | 1716 NZDT

UniSA researchers are evaluating a new vaccination education initiative – the COVID-19 Peer Hub – to help immunisation and public health professionals to tackle the emerging dangers of vaccine Read more about COVID-19 Peer Hub combats vaccine avoidance amid pandemic

COVID-19 may hijack our cells' 'good cholesterol' system to spread through the body

Publicly released: Fri 27 Nov 2020 at 1130 AEDT | 1330 NZDT

Nature Metabolism

SARS-CoV-2 may hijack our cells' internal cholesterol processing system to help it spread from cell to cell, according to a Chinese study of cells in a dish. ... They found the SARS-CoV-2 virus bound Read more about COVID-19 may hijack our cells' 'good cholesterol' system to spread through the body

COVID toes may point to an overactive immune response

Publicly released: Thu 26 Nov 2020 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Dermatology

People coming to a clinic with a chilblain-like condition during the COVID-19 pandemic, often called 'COVID toes', have characteristics which indicate an overactive immune response called a type I Read more about COVID toes may point to an overactive immune response

Tackling disadvantaged children's education post-COVID

Publicly released: Thu 26 Nov 2020 at 0101 AEDT | 0301 NZDT

COVID-19 has exposed fault lines in the education system for already disadvantaged students who are more likely to be severely impacted by the pandemic. Read more about Tackling disadvantaged children's education post-COVID

New plant-based gel to fast-track 'mini-organs' growth, improve cancer treatment

Publicly released: Wed 25 Nov 2020 at 1200 AEDT | 1400 NZDT

Advanced Science

Monash University researchers have created the world’s first bioactive plant-based nanocellulose hydrogel to support organoid growth for biomedical applications. ... This includes cancer development and Read more about New plant-based gel to fast-track 'mini-organs' growth, improve cancer treatment