While Canada has done well compared to countries like the U.S. and the U.K. in containing COVID-19, rates of infection and deaths are higher than in many similar western democracies. Why?
Too many people are going out with COVID-19 symptoms or while awaiting a test result, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said, after the state hit a bleak new record of 484 new cases.
For the vast majority of people, no — you don’t need a referral to get tested at dedicated public COVID-19 testing clinic. It’s different if you plan to get tested at a private pathology clinic.
If you’ve got a test but haven’t heard back, it’s possible the delay is caused by test samples needing to be taken to interstate labs and the huge scale of testing underway.
Michael Plank, University of Canterbury; Alex James, University of Canterbury; Audrey Lustig, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research; Nicholas Steyn, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Rachelle Binny, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, and Shaun Hendy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Our new modelling shows the risk of an infectious person slipping through New Zealand’s border undetected is very low — likely to happen only once over the next 18 months.
Melbourne isn’t the only place suffering under a second lockdown. It’s happening across the world as the virus surges in countries that were initially successful in flattening the curve.
Deborah Williamson, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity; Allen Cheng, Monash University, and Sharon Lewin, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
Saliva testing is less sensitive than a nasal swab. But in the midst of a public health crisis, in some cases a test with slightly reduced sensitivity may be better than no test at all.
Michael Plank, University of Canterbury; Alex James, University of Canterbury; Audrey Lustig, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research; Nicholas Steyn, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Rachelle Binny, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, and Shaun Hendy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
There’s now a 95% chance COVID-19 has been eliminated in NZ, according to our modelling. But as NZ prepares to remove limits on large gatherings, it increases the risk of a very large new outbreak.
Vietnam is one of the poorest nations in Asia, yet it has had remarkably few Covid-19 cases. In part, the country’s limited resources led to a cautious, proactive approach.
Testing for coronavirus has been a fiasco in the US. But now companies are developing super fast tests, including ones that might eventually be as simple as at home pregnancy tests.
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is currently detected using invasive nasal swabs. But the virus is also present in saliva, potentially paving the way for cheaper, safer tests that people could do at home.
Test, trace, maintain social distance, and keep travel bans and quarantines in place. These measures will help Australia keep the coronavirus in check as we gradually emerge from lockdown hibernation.