While restrictions on civil and political liberties may be necessary to protect lives, human rights law requires that they go no further than what’s strictly necessary to achieve this goal.
Tazreena Sajjad, American University School of International Service
A scholar who spent time in refugee camps argues that Bangladesh’s culture as well as a painful history of a war in which 10 million sought refuge played a role in the country’s opening up of its borders.
The government has brought forward planned future tax cuts. And while some say we shouldn’t be cutting taxes during a recession, the plan has its merits.
Coronavirus has dealt a blow to the already overburdened Victorian criminal court system, meaning hundreds — if not more — face extensive delays for their day in court.
Teaching loads, family responsibilities and lack of research resources and mentors have hampered the progress of women in universities. And when the pandemic hit, it made the situation worse.
Michael Musker, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute
For many of us, becoming ill with a virus might put us on the couch for a week or two. But for some people, contracting a viral infection can cause lifelong debilitating symptoms.
Cinemas have survived threats before. But the pandemic shutdown might speed up the shift to short theatre runs or take us back to the old studio-style monopolies.
Experiments in college classrooms show how tiny respiratory droplets known as aerosols can spread, even with good ventilation. The risk isn’t the same in every seat.
As a zoonotic virus, COVID-19 is itself a symptom of human-influenced climate change. It is also indicative of the humanitarian impact of future environmental crises.
Because dramatic tension fuels attention, Trump’s words work to generate tension, anxiety and conflict. We need to react with civility, care and calm to undo the cycle of attention and persuasion.
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne
Dean Faculty of Health Sciences and Professor of Vaccinology at University of the Witwatersrand; and Director of the SAMRC Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand