Super-spreader events typically have the ‘three Vs" in common: indoor venues, poor ventilation and vocalisation. But many buildings frequented by the public lack ventilation or the means to monitor it.
Over US$12 trillion of COVID-19 relief has been promised. If a small portion was put toward economy-boosting green investments, the world could get on track to avoid the worst of climate change.
Moderna’s shot is far easier to store and distribute than Pfizer’s. But there are concerns neither vaccine performs particularly well for older people.
While Chief Scientist Alan Finkel’s review of contact tracing only briefly mentions digital methods, it’s crucial Australia invests in an automated system.
Academics and others concerned with benefitting from peer professional collaboration can use COVID-19 disruptions as an opportunity to improve conferences through smart design.
In the current pandemic, finding the right balance between the protection of public health and respecting civil liberties has proven to be supremely difficult.
South Australia’s COVID cluster is disappointing after a long stretch of no community transmission. Now we need to act to stop it growing exponentially.
To navigate the toughest phase of their careers, junior academics need to know more than how to write research papers and apply for grants. Structured mentoring, based on their input, is a huge help.
Distributing a vaccine is a bit like boarding a plane — we can’t all board at the same time. So who gets priority? There are a few reasons we should consider vaccinating older people first.
There’s no guarantee future COVID-19 vaccines will work in the elderly. So we can consider vaccinating the young first to protect them. Here’s what we need to work out first.
The federal government has concluded a $1 billion agreement for a new high-tech manufacturing facility in Melbourne which would produce pandemic influenza vaccines as well as antivenoms.
Aïssatou Aïcha Sow, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS)
Canada has set aside a total of 414 million doses of different types of vaccine. Some exploit known mechanisms, others are based on previously untested approaches.
Biden will begin his presidency in the midst of a global public health crisis that’s already killed over 240,000 people in the US alone. His team is already planning how to get COVID-19 under control.
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne