The fines for failing to wear a mask during Melbourne’s lockdown have been criticised as ‘punitive’. But the fact that masks are cheap or free, with huge public health benefits, makes it justifiable.
There’s no indication that handling cash increases your chance of catching COVID-19. But that hasn’t stopped countries around the world from looking at digital currencies.
The best option is for infected people to be admitted to hospitals or other suitable health facilities. This will help prevent transmission within families.
As Melbourne returns to lockdown, the evidence suggests routine mask-wearing - as seen in many countries but not so far in Australia - could be a valuable tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Australia’s COVID-19 response was bettered only by South Korea and Latvia, according to a new United Nations report. Just don’t ask how we’re doing on climate and sustainability.
The coronavirus has produced uncertainty and increased our anxiety correspondingly. Mindfulness offers a way to reduce this stress and connect with each other during times of complex challenges.
Public housing towers in Flemington and North Melbourne have been placed under ‘hard lockdown’, with 3,000 residents confined to home for at least five days, after 23 COVID-19 cases in 12 homes.
As the United States risks prompting a bidding war for coronavirus drugs, can the world show solidarity over equitable access to medicines? And is remdesivir any use against COVID-19 anyway?
Either the state government’s measures will wrest back control of the outbreak, or unbridled community transmission could mean infection rates get totally out of control.
Despite disappointing download numbers and almost zero success in tracing COVID-19 infections, Australia is persisting with the COVIDSafe app, while the rest of the world embraces the ‘Gapple’ model.
Australian Bureau of Statistics figures suggest there have been more than 800 ‘excess deaths’ in Australia in January-March 2020, relative to the average, but only 103 confirmed COVID-19 deaths so far.
While those of us from Australia and New Zealand might be starting to relax as restrictions ease, the pandemic is actually growing at an increasing rate worldwide.
The coronavirus has affected almost every country in the world, but there are major differences in how health data is being reported. Politics often dictates how the data is shared.
Smart city solutions have proved handy for curbing the contagion, but recent experience has also shown how much they rely on public trust. And that in turn depends on transparency and robust safeguards
Distancing rules will make life very difficult for smaller bars, cafes and restaurants. Our streets can be modified quickly to help save an important part of the life of cities and their economies.