News Articles
COVID-19 patients who have recovered can donate their plasma to help create new virus treatment
Date of Posting: 06-05-2020
People who have recovered from COVID-19 in Australia can donate their plasma to contribute to the development of a potentially lifesaving treatment. Australians who have recovered from coronavirus will soon be able to donate their plasma to help c Read More...
A new volunteering website created amid COVID-19
Date of Posting: 06-05-2020
Community-minded people who want to help others affected by COVID-19 can now sign up to a volunteering website. A new volunteering website has been launched to help people link up with charities, NGOs and councils in need of support amid the coron Read More...
Psychological impact of COVID-19 on Australia's elite athletes
Date of Posting: 06-05-2020
Experts say the psychological impact of COVID-19 has been compounded for Australia's elite athletes. As a deadly virus crept across the globe, Australia's elite athletes were charging towards their prime on the world stage.[subscribe] B Read More...
How strong is your mental imagery?
Date of Posting: 06-05-2020
Highly excitable brain neurons in the visual cortex may reduce a person’s ability to visualise things clearly, neuroscience study finds. The strength of a person’s mental imagery – their ability to picture something in their mind Read More...
People with coronavirus are at risk of blood clots and strokes. Here's what we know so far
Last Updated: 06-05-2020
As well as causing severe respiratory problems, there is mounting evidence COVID-19 causes abnormalities in blood clotting. Patients with severe COVID-19 infection appear to be at greater risk of developing blood clots in the veins and arteries. Read More...
Doulas essential to support midwives in the hospital system
Date of Posting: 06-05-2020
Australia’s only not-for-profit dedicated to providing continuous support for pregnant women – Birth for Humankind – is calling for more support for their community doula program, which assists Australian midwives and pregnant women Read More...
Liver surgery success boosted by growth hormone
Date of Posting: 06-05-2020
Growth hormone has been identified as playing a key role in reducing inflammation and increasing survival rates following liver surgery. Researchers at The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute investigated how the body’s growth horm Read More...
Gene research could lead to cancer breakthrough
Date of Posting: 06-05-2020
New research by scientists at The Australian National University (ANU) will help us better understand rare forms of cancer. Professor Eduardo Eyras and his team have developed a tool to study how cells function in a type of brain tumou Read More...
Australian researchers trials converted snorkel masks
Date of Posting: 05-05-2020
Monash University is researching whether snorkel masks could be used in the fight to protect health workers from contracting the coronavirus. Adapted recreational snorkel masks will be trialled by Australian researchers as a way of reducing the sp Read More...
New survey reveals disability staff feel unsafe amid COVID-19
Last Updated: 05-05-2020
Disability support workers have had poor access to personal protective equipment and other health precautions during the pandemic, a new survey reveals. Disability workers do not have access to personal protective equipment and have been feeling u Read More...
RACGP helping Australians understand and download COVIDSafe
Date of Posting: 04-05-2020
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is helping Australians understand why the COVID-Safe application is safe, how it works and what people need to do to play their part in combating COVID-19. The COVIDSafe Fact Sheet prov Read More...
ANU helps make protective equipment for health workers
Date of Posting: 04-05-2020
The Australian National University (ANU) is helping to ensure health workers have adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) amid the coronavirus pandemic, by coordinating the production of thousands of face shields and masks. The AN Read More...
Spatial distancing rules for health workers may be insufficient
Last Updated: 01-05-2020
Current advice for COVID-19 health workers is based on the assumption that droplets bearing the virus travel no further than 2 metres and do not remain in the air. The body of published evidence suggests otherwise. Healthcare workers are advised t Read More...
Australian with severe asthma will have access to a self-injecting pen
Date of Posting: 01-05-2020
The Morrison government has added a self-administering pen to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, saving patients with severe asthma thousands of dollars. Australians living with severe asthma will have access to a cheaper home treatment when a se Read More...
Should I drop my private health insurance during the pandemic?
Last Updated: 30-04-2020
Many Australians, especially those experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19, are asking whether they can afford to keep their private health insurance. Others don’t know if they should drop or downgrade their cover, espec Read More...
Lessons from COVID-19 to future-proof the mental health system
Date of Posting: 30-04-2020
Just as the COVID crisis is effecting large scale change across of our work and home lives so too is it impacting every aspect of the mental health system. According to the President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Read More...
Profiting from the pandemic: Fake vaccines and PPE flood the dark web
Last Updated: 30-04-2020
Vendors on the dark web are selling Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and drugs marketed as coronavirus vaccines or cures at high cost, according to a new study from The Australian National University (ANU). Commissioned by the Australian Read More...
RACGP urges Australians to download the COVID-19 tracing app
Date of Posting: 30-04-2020
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is urging Australians to download the COVID-19 tracing application “COVIDSafe”. RACGP President Dr Harry Nespolon said that the contact tracing app will make a real differen Read More...
Self-compassion key in difficult times
Date of Posting: 30-04-2020
Practising self-compassion during distressing moments can have positive effects on the brain and body, according to research from The University of Queensland. PhD candidate Jeffrey Kim said the findings were critical in the current climate, with Read More...
Nursing home operators beg for extra funding
Date of Posting: 30-04-2020
Aged care operators around Australia have issued a joint statement, calling for more federal funding to allow them to keep residents safe amid coronavirus. Aged care providers are begging for more federal government funding to help them survive th Read More...
BreastScreen SA services will resume
Date of Posting: 30-04-2020
BreastScreen SA will resume services at four metropolitan screening clinics, with new X-ray machines installed, after coronavirus restrictions were eased. South Australian women due for a mammogram will have access to the latest X-ray technology a Read More...
Australian elderly to get free bank debit cards
Date of Posting: 29-04-2020
The nation's banks will send debit cards directly to more than 500,000 Australians who don't have them and have previously relied on cash or EFTPOS payments. Some half a million Australians who don't have debit cards and can't use Read More...
Queensland COVID-19 vaccine shows promise
Date of Posting: 29-04-2020
Early tests of the University of Queensland's COVID-19 vaccine have shown it can raise high levels of antibodies that can neutralise the deadly virus. Early tests of a potential COVID-19 vaccine have shown promising results against the deadly Read More...
New tests detect Salmonella subtypes in minutes
Date of Posting: 28-04-2020
UNSW Sydney researchers have developed a series of accurate and highly sensitive DNA tests which can identify the five most common Salmonella subtypes in Australia. Salmonella is one of the most common causes of foodborne disease worldwide, includ Read More...
Isolating does not have to mean isolated
Date of Posting: 28-04-2020
Dementia Australia has called on the community, including health and aged care staff, to work together to maintain engagement with people impacted by dementia during this unprecedented time of enforced isolation. Maree McCabe, CEO Dementia Austral Read More...
RACGP launches nationwide campaign to stop people neglecting their health due to COVID-19
Date of Posting: 28-04-2020
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has today launched a nationwide campaign to stop people from neglecting their health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign, Expert Advice Matters, will run for 30 days wit Read More...
New tool measures quality of life in people with dementia
Last Updated: 28-04-2020
University of Queensland researchers say a new tool to measure the quality of life of people with dementia will result in better targeted care for those living with the condition. The method assesses five key domains that contribute to quality of Read More...
COVID-19 vaccine likely 12 to 18 months away Otago expert claims
Date of Posting: 28-04-2020
Development of a COVID-19 vaccine is at best 12 to 18 months away, according to University of Otago infectious disease specialist Professor David Murdoch. Dean of the University of Otago, Christchurch, and an international expert in infectious dis Read More...
New study reveals coronavirus outbreak impacts mental health
Date of Posting: 28-04-2020
A new study will look at the long term impacts of coronavirus on Australians' mental health, with people already suffering as a result of the pandemic. Australians are suffering worse mental health as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, new Read More...
COVID-19 restriction changes by state
Date of Posting: 28-04-2020
Some states and territories have begun easing coronavirus restrictions, while others are keeping their current measures in place. WHICH STATES AND TERRITORIES ARE EASING CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS?[subscribe] NEW SOUTH WALES NSW will ease Read More...
Perth-based Linear Clinical Research will trial a "ground-breaking" potential vaccine
Date of Posting: 28-04-2020
A Perth company says it will soon begin one of the first human clinical trials of a potential vaccine for the deadly coronavirus. An Australian clinical research company is set to trial a potential coronavirus vaccine and says it will be seeking v Read More...
Australians will have to permanently change their behaviour to stop virus
Date of Posting: 27-04-2020
Australia's chief medical officer says people will have to permanently change their behaviour to keep the coronavirus contained. Australians will have to permanently change their behaviour even as restrictions to deal with coronavirus are ease Read More...
Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama beaches in Sydney are set to reopen for swimming and surfing
Date of Posting: 27-04-2020
Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama beaches in Sydney are set to reopen for swimming and surfing a week after neighbouring Randwick council beaches were opened again. Bondi is to reopen for swimming and surfing but the beach itself will remain closed given Read More...
Coronavirus may be triggering diabetes in typically healthy adults
Date of Posting: 24-04-2020
Coronavirus presents a bigger risk to elderly diabetics, with the virus even able to induce diabetes in otherwise healthy adults, a new study has found. Elderly Australians with diabetes are also at an increased risk from coronavirus, a study rele Read More...
Rent relief will be provided to South Australian businesses
Date of Posting: 24-04-2020
Rent relief will be given to South Australian business tenants and reductions will be provided to landlords under new state government schemes. Rent relief will be provided to South Australian tenants of commercial, retail, industrial and non-resi Read More...
Understanding how people with dementia use health services in their last year of life
Date of Posting: 24-04-2020
In one of the first studies of its kind in Australia, the use of health services by people with dementia in their last year of life has been examined in a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). The report, Patterns Read More...
Scott Morrison has warned coronavirus complacency could lead to soaring death rates in Australia
Date of Posting: 23-04-2020
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pointed to soaring coronavirus deaths in Europe as a warning against complacency in Australia. Scott Morrison has warned coronavirus complacency could lead to Australia being exposed to soaring death rates sweepin Read More...
Due to coronavirus, help lines swamped by desperate callers
Date of Posting: 23-04-2020
The mental health crisis spawned by coronavirus has seen Lifeline record its highest monthly tally for helpline calls and Kids Helpline receive a call a minute. Lifeline was hit by a tsunami of desperate calls in March, recording its highest month Read More...
Aussie veterans find new verve for life through art therapy
Date of Posting: 23-04-2020
Aussie veterans could be afforded a new lease on life as ground-breaking research from the University of South Australia shows how art therapy is transforming the wellbeing and mental health of service men and women diagnosed with post-traumatic stre Read More...
Coronavirus pandemic is making people more anxious
Date of Posting: 22-04-2020
People living with obsessive compulsive disorder say the coronavirus pandemic is making their lives, and recovery, harder as their levels of anxiety increase. As the world retreats indoors, people living with obsessive compulsive disorder are figh Read More...
