What's That Rash?

The sixth season of If You're Listening tells the story of Australia's turbulent history with climate change, and what that means for the future.As we approach a federal election where climate and energy is a key battleground, this eight episode series will examine how Australia wasted decades fighting change, instead of capitalising on it.This is a special listen of the first episode and is the only time it'll appear in the Coronacast feed, so if you want to check it out search for "Australia, If You're Listening" where ever you get your podcasts.Or find the links here on the ABC website: https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/if-youre-listening/

The sub-variant of Omicron, known at the moment as BA2, is being blamed for a rise in cases in NSW and likely in other states and territories.And overseas, Hong Kong is struggling with a wave which is killing more and more people due to low levels of vaccination in high risk age groups.So what could the sub-variant mean for Australia as the weather slowly cools down and we enter darker, cooler times?Also on today's show:* China goes into lockdown in several big cities* Australian researchers have uncovered resistance mutations to Sotrovimab

Occasionally, Coronacast gets a question from the audience that not only stumps them, it stumps the expert scientists as well.And this week, that question came from Helen who was wondering how many people before her had COVID and passed it on to someone else, stretching all the way from her back to Wuhan in China.It raises many interesting questions about viral evolution and how we can reduce the number of infections globally.Also on today's show:* BA2 Omicron sub-variant becoming more and more dominant, according to NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard* Coronacast will be dropping back to weekly. We'll be out every Wednesday so watch your feed!

A study has found that COVID is associated with changes to the human brain in some people after they've been infected.The study, published in the journal Nature, has found brain related abnormalities in patients six months or so after their initial infection.The findings suggest this can happen regardless of severity but may be worse in those with severe diseaseAlso on today's show:* My wife and I are in isolation at the moment after both testing positive to COVID. Her symptoms are worse than mine and she suggested I isolate in a different part of the home?* The virus in my body is a direct descendant of the virus that infected people in the wet market in Wuhan. How many people do you think it has been through to get to me?* If there is every chance we will all, eventually get Omicron, is there an argument to getting it sooner than later?

Did COVID escape from a lab? Was it natural evolution? How did it happen? These are all very big questions that scientists have been working on answering ever since SARS-CoV-2 arrived in our lives in late 2019.Now, the release of two (still to be peer reviewed) articles have outlined more evidence that COVID didn't escape a lab, and instead evolved naturally in animals before jumping to humans.And on today's Coronacast, they may have even found the very cage in the Wuhan market where COVID made the jump.GUEST:Professor Eddie Holmes, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney

Western Australia has reopened its border after more than a year of staying shut off from the world as part of its COVID control strategy.While people can once again travel, WA is in the middle of a growing outbreak - but it has imposed restrictions to help flatten the curve.With WA now open again, Australia is once again whole - so how is the nation tracking for COVID and how does 2022 compare to previous years?Also on today's show:* The TGA provisionally approves AstraZeneca's combination antibodies. What is it? How does it differ from vaccination? And why might it be useful?

Last year was all about the push to vaccinate adults and teens against COVID-19, and despite a slow start we certainly got there in the end.Now this year the vaccine focus has turned to two things: third doses for adults, and first doses for younger kids. So how is the vaccine rollout for 5-11s going? How do the vaccines work in kids and what is the latest of safety and efficacy?

Throughout history, war and disease have gone hand in hand.As the Russian/Ukrainian war escalates, it's still too early to know what effect it'll have on the COVID-19 pandemic but it certainly won't help.So what can we learn from previous conflicts and pandemics, like the 1918 flu pandemic or even the plague?That's on today's CoronacastAlso on today's show:* What can we learn from two Omicron superspreading events in Newcastle?* Cases in WA continue to go up* Quick(ish) Fire Friday returns!

More and more states and territories are slowly removing restrictions, and letting people try to return to a sense of a normal life.Victoria yesterday said that masks can come off in most indoor environments from midnight Friday and Queensland is scrapping density limits and stopping daily press conferences.So is this finally the end of the pandemic, or more just a lull between variants?Also on today's show:* Vaccination while pregnant safe, another study finds* Worried about long-COVID? Here are four possible risk factors that might trigger it.

As we move to the next phases of the pandemic, there are many people who are yet to make the psychological jump and mental readjustment to a different life.Many are only mildly anxious, but there are also groups of people who are still worried about leaving their house.So what can you do if you have a friend or family member suffering from pandemic related anxiety or even depression?GUEST:Professor Frances Kay-Lambkin, a psychologist and mental health researcher at the University of Newcastle