What's That Rash?

As we start to reopen to the world, it's inevitable that we'll start to see more cases of COVID-19 travel over our international and domestic borders.But it's far from the only bug that will make the journey while travelling inside a human.Influenza is one viruses we've been largely protected from over the last 18 months, after international border closures put a halt to incoming flights.So on today's Coronacast, what do we have to keep in mind when reopening and can we protect ourselves and our kids against virus we haven't seen in quite a while.Also on today's show:* Will a third dose give me better protection against variants? * Is there any evidence that taking paracetamol or ibuprofen after vaccination would reduce the body's immune response?

It's become a common claim among people who are still COVID-19 vaccine hesitant, that they say they're "waiting for Novavax".While there are currently three safe and effective vaccines available in Australia, Novavax is still not approved for use.Australia ordered Novavax a year ago, but as yet there's still no sign of it and the TGA says its application for approval is still under evaluation.So on today's Coronacast, if someone says they're waiting for Novavax, here's what you might want to reply with.Also on today's show:* Is it best to have Astra as my third shot?* We want to hear from you! Please fill in our listener survey and tell us what you think of the show.

The head of the umbrella organisation for Australia's Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations says she's nervous about the country's reopening over the next month.CEO of NACCHO Pat Turner says while some Indigenous communities are 100% fully vaccinated, others are far from done.She says part of the problem is state and territory governments wanting to leave it to the Commonwealth, and also certain religious groups bringing in misinformation and myths from the United States.On today's Coronacast, the patchy response to outbreaks in Indigenous communities and what else needs to be done before state borders reopen.GUEST:Pat Turner. CEO of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)

For obvious reasons, pandemics are pretty hot news right now.And it seems every few weeks, we see headlines about a possible new outbreak of potentially pandemic proportions.Thankfully, we haven't seen any new disease outbreaks yet, but it doesn't mean it won't happen sometime in the future.So what should we make of recent stories revealing a jump in avian influenza cases in 2021, and how likely is it that we'll be facing down a new pandemic anytime soon?Also on today's show:* A bit of a deeper dive into a recent article/story in the British Medical Journal, alleging issues with a trial site and its phase three trials of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

When the NT's Chief Minister Michael Gunner held the COVID-19 press conference yesterday, he revealed news that many have been dreading.A significant cluster of COVID has been detected, and all the people who were announced yesterday to have contracted the disease are Indigenous Australians.It's the worst day ever for local cases in the NT since the pandemic began.That's on today's Coronacast.Also on today's show:* Where's our vaccination compensation scheme? * Very good news on boosters/third dose* If I've had two doses of Astra and we know that its efficacy wanes quite quickly, where does that leave me after a dose of Pfizer for my third dose? Have I caught up with all the people who had two doses of Pfizer or will I forever have less protection?

Nerves are running high in South Australia, as the state is now only one week away from opening the doors and inevitably letting COVID in.South Australia is leading the way for zero-COVID states, and will be the first to open its doors to people travelling from Victoria, NSW and ACT.It has a vaccination rate that is slowly increasing and may just get to 80 per cent fully vaccinated 16+ by next week.But on today's Coronacast, many are worried about what the future may hold.Also on today's show:* Good news for antibodies in breast milk* Just because you think you had COVID, doesn't mean you did

Australians know full well that the Delta variant loves winter.As the weather warms up here things are looking up, but overseas it's getting colder and case numbers in Europe are rising.Hopefully the heavy impact of winter and Delta won't be felt, thanks to high levels of vaccination in many western European countries.But on today's Coronacast, it hasn't stopped the reimposition of some public health control measures in Denmark.Also on today's show:* Since the pandemic started there's been a massive ramping up of technology development relating to vaccines. If they can develop a vaccine for a new pathogen so quickly, what's next?

When it was clear that the daily new COVID cases in Victoria had peaked, there was hope and speculation that the numbers would drop off quickly like what happened in NSW.But sadly, we're still getting about more than a thousand new cases a day and it's starting to level off at that figure.NSW has levelled off too lately, but at a much lower level of only a couple of hundred a day.So what could be going on and why aren't Victoria's numbers falling faster? And does it matter? Also on today's show:* Could anti-virals cause unvaccinated people to double down on not being vaccinated?* If you are due for a booster in the middle of the summer, might it be much better to wait until April/May and have the next shot when it starts to get colder?* Does Norman hate South Australia?

As vaccination rates increase and restrictions ease, plenty of us are starting to make plans for the Christmas and New Year breaks.But in most of Australia, restrictions aren't easing for everyone. For many people who aren't vaccinated, restrictions are staying or even getting harsher. So is this fair? Is it an effective way of getting the vaccination rate up? And how do you navigate tricky conversations with loved ones who don't feel the same way as you about the vax?GUEST:Professor Julie Leask, a social scientist and professor in the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney.

With the news that NSW has hit 90 percent double vaccination in 16+, with other parts of the country to follow soon, you could be forgiven for thinking that the pandemic is finally over.But like it or not, we're still living through a pandemic and it's likely in the coming months there'll continue to be outbreaks and waves of COVID-19.It's not all bad news though. New drugs are likely to come online soon giving doctors even more tools to treat infections and prevent deaths.So what else could be in store for us in 2022? On today's Coronacast, we pull out the crystal ball for some blatant speculation.