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As the Indian variant takes over, some good news May 24, 2021

Show notes

The so-called Indian coronavirus variant B617 is on a mission to take over the world, and it appears that it's slowly achieving that goal.

According to recent data from the UK, it's edging out the local version B117 to become the dominant variant.

So what does this all mean? Well, it means that it's probably more infectious and that might be what is giving it the edge.

But is it more deadly or more resistant to vaccines? That's on today's Coronacast.

Also on today's show:

* My parents have both been fully vaccinated with Pfizer in the UK. Why can't Australia allow fully vaccinated people to visit?

* How true is the 0 to 10 per cent effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine against the South African strain of coronavirus?

Why should I bother getting AstraZeneca today? May 21, 2021

Show notes

Congratulations, you're eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine! Since you're over 50, that means you're going to be offered AstraZeneca.

But as many Australians are asking, why aren't you being given a choice?

How worried should you be about these blood clots we keep hearing about? Are you being treated as a second-class citizen?

And if there's no COVID-19 in Australia and the borders are still closed indefinitely, what's the rush anyway?

Also on today's show:

* Could a second dose of Pfizer rather than a second dose of AstraZeneca provide better protection against variants?

* If it's possible for fully vaccinated people to still be infected with the virus, will they still get long COVID?

Your amazing ideas to get Australia vaccinated! May 20, 2021

Show notes

When we asked for your advertising campaign ideas to get Australia vaccinated, we never expected such an amazing response.

Coronacast listeners from across Australia and the world have written in with very clever ideas to try and convince the nation to go out and get vaccinated.

Ideas include using messages of hope from Australian celebrities to scaring the pants off people by asking them if they'd prefer to be vaccinated or on a ventilator.

So on today's Coronacast, your ideas for the country's next big Government messaging campaign.

Also on today's show:

* Who needs a third dose of vaccine?

* TGA makes a "provisional" approval for the Pfizer to be used for adults 12 years of age or older

How would you sell Australia's vaccination campaign? May 19, 2021

Show notes

While it's great to see that the number of Australians vaccinated against COVID-19 rises by the day, it's still far from the numbers needed to get it done by the end of the year.

So perhaps a national advertising campaign selling the benefits, or maybe pointing out what could happen if we're not vaccinated is needed.

Other countries have tried campaigns so far, including Singapore and New Zealand - is it time Australia joined them?

So on today's Coronacast, a few ideas on what might work and why it's time for people to get the jab.

We're after your ideas too! So send us your pitch for a national ad campaign that'll get Australians out and vaccinated!

Two doses, two different vaccines: Does it work? May 18, 2021

Show notes

When you're scheduled in for your COVID vaccine, depending on your age you'll get two doses of either AstraZeneca or Pfizer.

But what if you had one brand, and for your secord shot you had the other?

Well, researchers have been looking at this for a whole bunch of reasons - a main one being it makes rolling out the vaccines simpler.

And on today's Coronacast, early results suggest that mixing brands might also make the vaccines work better too.

Also on today's show:

* Do blood clots only happen after the first dose of the vaccine, or are they also happening after the second?

* When people talk of a booster vaccination does it simply mean another jab of exactly the same ingredients as in the first injection?

And we are joined by special guest Professor Paul Monagle from the University of Melbourne, to talk about the possibility of using the common drug heparin as a short term protective shield to stop you getting COVID-19.

Why is there suddenly so much talk about the border reopening? May 17, 2021

Show notes

The transition from Australia being pretty much free of COVID to reopening the border and allowing it in, is a complicated and fraught issue.

The country will eventually have to rejoin the world so people can see family, travel for pleasure or business and go overseas again - but according to experts, there's a list of things that have to happen before then.

The most obvious is a very high level of vaccination, so that when coronavirus does arrive again, it won't result in an overburdened hospital system

And on today's Coronacast, there's also the big issue of possible vaccine resistant variants.

Also on today's show:

* More cases of blood clots and low blood platelets

* A clarification and refinement of the R0 value discussion from last week

Does the 617 variant change everything? May 14, 2021

Show notes

The coronavirus variant sweeping through India appears to be a stronger more contagious version than we've previously seen.

While there is still little peer-reviewed scientific information on B.1.617 variants, health authorities are increasingly becoming worried about the threats the strains present.

Australia has had two close calls with 617 over the past few weeks: firstly in Sydney then again in Melbourne after it escaped from a South Australian quarantine hotel.

So on today's Coronacast, does the 617 variant change everything and will we have to revisit our base assumptions?

Also on today's show:

* Moderna coming to Australia later this year (pending TGA approvals)

Australia's borders are reopening when?? May 13, 2021

Show notes

It seems that every time we talk about the timeframe of Australia's borders reopening to the world, the estimated date slips further into the future.

In this week's budget, the government indicated that borders will probably remain shut until 2022 at least.

And Qantas has also pushed back its plans to restart international flights by at least two months.

So on today's Coronacast, what could be behind the reason for the slippages of border reopenings?

Also on today's show:

* Will we really need to get a vaccine every year for covid 19 for the foreseeable future?

* Children don't usually get severe COVID-19, why am I seeing reports of kids dying in India?

* If a combined coronavirus and flu vaccine is being developed, why can't existing coronavirus and flu vaccines be given at the same time?

* I'm due for the second shot of Pfizer next week and am feeling a bit under the weather. What do I do?

References

A Misleading C.D.C. Number

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/11/briefing/outdoor-covid-transmission-cdc-number.html

It's Victoria's turn to hunt down coronavirus May 12, 2021

Show notes

It's Victoria's turn to hunt down coronavirus, after Victorian health authorities revealed a man tested positive to the virus yesterday morning.

The man was a recent arrival from overseas, who completed his 14 days quarantine in South Australia before heading home to Victoria earlier this month.

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton says he believes the man contracted the virus in hotel quarantine in South Australia.

So on today's Coronacast, how could you spend two weeks in quarantine only to catch the virus just as you're leaving?

Also on today's show:

* I'm seeing testing fatigue. Once we're all vaccinated can we stop being tested?

* I had my first shot of AstraZeneca and suffered no side effects except for maybe feeling a bit tired. Does this mean the vaccine did not work?

* FDA approves Pfizer for older kids

* Norman talks a bit about the Novavax vaccine which mixes a COVID shot with a flu shot

The one silver lining of coronavirus May 11, 2021

Show notes

We've spoken a lot over the last year or so about coronavirus, and for good reason. But there are plenty of other viruses out there that can make us seriously sick or kill us.

One is the flu, or influenza, and usually at this time of the year, we'd be seeing a solid rise in the number of reported cases.

But not this year. In fact, there's so little flu around that there's actually been more COVID detected than influenza.

So on today's Coronacast, what could be going on?

Also on today's show:

* Is there any information on how long should someone with a flu wait before I get the Pfizer vaccine?

* Is there a correlation between the degree of side effects experienced immediately after your first dose of AstraZeneca and the possibility of developing clots?

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