What's That Rash? - TopPodcast.com

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Even mild coronavirus cases can have this long term symptom Sep 21, 2020

Show notes

Every day we learn more about coronavirus, but it may take months or even years for us to fully understand the long term effects of surviving COVID-19.

A new study out of Ireland suggests that more than half of people who contract the disease will suffer persistent fatigue – even if they experienced a mild case of coronavirus.

So is this a unique hallmark of COVID-19? Or is it just something most people can expect after any viral infection?

Also on the show:

* Now the numbers in NSW are now looking better, how much longer will Norman wait before going back to the gym?

* When do you think Victorians could safely walk outside without a mask?

* My wife and I are 65, what is the case fatality rate for people in our age bracket?

And Norman and Tegan discuss the funding by the Commonwealth Government's Medical Research Future Fund of two potential new coronavirus vaccines.

The Melbourne mop-up. What needs to happen next? Sep 18, 2020

Show notes

While the number of new coronavirus cases in Melbourne continues to fall, for many it's not falling fast enough.

The average number of daily cases is edging down day by day, but there's a long way to go until it meets the hurdle to take the big step out of lockdown.

So why are cases falling so slowly and what needs to happen next to get cases down?

On today's show:

* As numbers drop why don't we see a faster fall in the tail?

* How long can a person be asymptomatic? Does it just disappear? Can they become asymptomatic again?

* My husband and I are chronic asthmatics and take a preventer. Would good asthma management assist us if we caught COVID-19?

* Would there have been less antibiotic use this year and how beneficial might that be?

And it's Quick Fire Friday:

* What episode number are we up to?

* Is Norman's towel ready and waiting?

* Is there more chance of catching coronavirus from getting on a plane or sitting inside for a meeting/lecture? Or are they the same?

* Do you have any thoughts as to what the minimum age for vaccination might be?

* What's the risk of spread of coronavirus on children's play equipment?

The ambitious mass testing plan that might be as good as a vaccine Sep 17, 2020

Show notes

The longer this pandemic drags on, the more likely it is that people will get fed up with taking themselves off for a coronavirus test every time they get sick.

It might sound counterintuitive, but the solution might be to test everyone more.

Regular, targeted but rapid testing of people, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not, could allow us all to return to a somewhat normal life.

On today's Coronacast, Tegan Taylor and Dr Norman Swan discuss the possibilities and challenges of a mass testing scheme.

Also today:

* Will kids fail to build up a strong immune system since they've avoided so many colds and flus this year?

* What are some of the longer term effects of coronavirus on the body?

Why is coronavirus not killing as many people? Sep 16, 2020

Show notes

For the first time in two months, Australia has finally recorded a day with no deaths from coronavirus.

It's a huge milestone after Victoria's second wave pushed Australia's national COVID-19 death toll to more than 800.

While Australia's second wave is coming to an end, in Europe case numbers are again increasing.

But unlike last time, the death rate doesn't seem to be going up with the number of cases.

On today's show:

* Why are the number of cases increasing overseas, but the death rate is not?

* When will the Oxford vaccine complete stage 3 trials (if it's successful)?

And Norman and Tegan talk about an interesting pre-print study that has found the number of COVID-19 infections in Australia could be much higher than previously thought.

How coronavirus is hiding a future cancer wave Sep 15, 2020

Show notes

The immediate and long term health effects of COVID-19 have been well reported over the past several months, but it may have crowded out other illnesses and diseases.

According to the Federal Government's national cancer agency Cancer Australia, treatments and tests for the most common types of cancer have plummeted since the pandemic began.

It's raised concerns that because people might have been unable or avoided going to the doctor during lockdown, they could be living with undiagnosed and untreated cancer.

On today's show:

* What's happened to cancer diagnosis over the past six months?

* How did Norman get sick again? What's he been doing? Has he been washing his hands?

* You've mentioned that the coronavirus is mutating. Can you tell me more about that?

Why the secrecy around the Oxford coronavirus vaccine trial? Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

The Oxford coronavirus vaccine trial is set to resume after it was abruptly halted when a participant experienced some sort of medical event.

All we know is that the woman was given the potential vaccine and the event was serious enough to hit pause on the trial last week.

The company developing the potential vaccine says it cannot disclose further medical information.

But given the global interest in the trial and what'll be asked of everyone if it is approved, should we be given more information as to what might have happened?

On today's show:

* Why is Victoria's death rate still so high, even though infections are dropping off?

* Some shops are marketing anti-viral fabrics in their masks. Is that a real thing?

* The 2009 H1N1 vaccine was ready in six months. Could that be the case for coronavirus in the future?

The crazy theory that masks are building up our coronavirus immunity Sep 11, 2020

Show notes

Wearing a mask is one of the simplest and most effective ways you can reduce your chances of catching or spreading coronavirus when you're around other people.

But a new theory suggests the fabric over your face also might be providing a crude form of immunisation against the disease.

The idea is that masks might be allowing a very small amount of the virus to slip through into the airways – not enough to get sick, but just enough to build up some immunity.

On today's show:

* Masks, COVID-19 and immunity. Could they be linked?

* A new survey on Australians attitudes to mandatory masks

* The latest news from the (currently halted) Oxford vaccine trial

* Quick fire Friday (with music this time!)

The Oxford vaccine's troubles. Why it's not doomed (yet) Sep 10, 2020

Show notes

The vaccine widely considered our best shot at bringing this pandemic to an end has run into a bit of trouble, after a trial participant suffered a medical problem.

Because safety is incredibly important, trials of the Oxford University's potential coronavirus vaccine have been put on hold until scientists can work out what went wrong.

It could be nothing, or it could be the end of this vaccine. At the moment, all we can do is wait. But it's important to remember pausing vaccine trials is common.

So what might have gone wrong and where we could end up?

Will contact tracers finally bust Victoria's clusters? Sep 09, 2020

Show notes

Victoria's daily coronavirus tally is finally starting to drop, but the roadmap out of lockdown suggests state officials don't believe they'll be back down in single digits until November.

The cause for the delay appears to be Victoria's contact tracing system, which the Prime Minister claims is years behind New South Wales.

So will the newly announced changes to Victoria's contact tracing system finally bring things back under control so the state can open up faster?

On today's show:

* What makes a good contact tracing system?

* Why aren't all states and territories using the same contact tracing system?

And we've got some really interesting replies from healthcare workers about how well they're being protected against the COVID-19 virus.

The problem with coronavirus in hospitals isn't just a Victorian one Sep 08, 2020

Show notes

Over the past few days, a number of worrying COVID-19 infections have popped up in hospitals in Queensland and New South Wales.

While the problem with infections in the healthcare sector in Victoria is well known, hospital outbreaks in other states are a warning sign that things aren't quite right.

So are hospitals in Victoria any more susceptible to coronavirus outbreaks, or is it potentially a problem across the country?

On today's show:

* Are coronavirus infection problems specific to Victoria?

* How much time does Norman Swan spend researching coronavirus?

* And we’ve had loads of questions about the rising number of daily cases in Europe. Why are cases going up now? Why isn’t the death rate going up as much as during the first wave?

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