What's That Rash? - TopPodcast.com

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Coronavirus is not just an old person's virus Jul 27, 2020

Show notes

We often hear that coronavirus doesn't discriminate when it comes to age, but after infection it does tend to get deadlier as patients get older.

So while COVID-19 does kill more elderly people, youth is not a guarantee that you'll sail through with mild symptoms and no problems.

Over the weekend, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews reminded Victorians that currently two children and eight people under the age of 30 were in hospital with COVID-19.

So why are the numbers of young people in hospital growing?

On today's show:

* How many younger patients are currently in hospital in Victoria?

* If you get the virus as a younger person, what long-term damage might there be?

* As some of the candidate vaccines go into phase 3 trials, aren't there ethical issues by giving people a placebo and not the vaccine?

* Norman has said the key to coronavirus in WA is testing, so what symptoms should be the trigger to get tested?

And Norman has some research from the journal Science about undocumented cases of coronavirus, and how it might explain what's going on in Victoria.

Is a six-week lockdown going to be enough? Jul 24, 2020

Show notes

A month ago, consecutive days of more than 400 new coronavirus cases would have been almost unbelievable.

Sadly, it's become a reality for Victoria. Melbourne has now been in lockdown for a fortnight, desperately trying to get the numbers to fall.

The lockdown was originally imposed for six weeks, but with four weeks to go and the number of cases remaining stubbornly high, is another month going to be enough?

On today's show:

* Is six weeks going to be enough for Melbourne?

* When do we know if it's safe to reopen again?

* Could the virus be circulating in Queensland? What should people there be doing?

* I'm a garden labourer working in Melbourne. My mask is causing my safety glasses to fog up. How do I stop this happening?

* Should people trim their beard to give masks a more secure fit?

* Some people have told me that surface transfer is not an issue anymore. Could you please outline the current understanding of how coronavirus spreads?

Why are thousands of people not complying with the rules? Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

The Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews revealed some startling figures yesterday.

It wasn't just that the state recorded its highest number of new coronavirus cases in a single day, it was the huge percentage of people that were getting tested and not isolating before they got their result.

And in Queensland, there's another issue where people are skipping quarantine before their time is up.

So what problems is this all causing?

On today's show:

* Why are people not complying with the quarantine and isolation rules?

* Many of Victoria's outbreaks are in essential industries. How can we control that?

* How long is an asymptomatic person contagious for? 14 days? Or forever? How does it work?

* There has been a lot of talk about different ways of cleaning masks. Isn't detergent and water just as good as anything?

And if you want a back to basics on how to put on a mask, check out our Instagram account @abchealth for a how-to by Dr Norman Swan.

Melbourne's 2nd worst day. Are lockdowns working? Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

Melbourne recorded its second worst day yesterday with 374 new cases of coronavirus.

It's also been nearly two weeks since the city-wide lockdown was reimposed, but as yet there has been no reduction in new cases and it's unclear whether the curve is flattening.

Restrictions seemed to work a lot faster the first time, so what’s going on?

And you asked for it: we have Norman's explanation and breakdown of the promising results of the Oxford University coronavirus vaccine.

On today's show:

* Shouldn't we be seeing a reduction in new Melbourne cases by now?

* Is it time to impose tighter restrictions?

* Why are we not being advised to soak reusable face masks in ethanol?

* I'm a mask newbie. I experienced a suffocating feeling, like I was in a stuffy room with humid stale air. Do you have any advice?

And you have some comments about not inhaling scotchgard, questions about if we're anti-Queensland because we forgot to mention them yesterday and was Norman grumpy on Monday.

Also today is our 100th episode! We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you or your amazing questions, so thank you for listening!

What state is most primed for a coronavirus outbreak? Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

While coronavirus case numbers were up in NSW yesterday, health authorities said that they could identify where every infection came from.

Being able to trace every case is a great sign that outbreaks are being brought back under control. So is NSW out of the woods?

And while NSW might be starting to get back on top of things, research has shown that what’s happening in NSW and Victoria could happen anywhere.

On today's show:

* Norman explains some intriguing figures about which Australian states are most primed for a coronavirus outbreak.

And loads more questions have come in on masks:

* Can I lightly scotchgard the outer layer of fabric?

* Is scotchgard toxic to breathe through?

* Can you wear a face shield instead of a mask?

* I am hearing mixed reports about how often to wash a mask. Can you please clarify the best practice?

* Can I hot wash and reuse the blue disposable masks?

Why aren't Melbourne's coronavirus numbers coming down? Jul 20, 2020

Show notes

The Victorian Government has imposed new restrictions on Melbourne, mandating the use of masks.Following an increase in coronavirus cases over the last few days, people living in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will be required to wear a face covering when leaving home for one of the four allowed reasons.

Residents have now been under restrictions for more than a week, so why aren't Melbourne's coronavirus numbers coming down?

And now that masks are mandatory, what's the best way to make them and safely look after them?

On today's show:

* What do we do if numbers don't start coming down soon?

* Why aren't the numbers coming down?

* Dr Norman gave his recommendation for materials for masks. What are they?

* What should I look for when buying a mask?

* Can I put my cloth mask in the microwave and it will kill the germs?

* My husband was given some surgical masks and was told he could rotate them every three days. Is this true?

Record numbers in Melbourne. What happened to stability? Jul 17, 2020

Show notes

There's been a record number of new daily cases of coronavirus in Melbourne, just days after health authorities were hoping numbers had stabilised.

It's now more than a week since Melbourne went into lockdown, but so far there's been no sign the massive outbreak is being suppressed.

And the numbers are also growing in NSW, where authorities are saying the incubation period of the virus could be as low as a day.

On today's show:

* What do authorities mean by "stability"? Could they know more than they're saying?

* NSW authorities say the incubation period of the virus could be a day. What does that mean?

* I work at an outdoor grocer. How do I wear a mask for a eight hours?

* What does Norman think about loads of people going to the AFL in WA?

And we have some research on a really interesting study about how well masks worked at a salon in America.

Melbourne's lockdown is a week old. Why no decline in cases? Jul 16, 2020

Show notes

Melbourne has now been in lockdown for a week, and yet we're still seeing hundreds and hundreds of new coronavirus cases every day.

And the city's hotspot suburbs have had restrictions for even longer.

Health authorities are saying that the numbers are showing signs of some stabilisation but it's still too early to tell for sure.

So are the restrictions working and when should we start to see a decline in cases?

On today's show:

* Melbourne has been in lockdown for a week. Why haven't we started to see a decline in cases?

* Health authorities are talking about signs of stabilisation of numbers. Is that true?

* If the outbreak in NSW can be linked to Victoria, was NSW about to eradicate the virus?

And we received a bunch of comments on yesterday's show. Norman and Tegan respond to your concerns about elbow bumping, the efficacy of loose fitting masks and suggestions on how to get more people to wear them.

And we have some research from the New England Journal of Medicine about some results from Moderna's mRNA coronavirus vaccine trial. It seems to look pretty good, but there are some caveats.

Are pubs petri dishes that should be shut down and avoided? Jul 15, 2020

Show notes

Going to the pub is almost a national sport, which is why the following question might be a little controversial.

In a pandemic, should pubs be closed to try and stop infections?

The coronavirus outbreak in the Crossroads Hotel in Sydney has now hit 30 cases, and may be starting to cause problems with surrounding businesses like gyms.

So should pubs - heaving places with lots of mixing and movement - be closed?

On today's show:

* Are pubs places to avoid?

* Runners come too close to me. Could I get coronavirus from them? They breathe a lot.

* What about gyms? Is it still safe to go to them?

* I can't breathe when I wear my woven cotton mask. What should I do?

* Can you get coronavirus via the eye?

* If a person coughs/sneezes into their elbow and covers that part of their arm with droplets, is it not unhygienic to then bump elbows, instead of shaking hands?

Melbourne was first. Is it now Sydney's turn? Jul 14, 2020

Show notes

The growing numbers of coronavirus cases from Sydney's Crossroads Hotel has shown that Melbourne is far from alone in having to worry about outbreaks.

The venue has so far been linked to more than 20 cases from people who either picked it up while at the pub, as a contact of someone who'd been there, and even as a contact of a contact.

So will NSW Health be able to get on top of it? Or could this be the beginning of some big problems for Sydney?

On today's show:

* Are we watching the start of a Sydney outbreak in real time?

* With all the new cases popping up in Sydney, should we be heading back into lockdown now rather than waiting?

* Norman said touching a face mask can reduce or impair its effectiveness. How or why does this happen?

* Europe has reduced some restrictions. Why is there not a spike in cases?

* I was disappointed about Norman’s reference to healthcare workers contracting diseases as 'inexcusable'. What did he mean by that?

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