What's That Rash? - TopPodcast.com

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So what's the chance your coronavirus test is wrong? May 29, 2020

Show notes

So you've just had a coronavirus test, and had a little stick shoved up your nose and wobbled around.

But while you’re waiting for a result, have you thought how accurate it might be?

Turns out the so-called false negative rate - that's when positive cases are wrongly found to be negative - can be as high as one in three on average.

What might that mean for Australia's fight against the virus?

On today's show:

* Can I get married in India in November?

* Do vaccines need to be 100% effective to be good?

* How accurate are coronavirus tests?

And we have a special announcement about the Together in Art Kids exhibition. Meet one of the kids who has submitted some amazing work, and the next artist who will help curate the next round of submissions.

If you want to see the art from the "Inner Worlds" exhibition, visit the Together In Art website (search for Together In Art Kids or find the link on our website).

Has the COVIDSafe app been worth it? May 28, 2020

Show notes

It's been just over a month since the Federal Government released the COVIDSafe app to help contact tracers track down potentially positive COVID-19 cases.

It was sold as a vital tool to reopen the Australian economy and help get things moving again.

So how has the app been used since then? Has it been the key to get things moving or has it been forgotten?

On today's show:

* What’s the history of the app so far?

* How many downloads has it had?

* Is it still being sold as a vital tool?

* Why isn't the Government being transparent about the app’s functionality?

* What successes has it had?

* Has the source code been released?

* How many people have since deleted it?

Just when you thought it was safe to go outside again May 27, 2020

Show notes

You might have thought we were finally getting on top of coronavirus, but the pandemic is not without its surprises.

There's been a few cases in the past few days that have health authorities scratching their heads.

Two school kids in Sydney have tested positive, and there's a case in Queensland that apparently dates back to the Ruby Princess.

So what's going on? And what might it say about the level of community transmission of the virus?

On today's show:

* What do the cases in Sydney schools mean for community transmission numbers?

* Is coronavirus more common out in the wild that we thought?

* How can there be another case from the Ruby Princess?

* Are enough people still getting tested to give a true indication of the spread?

And Norman's here to explain the latest from the vaccine trial that's just started in Australia. But how can they test it here if there are such low active cases?

Which mask is the best? What should you avoid? May 26, 2020

Show notes

There are all sorts of options when picking a mask to help protect yourself and other people from picking up coronavirus.

But some masks can be expensive, and not every mask is equal.

Firstly, you have to wear it correctly. Secondly, you want to make sure it's doing what it is supposed to.

So what mask should you choose?

On today's show:

* What mask should I wear and can I make my own?

* What’s going on with state border closures? Is there any point?

* Can smoking help inhibit coronavirus?

And Norman and Tegan discuss a few pieces of research about how long coronavirus may be infectious for.

Is it finally time to hug your grandparents again? May 25, 2020

Show notes

At the height of the Australian coronavirus epidemic, older people were urged to stay away from children and grandchildren to avoid contracting the virus.

Age is a major risk factor for COVID-19, and many older people made the emotional decision to stay away from loved ones.

But as the number of active cases continues to fall, families are wondering if it's okay once again for grandparents to hug and be around their children and grandchildren.

On today's show:

* Is it ok to hug our parents again?

* What should people aged over 70 be doing now?

* Why is it ok for kids to go to school, but not visit grandparents?

And Norman talks about a study how coronavirus affects the immune system and what it could mean for designing treatments.

How complacency could trigger a third wave and force us back indoors May 22, 2020

Show notes

We know that in the 1918 flu pandemic the second wave was far more deadly than when it first arrived.

This time around in Australia, it seems we may avoid a terrible second wave but that may make us more vulnerable to a third wave.

By the end of this year and into 2021, we'll have little natural immunity, a vaccine may not be available and there's a danger that complacency may have set in.

On today's show:

* Norman goes on a bit of a tear about masks, and says if we all wore them we could re-open society much more quickly

* How should social distancing work on flights?

* Will any second or third coronavirus wave be better or worse than the 1918 flu?

Coronavirus loves lungs. Does it also lurk in our blood? May 21, 2020

Show notes

When coronavirus infects someone, we know they can spread the disease via coughing and sneezing.

But what about other forms of bodily fluid like blood?

Around the world, there have been no reports of transmission that have definitely proven blood to be the cause.

But the virus has been found in our blood, so it is theoretically possible.

So what could this mean for blood donations?

On today's show:

* Is giving blood safe?

* If someone with the virus coughed or sneezed on another's open wound, can the virus get into the bloodstream then the lungs?

* Is there a chance we've eradicated the seasonal flu seeing as its infection rate is much lower than coronavirus?

* If there are no new cases and haven't been for a while, like in WA, why do we need to continue with social distancing?

The race for a coronavirus vaccine may have a frontrunner May 20, 2020

Show notes

The search for a coronavirus vaccine has taken a small step in the right direction, with promising early results from a vaccine trial.

Made by biotechnology company Moderna, the very early findings indicate the vaccine is safe and doing what it needs to do.

But the results now need to be repeated in thousands more people to see if the vaccine works in the real world.

On today's show:

* What is this Moderna vaccine all about?

* It appears that five sailors on USS Theodore Roosevelt have been reinfected or tested positive after recovering from infection. What does this imply for immunity?

* Because we've been at home for so long without going out much, when we do start going back to school and work, will we become more likely to catch colds?

Also, Norman and Tegan have a chat about bats, and Norman has some research about one of his favourite topics: the faecal oral route.

Is social distancing 1.5m enough to avoid coronavirus? May 19, 2020

Show notes

As pubs and restaurants re-open in some states, you're probably thinking that it's safe to return as long as you maintain 1.5 metres distance from other diners.

But the 1.5 metre "rule" for social distancing is really just a best effort recommendation, and isn't a guarantee.

So are social distancing recommendations enough when you're in a closed space for a long time?

On today's show:

* Can COVID-19 be spread through the air-conditioning?

* Will social distancing save me?

* Is it true that no scientist has physically isolated an actual COVID-19 virus that can be viewed under a powerful enough microscope?

And Norman and Tegan talk about some exciting research about antibodies.

42 days of infection? When coronavirus won't go away May 18, 2020

Show notes

You probably think that coronavirus is a disease that takes 14 days to get over. That's how long isolation periods last.

But for some people, coronavirus is a slow burn, making them sick - sometimes critically - and keeping them infectious for weeks.

For example, we're still hearing about cases being connected back to the Ruby Princess, which docked in Sydney in March.

And while rare, some patients remain infectious for longer than a month.

So if some people remain infectious much longer than we think, could we get caught out if they go undetected?

On today's show:

* How long can people remain infectious for?

* Is the easing of restrictions because there’s less virus around or that we’re better at responding to outbreaks?

* Has SARS1 and MERS disappeared?

And we have all your creative, wonderful and scary ways to blow out birthday cake candles, without blowing on the cake.

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