Search

The seasonality of respiratory syncytial virus in Western Australia prior to implementation of SARS-CoV-2 non-pharmaceutical interventions

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) seasonality is dependent on the local climate. We assessed the stability of RSV seasonality prior to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Western Australia (WA), a state spanning temperate and tropical regions.

COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates: Attitudes and Effects on Holdouts in a Large Australian University Population

Many governments and institutions mandated COVID-19 vaccines. In late 2021, we sought to ascertain the perspectives of staff and students from The University of Western Australia about the State or the University mandating COVID-19 vaccines.

Flexible societies excelled in saving lives in the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic

Previous studies have shown that national cultural traits, such as collectivism–individualism and tightness–looseness, are associated with COVID-19 infection and mortality rates.

An Unusual Resurgence of Human Metapneumovirus in Western Australia Following the Reduction of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Transmission

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission disrupted respiratory virus seasonality. We examined the unusual return of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) in Western Australia following a period of absence in 2020.

Longitudinal changes in wellbeing amongst breastfeeding women in Australia and New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted new mothers’ wellbeing and breastfeeding experience. Women have experienced changes in birth and postnatal care and restricted access to their support network. It is unclear how these impacts may have changed over time with shifting rates of infection and policies restricting movement and access to services in Australia and New Zealand.

Efficacy of Dry Heat Treatment against Clostridioides difficile Spores and Mycobacterium tuberculosis on Filtering Facepiece Respirators

The COVID-19 pandemic has required novel solutions, including heat disinfection of personal protective equipment (PPE) for potential reuse to ensure availability for healthcare and other frontline workers.

Grief and functional impairment following COVID-19 loss in a treatment-seeking sample: the mediating role of meaning

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented levels of grief and psychological distress in community samples. We examined unique pandemic grief risk factors, dysfunctional grief, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms, general psychiatric distress, disrupted meaning, and functional impairment in a treatment-seeking sample of people bereaved from COVID-19 in the United Kingdom.

Vaccine uptake in the context of mandate announcement and removal: Evidence from Europe and North America

The COVID-19 pandemic drove the implementation of vaccine mandates to protect spaces and/or increase vaccine uptake, though their design, timing, and scope varied across jurisdictions. This study examines the associations of vaccine mandate announcements and removals with COVID-19 vaccine uptake in France, Italy, and California (USA).

Short-Term Safety and Adverse Event Risk Profiles for SARS-CoV-2 Booster Vaccine Doses in Australian Adults: A Survey Study

This study quantifies the short-term risk profiles of seven severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines-Comirnaty Bivalent BA.1, Comirnaty Bivalent BA.4-5, Comirnaty XBB.1.5, Spikevax Bivalent BA.1, Spikevax Bivalent BA.4-5, Spikevax XBB.1.5 and Nuvaxovid-administered as booster doses in Australia.

Increased burden of invasive group A streptococcal disease among Australian children, 2023–2024: a prospective cohort study

Global rates of invasive Group A Streptococcus (iGAS) disease surged from September 2022, exceeding pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, showing atypical seasonality and disproportionately affecting children. We previously described the epidemiology of iGAS among Australian children from mid-2018 to end 2022 using data from the Paediatric Active Enhanced Diseases network and here provide updated clinical epidemiology for 2023 and 2024 to help inform public health strategies.