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If you’re approaching six months since your second COVID vaccine, now is the time to book in for your booster. After just two doses, your protection wanes and your immune system may not be able to fight off an infection when exposed to the virus. But a booster gives you longer-lasting protection.
There’s a lot we’re yet to learn about the new Omicron variant and how its mutations affect vaccine coverage. As Cyra Patel and her colleagues explain, early lab studies suggest the Pfizer vaccine provides less immunity against Omicron than previous strains.
But the emerging evidence on Pfizer boosters is better news. Having a booster six months after the initial course appears to improve the immune response to a similar level seen against previous strains in fully vaccinated people. And researchers expect boosters to provide good protection against serious illness.
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Fron Jackson-Webb
Deputy Editor/Senior Health + Medicine Editor
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Cyra Patel, Australian National University; Jean Li-Kim-Moy, University of Sydney; Robert Booy, University of Sydney
If it’s been six months since your second COVID vaccine dose, it’s time to book in for your booster. Here’s why.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
A week after Anthony Albanese announced his climate blueprint, Labor has every reason to believe the most difficult policy it will launch for the coming election has parachuted to a safe landing.
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Russell McGregor, James Cook University
The paradise parrot was rediscovered by Cyril Jerrard, a Queensland grazier, in December 1921. But its return was fleeting.
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Elizabeth Baré, The University of Melbourne; Janet Beard, The University of Melbourne; Teresa Tjia, The University of Melbourne
Changes to National Employment Standards have done little for casual staff hoping for conversion to ongoing positions. A comprehensive review of university work and employment is long overdue.
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Omid Rezaei, Edith Cowan University; Vicki Banham, Edith Cowan University
New research, based on interviews with Afghan-Australians, shows most want to stay in their new country forever. But they don’t feel accepted in their new home.
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Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato; Claire Breen, University of Waikato
A royal commission of inquiry would take the politics out of assessing New Zealand’s pandemic response – and help safeguard future generations.
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Peter McNeil, University of Technology Sydney
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel transformed women’s fashion across the world: how do we recognise her complex background, difficult choices and ongoing legacy?
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Gemma Ware, The Conversation; Daniel Merino, The Conversation
Plus, the tactics the food industry is using to boost sales of ultra-processed foods in middle-income countries. Listen to The Conversation Weekly.
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Business + Economy
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Richard Holden, UNSW
The Productivity Commission’s startling finding is that passing on wealth actually cuts inequality.
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Nathalie Collins, Edith Cowan University
Angry and even violent rhetoric has been normalised in the echo chambers of online platforms.
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Politics + Society
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Keith Rathbone, Macquarie University
Throughout the pandemic, sporting organisations have proven they can organise large-scale events in a safe and responsible way, without mandated vaccines for athletes.
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Health + Medicine
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Thea van de Mortel, Griffith University
It’s worth having a conversation with family and friends to set some rules to minimise the risk of COVID transmission.
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Science + Technology
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Simon Coghlan, The University of Melbourne; Kobi Leins, King's College London
Scientists have created tiny self-replicating organisms made from frog stem cells. So is this as much of a Pandora’s Box as it sounds? Not yet, but we should carefully weigh the risks and rewards.
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Environment + Energy
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Euan Ritchie, Deakin University
The answer isn’t as clear cut as you might think and depends on a number of factors, including the terrain and whether it’s pack vs pack.
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Featured jobs
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— Canberra ACT, Australia
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— Canberra ACT, Australia
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— Auckland CBD, Auckland, New Zealand
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Featured Events & Courses
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— Victoria, Australia — The Conversation Weekly Podcast
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— Australian Capital Territory, Australia — Politics with Michelle Grattan
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— online webinar, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia — The University of Western Australia
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— Virtual event, Caulfield East, Victoria, 3145, Australia — Monash University
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