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For so long, Australia kept COVID cases exceptionally low and under control. But the arrival of the more-infectious Omicron variant, coupled with relaxing of restrictions across many parts of the country and a lack of planning, has resulted in a surge we’ve not seen before.
The virus is now so widespread the lab-based PCR testing system is overwhelmed, there’s a major shortage of rapid antigen home tests, and health systems are buckling. So where to now?
Raina MacIntyre says there are two possible pathways. The first option is to do nothing and let cases continue to spiral, which may eventually force a lockdown if the health system becomes completely overwhelmed.
The other path is for governments to take action, including expediting booster vaccine doses, subsidising high-quality masks, expanding PCR testing capacity and making rapid antigen tests free for everyone. The situation is grim but we shouldn’t surrender, she argues.
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Liam Petterson
Deputy Editor, Health + Medicine
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C Raina MacIntyre, UNSW
The public has been left to their own devices as all our previous safeguards collapse around us. We urgently need a “vaccines-plus” strategy to flatten the curve.
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Daryl Adair, University of Technology Sydney
One of the world’s fittest athletes has been granted a medical exemption to play in the Australian Open - but we cannot know why.
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Evan Shellshear, The University of Queensland; Len Coote, The University of Queensland
It’s easy to be swayed by the grand promises of AI. But new technology is not the solution to everything. Do your sums first.
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Brian Finlayson, The University of Melbourne; Ray Sumner, California State University, Dominguez Hills
A total eclipse that travelled the full width of Australia in 1922 offered astronomers the chance to confirm Einstein’s theory of general relativity - and for the community to enjoy a rare spectacle.
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Fatemeh Aminpour, UNSW
Conflicts at recess, averaging one every three minutes, greatly disrupt children’s play activities. However, a well-designed school layout can reduce the problem.
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Featured jobs
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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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— UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia — UNSW
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— UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia — UNSW
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