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Clinical care of children and adolescents with COVID-19: recommendations from the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence TaskforceThe epidemiology and clinical manifestations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are different in children and adolescents compared with adults. Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) appears to be less common in children, with milder disease overall, severe complications may occur, including paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome.
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Randomized Trial of BCG Vaccine to Protect against Covid-19 in Health Care WorkersThe bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine has immunomodulatory "off-target" effects that have been hypothesized to protect against coronavirus disease 2019.
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Mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for children: Attitudes of Western Australian parentsAustralian governments have used vaccine mandates to drive high uptake of routine childhood vaccines and adult Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and influenza vaccines. We sought to understand the attitudes of Western Australian parents regarding mandating COVID-19 vaccines for children, interviewing 44 parents of children aged up to 18 years between May and December 2021. Transcripts were analysed to ascertain parents' attitudes and sources of reasoning.
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‘COVID Is Coming, and I’m Bloody Scared’: How Adults with Co-Morbidities’ Threat Perceptions of COVID-19 Shape Their Vaccination DecisionsAustralian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children in rural/remote areas suffer high rates of persistent otitis media (OM) from early infancy. We aimed to determine the proportion of Aboriginal infants living in an urban area who have OM and investigate associated risk factors.
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A novel precision-serology assay for SARS-CoV-2 infection based on linear B-cell epitopes of Spike proteinThe COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the need for serology diagnostics with improved accuracy. While conventional serology based on recognition of entire proteins or subunits thereof has made significant contribution to the antibody assessment space, it often suffers from sub-optimal specificity. Epitope-based, high-precision, serology assays hold potential to capture the high specificity and diversity of the immune system, hence circumventing the cross-reactivity with closely related microbial antigens.
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Forecasting COVID-19 activity in Australia to support pandemic response: May to October 2020As of January 2021, Australia had effectively controlled local transmission of COVID-19 despite a steady influx of imported cases and several local, but contained, outbreaks in 2020. Throughout 2020, state and territory public health responses were informed by weekly situational reports that included an ensemble forecast of daily COVID-19 cases for each jurisdiction.
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The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric anaesthesia research as evidenced by the contrasting recruitment experiences of centres in Australia and ScotlandAt two hospitals in Western Australia, we conducted a prospective, open-label, randomised, controlled trial of 240 patients undergoing tonsillectomy to investigate the effect of chewing a confectionery jelly snake on postoperative nausea and vomiting. The results were published in Anaesthesia Critical Care & Pain Medicine. Recruitment for this study was completed uneventfully between July 2018 and August 2019.
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Mind the distance: experiences of non-face-to-face child and youth mental health services during COVID-19 social distancing restrictions in Western AustraliaFollowing the outbreak of COVID-19, social distancing restrictions limited access to face-to-face mental health services in Western Australia (WA), necessitating a rapid transition to non-face-to-face alternatives, including telehealth. The current study investigated barriers and facilitators to telehealth access and engagement, and preferences for child and youth mental health service delivery during and beyond COVID-19.
News & Events
Perth researchers lead world-first clinical trial in Chile to stop COVID-19 outbreaksPerth researchers are leading an international clinical trial focused on preventing the spread of COVID-19 by testing the effectiveness of the drug interferon in reducing the infectiousness of people who contract the virus.
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Community immunity: Developing a sensitive and specific SARS-CoV-2 antibody testPeter Richmond MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP Head, Vaccine Trials Group Head, Vaccine Trials Group Professor Peter Richmond is Head of the Vaccine Trials Group