Picture: Shutterstock Even before any COVID-19 vaccines were invented, vaccine passports for participation in public activities appeared likely. Australia’s plagued vaccine rollout meant such requirements lay in a distant future — until now. Australian political leaders have begun talking about a two-track future. Proof of vaccination is already required in contexts around the...

  Picture: Shutterstock Over the past 18 months of COVID lockdowns, many of us have experienced the heaviness of loneliness — missing family, friends, and meaningful social contact. But even before the pandemic, loneliness was a daily experience for almost 20%  of older Australians, particularly those over 75. Being older does not mean being lonely....

  Picture" Mick Tsikas/AAP Many Australians are looking forward to the time when 70% of over-16s are fully vaccinated, and the freedoms this will bring. This number is being touted by the government based on modelling from the now famous Doherty Institute report. But how “normal” is life really going to be once we hit...

Best Body Reformer Pilates is in the news again, thanks to some high-rate influencer backing. A throwback from the 80s, this minimalist body training makes a strong comeback, and celebrities like Elle Macpherson, Beyonce, and Emma Stone are helping to put it on the radar. And the reputation of Best...

  Picture: Shutterstock Most Australians diagnosed with COVID-19 recover at home, rather than in a quarantine facility or hospital. About 10% have required hospital treatment. However, a handful have had worsening symptoms, did not receive emergency care and died at home. There appear to have been two factors behind such COVID deaths at home: worry about...

  Picture: Lukas Coch/AAP An important factor in achieving herd immunity against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) is is how long the vaccines protect you. If a vaccine continues to work well over a long period, it becomes easier to have a significant proportion of the population optimally protected, and in turn...

  Picture: Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services. We’ve all grown tired of lockdowns, border closures and other restrictions. So the promise of a freer life, when 70% and then 80% of Australians aged 16 and older are vaccinated, feels like a beacon on the horizon. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, some premiers, and...

  Picture: Olly (above with Jon David) It may come as no surprise to dog owners in lockdown, but walking the dog can be the highlight of the day. With exercise being one of the few reasons for leaving the house for millions of Australians, walking the dog clearly benefits both dog...

  Picture: Shutterstock In July Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) provisionally approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged 12-15. The Australian Technical Advisory group on Immunisation (ATAGI) subsequently recommended kids in this age group with underlying chronic medical conditions, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and kids living in remote...

More money was spent on musculoskeletal disorders, such as osteoarthritis and back pain, than any other disease, condition or injury in Australia, suggests a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). The report, Disease expenditure in Australia 2018-19, looks at how $136 billion was spent across the health...

  Image: Shutterstock The COVID-19 pandemic is a dramatic demonstration of evolution in action. Evolutionary theory explains much of what has already happened, predicts what will happen in the future and suggests which management strategies are likely to be the most effective. For instance, evolution explains why the Delta variant spreads...