This whirlwind tour of social history describes how infectious diseases have shaped humanity at every stage. It suggests reducing inequality will give us our best chance of surviving future plagues.
The CDC’s new recommendations have caused consternation among the public, the media and even among doctors.
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The CDC’s controversial recommendation changes are based on new studies showing that most omicron transmission takes place within five days of the onset of illness.
COVID self-testing is widespread in developed countries.
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One of the consequences of the failure of developing countries like South Africa to authorise self-testing is that it is driving a thriving black market.
Nigeria’s President Buhari at the 2021 Intra-African Trade Fair in Durban, South Africa.
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The federal government has for months been unclear about when international students could return to Australia. And there are still many uncertainties about the latest announcement.
Protests against mandates and quarantines get the Founding Fathers’ ideas wrong.
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The Founding Fathers were unrelenting in their commitment to the idea that circumstances can arise that require public officials to take actions abridging individual freedoms.
The first reading of the Declaration of Independence in Boston, July 18, 1776.
Tichnor Brothers Collection, Boston Public Library via Digital Commonwealth
We can do better than building a village of glorified dongas. Smart quarantine can be much higher-tech, and more adaptable for future uses once the pandemic is over.
We can learn from how the Howard Springs quarantine facility in the Northern Territory works when planning Victoria’s new hub.
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Teens have acutely felt the effects of the pandemic lockdowns on their social lives. As the end of stay-at-home orders draws nearer, it’s important to consider teenagers’ social and emotional needs.
It’s feasible to bring home at least some of the COVID-positive Australians stranded in India. Here’s how we can do it while keeping infection risk at a minimum.
Exploring the history of quarantine hotels reveals ambivalences and inequities that continue to fuel debates over their effectiveness in the era of COVID-19.
International students have been admirably persistent in studying online for more than a year. But as other countries open their doors, Australia risks losing them if it fails to show they are wanted.
For teens, the pandemic has spotlit the risk of not being able to take risks associated with establishing new intimate relationships outside of the family.
(Pexels/ Helena Lopes)
The amount of risk from overseas arrivals depends not just on Australia’s vaccination rates, but also on the particular circumstances of the country from which people are travelling.