The inside story of how a Canadian businessman donated $250 million to fund a pandemic research centre in Melbourne.
In the absence of a government review into the COVID-19 response,a trio of philanthropic groups has stepped up with an expert panel.
“It doesn’t happen by magic.” Peering through a microscope in her laboratory at the Doherty Institute,Professor Deborah Williamson saw the glowing orb for the first time.
New Doherty Institute modelling shows rapid antigen tests for students before their school day works just as well as quarantining an entire class.
Mask-wearing will remain indefinitely in some settings as experts predict strict lockdowns will not protect COVID-free parts of the country from the pandemic forever.
The research team whose work underpins Australia’s pandemic exit strategy believes the Delta strain of the virus is significantly more deadly than they assumed when the national plan was adopted.
Extreme positions on COVID-19 are still being staked out in the medical establishment,the academy and parts of the media.
A leading infectious diseases expert has suggested businesses should be subject to a star rating system based on the vaccination rates of staff and other COVID-19 safety practices so that consumers can have the confidence to enter premises once lockdowns end.
Twenty months into the pandemic,the advances have been incredible - but the head of the Doherty Institute says there will be more challenges around the corner.
The next few months promise to be difficult for the federal Labor opposition as it tries to balance political support for the plan to re-open Australia with some ALP state premiers reluctant to budge.