Compulsory isolation in the fight against coronavirus: a clash of human rights and public health

Mar 03, 2020 00:09 am UTC| Health

Isolation is regarded as one of the key pillars of the novel coronavirus containment strategy. Yet there is an important legal question about whether isolation at home or in a hospital is compulsory and what the...

Airplanes spread diseases quickly – so maybe unvaccinated people shouldn't be allowed to fly

Mar 01, 2020 13:47 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

As the coronavirus spreads, the nations leading health official told a Senate committee on Feb. 25 that we cannot hermetically seal off the United States to a virus. The comments from Alex Azar II, head of Health and...

Can pollution face masks really protect us from exposure to toxic particles?

Mar 01, 2020 13:44 pm UTC| Health

An estimated 28,000 to 36,000 deaths a year in the UK are attributed to long-term exposure to air pollution. Exposure to air pollution can cause a range of serious health complications, including lung cancer, heart disease...

What is a rare disease? It's not as simple as it sounds

Mar 01, 2020 13:37 pm UTC| Health

If you have a rare disease, you may be the only person in Australia with that condition. You may not know, however, that being diagnosed with a rare disease means you are part of a community of up to two million...

How can we prepare for the coronavirus? 3 questions answered

Mar 01, 2020 13:03 pm UTC| Health

Editors note: Public health officials in the U.S. warned that the coronavirus, which has in large part spared the U.S., is coming and that the country needs to be prepared. But just what does this mean for you, as well as...

Government triggers emergency plan for COVID-19 pandemic, and considers economic assistance

Mar 01, 2020 12:51 pm UTC| Health

The federal government has activated its emergency response plan to deal with a spread of the coronavirus locally, in anticipation of it becoming a pandemic. It is also considering limited assistance for those hardest...

Coronavirus: cruise ships were prepared for quarantine thanks to norovirus horror stories

Mar 01, 2020 12:42 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

Some tourists might welcome an extra two weeks of holiday on a luxury cruise ship. But imagine being confined to a cabin of 14 square meters with no windows, little access to fresh air and only wifi and the TV for...