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West Australian parents’ views on vaccinating their children against COVID-19: a qualitative studyAustralian children and adolescents were among the last local cohorts offered COVID-19 vaccines. Despite promising initial uptake, coverage subsequently plateaued, requiring further efforts to improve access and build parents’ recognition of the importance of COVID-19 vaccination.
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Patient and Process Outcomes among Pediatric Patients Undergoing Appendectomy during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Retrospective Cohort StudyCOVID-19 forced healthcare systems to make unprecedented changes in clinical care processes. The authors hypothesized that the COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacted timely access to care, perioperative processes, and clinical outcomes for pediatric patients undergoing primary appendectomy.
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COVID-19 in Western Australia: ‘The last straw’ and hopes for a ‘new normal’ for parents of children with long-term conditionsChildren with long-term conditions are vulnerable due to the treatments required for their conditions. Since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Western Australians experienced restrictions that changed daily life activities but were able to return to some of their previous routines due to the restrictions.
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Inhaled corticosteroids to improve lung function in children (aged 6–12 years) who were born very preterm (PICSI): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialDespite the substantial burden of lung disease throughout childhood in children who were born very preterm, there are no evidence-based interventions to improve lung health beyond the neonatal period. We tested the hypothesis that inhaled corticosteroid improves lung function in this population.
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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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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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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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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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"Fighting the pandemic!" Western Australian pharmacists' perspectives on COVID-19 vaccines: A qualitative studyIn Western Australia, community pharmacists are authorized to administer a range of vaccines without a prescription. Since mid-July 2021, pharmacists can also administer Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. Little is known about how pharmacists think and feel about giving and receiving COVID-19 vaccines and how they discuss it with patients.