Contrary to what might have been expected, working from home was one part of the pandemic response that went remarkably smoothly. Most kinds of office work continued almost as if nothing had changed.
Two researchers from The University of Queensland (UQ) have contributed to a world-first study that has quantified the global socio-economic and environmental impacts of COVID-19. (UQ Business School)
Australia’s response to the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is rightly considered one of the world’s best. At their best, our federal and state politicians have put aside the sterile games dominating politics for decades. (The Conversation)
Government responses to COVID-19 in Australia have received, by and large, bipartisan support. An exception, it seems, is the imposition of restrictions on interstate movement. State borders have become a lightning rod for political friction and feverish commentary. With elections in the frame, this has escalated into apparent “border wars”.
Robots working in abattoirs, sky-high vertical farms, more gene-edited foods in our supermarkets and automated farming systems could all help guarantee food supply in the next pandemic.
While the government is reportedly considering a revamp of both the JobSeeker and JobKeeper payments, these UQ researchers believe a much broader rethink is needed of the way we provide income support to people without a market income.
The expansion of telehealth services was a deliberate strategy to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission between practitioners and patients, so is it working?
As the world continues to grapple with the magnitude of the COVID-19 outbreak, Contact takes a look at how much the coronavirus has affected Australia’s healthcare system, and whether the country is prepared if a second outbreak occurs.