NSW has reintroduced many social distancing measures after 16 new COVID-19 cases were recorded. 10 of the new cases have been linked to the Bondi cluster, now at 31.
The Bondi COVID-19 cluster grew to 11 cases yesterday, with health authorities raising concerns at how easily the Delta strain is spreading. CCTV footage revealed the momentary crossover between two people that spread the virus – a moment described by Premier Gladys Berejiklian as “scarily fleeting” as they simply walked past each other.
Last Thursday, the federal government advised the recommended age for the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to be lifted from 50 to 60 years old. However, the vice-president of the Australian Medical Association is urging all Australians who have received their first dose of AstraZeneca to get their second dose. Dr Chris Moy explained, “The bottom line is the risk of getting a clot from the second dose is one-tenth an already tiny risk on the first one. And you need [the second shot] for long-term protection and to protect yourself from the variants.” The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) backs this advice, as the risk of clots is much lower for the second shot of AstraZeneca.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is a medical device used to treat sleep apnea by preventing the upper airways from collapsing. Although this device is highly effective, patients may encounter problems which can cause discomfort. Here are some common complications our CPAP Consultants see and how they address them:
Feeling more tired than normal now that winter has hit? You’re not alone. With less sunlight during the day, our bodies produce more melatonin and less serotonin, making us sleepier. However, you may also find you are sleeping worse during winter – here are 3 tips to help improve your sleep during winter.
Health Minister, Greg Hunt, announced yesterday that 2.1 million Australians aged 50-59 will now be advised to take the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine rather than the previously advised AstraZeneca vaccine. This decision comes off the advice provided by the Australian Technical Advisory Group.
New research from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology has shown that having a fatty heart, regardless of your weight, increases your risk of heart failure by 50-100%! Pericardial fat, which is the fat that surrounds your heart, can increase your risk of heart failure regardless of other risk factors like body weight, smoking, and high cholesterol. The study also found that women who met the criteria for high pericardial fat volume had double the risk of heart failure, where men who met the criteria has a 53% increased risk.
Philips Respironics has announced that it is initiating a voluntary recall notification for Continuous and Non-Continuous Ventilators (certain CPAP, BiLevel PAP and Ventilator Devices, including DreamStation machines and System One machines). Philips Respironics takes patient safety very seriously, and is currently engaging with Australian regulatory bodies to rectify the issues. You can view the list of impacted machines, and FAQs here: www.philips.com/SRC-update.
