18Sep
first-res corona news

Survey Reveals: Majority of Australians Support Mandatory Face Masks in Public Places

September 18, 2020By

As part of the COVID-19 Monitor Australia, conducted by Vox Pop Labs in partnership with the ABC, Australians have been asked every week for more than three months whether they support mandatory mask rules.

Two-thirds of Australians think mask use should be mandatory in all public places, even though far fewer people outside hotspot states are themselves wearing face coverings.

Victoria is the only state that has implemented compulsory mask rules, but authorities are recommending they be worn in hotspot areas in Sydney and Brisbane too.

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11Sep
First-Res N95 Face Mask

Questions Raised Over Face Masks Used In Australian Hospitals

September 11, 2020By

Victorian and NSW public hospitals are using a batch of respirators that are at risk of tearing and may not meet Australian manufacturing standards.

The masks did not gain National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) certification as an N95 respirator until 7 June; however, many of the respirators currently in use across Victoria and New South Wales come from a batch manufactured on 5 May.

Wing You, General Manager of BYD Australia, told newsGP the respirator is ‘fully compliant with Australian standards’ and the batch is ‘definitely’ safe.

‘These masks were manufactured in May. They didn’t get approval from NIOSH, but they are the same model,’ he said.

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28Aug
face masks First Res in usa

What Kind of FaceMask Will Protect You From Coronavirus

August 28, 2020By

Wearing a mask used to be something Australians saw on television or holidays abroad, but now it could save your life or someone else’s.

So, it’s important to get it right and it turns out some of the advice we’ve been given could give us a dangerously false sense of security, especially if you don’t know you’re sick.

So, the question here is which mask will best protect you and which will protect the community from unknowing carriers of COVID-19?

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21Aug
face masks First Res in usa

Australians Who Refused To Wear Face Masks In Public Need To Read This

August 21, 2020By

Face Masks has been hailed as a key tool in the fight against coronavirus but despite evidence that masks both protect and prevent the virus’ spread not everyone is convinced.

Many anti-maskers aren’t convinced the face coverings actually work in stopping COVID-19. Isentia’s Australia and New Zealand insights specialist Andrew Ledovskikh said that more than a third of social media posts they analysed contained “highly emotional and abusive language”.

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14Aug
First Res Face Mask

Coronavirus Update: Which Type Of Face Mask Is Most Effective Against COVID-19?

August 14, 2020By

Face masks are recommended as a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from travelling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the mask coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice. This is called source control.

So, which mask will best protect you and which will protect the community from unknowing carriers of COVID-19?

Face masks are no replacement for physical distancing and good hand hygiene. You should limit your travel and, where possible, avoid any large gatherings.

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05Aug
First-res face mask rules

Coronavirus Update: Countries Are Extending the Rules. You Might Have To Wear Face Masks Outdoors.

August 5, 2020By

Cases are ticking upwards in parts of Europe and the Americas are still battling to contain vast Covid-19 outbreaks.

The second wave of infections are starting to be felt, some governments are reaching for a new tool that many public health experts have been touting for months: stricter mask mandates.

In recent days, masks have become mandatory in all public spaces — indoors or outdoors — in Madrid, Greece, Portugal’s Madeira Islands and Hong Kong.

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31Jul
first-res PM Scott Morrison

Coronavirus Update: PM Scott Morrison Speaks To Victorian Premier Over The Second Wave

July 31, 2020By

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has spoken to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to discuss necessary support during the state’s second wave of COVID-19.

Scott Morrison says the response to the second wave of Covid-19 infections cannot be shutting the country down to try to eliminate the virus, and he’s moved to reassure people his government will not be withdrawing income support “for those in need”.

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17Jul
first-res surge in COVID-19 cases latest

Coronavirus Updates: U.S. Rise Over 77,000, COVID-19 Cases In One Day

July 17, 2020By

According to a Reuters tally, the United States reported more than 77,000 new COVID-19 cases in a single day, the biggest increase ever reported by a country.

The United States faces a bleak summer as infections surge and many states are forced to close bars and popular beaches to try to curb the rise.

The United States has reported over 3 million cases and 132,000 deaths from the virus, putting President Donald Trumps pandemic strategy under scrutiny.

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17Jul
first-res Coronavirus Conspiracy

Coronavirus Conspiracy Theory Warning Of ‘Imminent Danger’ Dropped Into Letterboxes In Canberra

July 17, 2020By

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith has condemned a letter dropped into Canberra letterboxes falsely claiming coronavirus testing clinics pose an “imminent danger”. 

The flyer, titled an “Important Covid-19 Health Warning”, falsely warned that 30 percent of people who went to a testing site have contracted the virus during the testing process.

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