AstraZeneca has resumed the US trial of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine after approval by American regulators.
An oversight panel has recommended that Johnson & Johnson resume its trial as well.
AstraZeneca’s US trial was paused on September 6 after a report of a serious neurological illness in a participant in the company’s UK trial.
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Live updates3mminutes agoFriFriday 23 OctOctober 2020 at 9:28pm
Audience comment by The rains are here
Did Dan make it rain on GF day to stop people gathering??? Does he have such powers??? That’s awesome!!
3mminutes agoFriFriday 23 OctOctober 2020 at 9:28pm
Audience comment by Birthday shoutout
Can we get a shouting for Mary-Jane who is spending her 18th birthday in lockdown in mel.
3mminutes agoFriFriday 23 OctOctober 2020 at 9:28pm
Audience comment by Abs
Happy Grand Final Day<br>Go the Cats!!
3mminutes agoFriFriday 23 OctOctober 2020 at 9:27pm
By Alicia Nally
Key EventHere is yesterday’s coronavirus live blog10mminutes agoFriFriday 23 OctOctober 2020 at 9:20pm
By Alicia Nally
Dear Ireland, a second coronavirus lockdown will be tough but be brave and go on
AP
ABC Radio Melbourne’s fabulous Virginia Trioli has penned some words of advice for Ireland.
Among many nuggets of wisdom is this:
“I’m sorry Ireland, but just like your mum might have told you when you came down with the measles – this is going to get worse before it gets better.”
Read the whole letter here.16mminutes agoFriFriday 23 OctOctober 2020 at 9:15pm
By Alicia Nally
The dilemma of being asked to return to the office… or warehouse/worksite, etc. Good morning Alicia. My husband has been working from home since the start of April. His boss recently said he will be expected to work from the office when restrictions ease on November 2nd. The third and last steps in the roadmap state if you can work from home you must. His boss says that it is a recommendation to work from home, not compulsory. Can you please advise whether it is compulsory or a recommendation. Thanks.
-Concerned wife
Hi there Concerned wife,
I can definitely understand your anxiety.
The Victorian Government has clear guidelines online that state an employer must support you to work from home, if you can work from home.
The coronavirus.vic.gov.au website states:
“If your place of work is permitted to operate and if you cannot do your work from home, then you can go to work. You will need to have a Permitted Worker Permit.
“However, you should consider flexible working arrangements with your employer, including off-peak travel.
“If you are unwell, you must stay at home.
“If you have any symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), however mild, you should get tested.”
“You and your employer should work together to identify if you can work from home.
“Workers can raise concerns about being asked to return to work through the Police Assistance Line (PAL) on 131 444.
“If a complaint is made, the employer would need to show why the employee cannot work from home.”
It’s a tricky situation but there are avenues for your husband to be supported to stay at home.
Best of luck!
25mminutes agoFriFriday 23 OctOctober 2020 at 9:05pm
By Alicia Nally
Key EventCOVID-19 update for northern metropolitan Melbourne ABC News
The Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging all East Preston Islamic College and Croxton School families and staff to get tested at any testing centre in Melbourne, immediately even if they do not have symptoms, and stay home until they receive their results.
There have been an additional four cases in the Preston area. One case is a student at East Preston Islamic College.
There will be a drive through testing centre operating at the East Preston Islamic College from today. Both schools will remain closed for the next two weeks.
The community can access testing sites at the following locations:
Broadmeadows Central Shopping Centre at north carpark 1099 – 1169 Pascoe Vale Rd, Broadmeadows from 9:00am – 5:00pmCoolaroo Respiratory Centre at 512 Barry St, Coolaroo from 9:00am – 5:00pmMelbourne airport, Terminal 4 Level 2 (Mercer Dv exit off Tullamarine Fwy) from 9:00am – 5:00pmCraigieburn Health Service, 274 – 304 Craigieburn road from 9:00am – 5:00pmHighlands Hotel at 301 Grand Boulevard, Craigieburn from 9:30am – 4:30pmAustin Hospital at 145 Studley Rd, Heidelberg from 8:00am – 8:00pmBanyule Community Health at 21 Alamein Rd, Heidelberg West from 10:00am – 4:00pmBanyule Community Health at 14 – 32 Civic Drive, Greensborough from 9:00am – 4:00pmNorthland Shopping Centre at Target carpark via Murray Rd, Preston from 9:00am – 5:00pmCB Smith Reserve at 79 Jukes Rd, Fawkner from 9:00am – 4:00pm
Additional pop-up testing sites will also be announced in Hume, Banyule and Darebin in the coming days.
In addition, we are testing a number of secondary close contacts at Sirius College and Ilim College. They are connected to separate close contacts who will be tested again over this weekend.
The Department is working closely with community and faith leaders from across Melbourne to ensure everyone is aware of the importance of getting tested as the best way to fight this virus.
33mminutes agoFriFriday 23 OctOctober 2020 at 8:58pm
By Alicia Nally
Victorian family ‘devastated’ after boy unknowingly took coronavirus to Melbourne school, principal says
ABC News
The family at the centre of a COVID-19 cluster in Melbourne’s north are so devastated and shaken by the situation, they have considered leaving the area, the principal of East Preston Islamic College says.
The college and Dallas Brooks Community Primary School have temporarily closed, and hundreds of potential contacts are in isolation, after a year five boy tested positive for the virus.
A mix-up led to the child attending the Islamic College on Monday and Tuesday, prompting doctors and community leaders to question whether health authorities were providing clear communication to coronavirus cases from multicultural communities.
Jessica Longbottom has the whole story here.37mminutes agoFriFriday 23 OctOctober 2020 at 8:53pm
By Alicia Nally
Rainbow lorikeets to brighten a rainy Melbourne dayGood morning Alicia, rainy day here in Melbourne. Could you please post a GIF of a rainbow lorikeet?
-Rainbow lorikeet
38mminutes agoFriFriday 23 OctOctober 2020 at 8:52pm
By Alicia Nally
Sending positive vibes to Victoria
Spotted this tweet and thought it was pretty good.
We miss you Victoria/ns and we can’t wait to traipse around Bourke St Mall, hop on a tram, dip a toe in the surf at Torquay, sip on a crisp Yarra Valley pinot…
You get the drift.
Professor Devi Sridhar is the chairwoman of Global Public Health at Edinburgh University Medical School and tweeted: “One of these places used July to October to ramp up testing & tracing & enforce strict border measures (& will return soon to largely normal daily life & join a Pacific/East Asian travel bubble).”
Hint…it’s not France or the UK.
49mminutes agoFriFriday 23 OctOctober 2020 at 8:42pm
By Alicia Nally
US trials of COVID-19 vaccines resume
Supplied
AstraZeneca has resumed the US trial of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine after approval by US regulators.
An oversight panel has recommended that Johnson & Johnson resume its trial as well.
AstraZeneca’s US trial was paused on September 6 after a report of a serious neurological illness, believed to be transverse myelitis, in a participant in the company’s UK trial.
US Health and Human Services Deputy Chief of Staff Paul Mango also told reporters he was optimistic a US trial by J&J would resume.
J&J paused its large, late-stage trial last week after a study participant became ill and the company said an independent safety panel was investigating.
AstraZeneca trials in the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa resumed last month even as the US Food and Drug Administration continued its investigation into the case.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine is being developed along with researchers at Oxford University.
Reuters
52mminutes agoFriFriday 23 OctOctober 2020 at 8:38pm
By Alicia Nally
Welcome to the ABC News Australia coronavirus live blog for Saturday, October 24
Alicia Nally here with you this morning.
Nic McElroy will join us a bit later.
We’ll have all the national and world news about coronavirus coming through right here.
Do send through questions, gif requests, recipe ideas…I’m all ears!
