Infections

Immunologist Anna Brooks talks to Kathryn about how New Zealand is coping with the pandemic's enduring impact and she looks ahead to what could be a deadly summer of reinfection. With restrictions… Audio

We've all heard about new Omicron subvariants with such names as BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5. The recent proliferation of variants begs the question: is Covid-19 mutating faster than ever before? Dr Sebastian… Audio

Will Covid-19 become an endemic, more agreeably mild virus that we just have to be wary of every winter, like the flu, or - as exemplified by the new XE variant - is this the coronavirus warming up… Audio

Professor Michael Baker is back with us for a Covid-19 update. He discusses reservations about the mandates coming off tomorrow, trial data on booster shots for 12-17 year olds, and whether New… Audio

Joining us on the Panel this morning are Bernard Hickey and Ruth Money. Among other issues, they discuss the situation in Ukraine, National moving ahead of Labour in the polls, and the rising price of… Audio

Omicron case numbers are rocketing in this country, as we thought they would. Is there anything else we need to be aware of prior to about half of us getting infected? New Zealander Dr Gary McLean is… Audio

A new study has found selective "nudges" can help reduce the number of scripts for antibiotics being written by New Zealand GPs. Antibiotic resistance is a major threat to human health and on the rise… Audio

The Coronavirus is here forever. This is how we live with it. That was the rather foreboding headline from a recent article in The Atlantic which quoted a number of leading medical authorities… Audio

Amanda Ellis arrived in Hawai'i in 2016 and no other place outside of New Zealand has had a stronger impact on her own personal growth than Hawai'i. She's Calling Home this morning from Manoa Valley… Audio

Playing host to helminth parasitic worms could hold the key to living longer and staying free of chronic disease, according to a new article published in the eLife journal. Gastroenterologist Dr Tom… Audio

While the world continues to struggle to contain Covid-19, scientists are warning of another coronavirus pandemic on the horizon -- one which is likely to come from a yeast-like fungus. Dr Tom Chiller… Audio

Kiwi Patrick Emanuel is a pathologist who is based in Lima. We've spoken to him before about the situation with Covid-19 in Peru, and now things are looking bad there with next door neighbours Brazil… Audio

A new study suggests that there could be another key reason to get a flu jab: it might reduce your risk of contacting Covid-19. Professor Michael Baker is back with us to discuss this and other… Audio

Covid-19 has been brutal in Peru, with the country having the highest death rate per population in the world. But it's not all doom and gloom. Patrick Emanuel is part of a team who have invented a new… Audio

Taiwan appears to be at risk of being caught up in the power struggle between China and the US. Richard McGregor is the author of Xi Jinping: The Backlash. He joins us to discuss Taiwan issue and the… Audio

Australian correspondent Rebekah Holt joins the show from Melbourne off the back of a week in which Victoria recorded its most deadly day in the Covid-19 pandemic and the overall case load for the… Audio

In almost every age group, males appear to have worse Covid-19 symptoms and a higher death rate than females. And a study from Spain suggests that a disproportionate number of men with male pattern… Audio

China is facing big decisions about choosing between its expenditures and economy and keeping its own people happy. Professor Jane Golley, director of the ANU's Australian Centre on China in the… Audio

We spoke with New Zealander Lew Dagger a few weeks back ago when China was in lockdown, but now he says life is pretty much back to normal. In fact, he has even managed a sit-down meal in a… Audio