Two Members of W.H.O. Team on Trail of Virus Are Denied Entry to China
They should be able to review all the data collected by China’s Center for Disease Control on the outbreak, “including contact tracing, environmental sampling, genetic sequences and identification of patient zero,” said Raina MacIntyre, head of the biosecurity program at the Kirby Institute of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. “It is important to do this comprehensively and transparently.”
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/11/world-health-organization-china-search-covid-origins-what-to-expect/#close
Raina MacIntyre, an infectious diseases expert and professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia, says Chinese scientists have already done significant research on the potential animal origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. China and other countries have contributed genetic sequences of the coronavirus collected from humans to a database for tracking the germ’s evolution. By comparing entries, multiple research groups have reached the conclusion that the novel coronavirus “has probably come from bats, perhaps through an intermediary animal host,” MacIntyre says.
Politics frustrate WHO mission to search for origins of coronavirus in China
Beijing for months had rejected calls for a probe into the origins of the virus, later agreeing to a WHO-led investigation only if it was not country-specific. Chinese officials have pushed theories that the virus came from outside the country while controlling related research and blocking domestic scientists from publishing independent studies into the causes of the outbreak.
“With the amount of division and polarization that’s already occurred this [past] year, it’s going to be really hard to get objective, honest answers,” said Raina MacIntyre, professor of biosecurity at the University of New South Wales, in Australia.
UNSW biosecurity researchers develop intelligence program that ‘could have prevented COVID-19’
Researchers from the University of NSW have developed a biosecurity program they say could have prevented COVID-19 and believe it will be instrumental in thwarting future pandemics. UNSW’s head of biosecurity research, Raina MacIntyre, has spearheaded an intelligence program called Epiwatch that she is confident could have detected COVID-19 in China in mid-November 2019 – one month before the World Health Organisation knew about it.
Raina MacIntyre: Cloth masks should be washed appropriately everyday.
In many countries around the world, shortages of PPE have led to widespread cloth mask use. In 2020, there has been a proliferation of research on fabrics, fit, filtration and design of cloth masks, which will undoubtedly lead to more protective cloth masks and good DIY instructions. The BMJ opinion by Raina MacIntyre, READ MORE
Home quarantine back on the agenda for returning Australians
Australians returning from overseas could have the option to quarantine at home but they may be tracked with an ankle bracelet or police check-in app. READ MORE
What’s really going on with COVID-19: Eternity talks to a world expert.
In many countries around the world, shortages of PPE have led to widespread cloth mask use. In 2020, there has been a proliferation of research on fabrics, fit, filtration and design of cloth masks, which will undoubtedly lead to more protective cloth masks and good DIY instructions. The BMJ opinion by Raina MacIntyre, READ MORE
OPINION: This video shows just how easily COVID-19 could spread when people sing together
A new study raises questions about the risks of infection for people singing in groups, especially in poorly ventilated rooms. Production of the reality TV show The Masked Singer was shut down after several crew members became infected with COVID-19. READ MORE
NSW is the 'gold standard' for COVID-19 management according to the PM — here's why
Leading infectious disease expert Raina MacIntyre from the Kirby Institute said while NSW was investing in its health system over the last 20 years, Victoria had been stripping its system bare. READ MORE
Critics of Victoria's contact tracing system misunderstand some key facts
Contact tracing is bread-and-butter public health for all health departments around Australia – they do it for meningococcal disease, TB, measles and many other infections. It is not rocket science – and they all do it the same way, manually, and all use whiteboards. The Sydney Morning Herald opinin by Prof Raina MacIntyre, READ MORE