Australia: COVID-19 – information for residential aged care providers – emergency leave "Unpredictable COVID-19 outbreaks are still occurring in aged care homes and the broader community, so emergency leave continues to be available for permanent aged care residents until 31 December 2026." Source: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-information-for-residential-aged-care-providers-emergency-leave?language=en

“We need to start calling anti-vaxxers ‘pro-disease’ so there’s no confusion on who they actually are ☹️” Source:

X (formerly Twitter)

Thursday (@ennui365) on X

"44 countries have seen tenfold increases in at least 13 infectious diseases compared with levels observed before the pandemic. One idea they discuss, known as "immunity theft," proposes that an episode of acute COVID may leave people more susceptible to other infections" #ImmunityTheft Source: https://archive.md/BLkpk

USA: A study found 8% of US healthcare workers with symptomatic COVID kept working while sick, and this increased as the pandemic went on. Presenteeism was more common among those with graduate degrees and higher incomes than among lower-paid or less-educated workers. Source:

CIDRAP

Presenteeism among health workers with COVID rose steadily last year, study suggests

Study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2842213

Queensland Weekly Respiratory Surveillance Report: 9 Dec to 15 Dec 2025 Reported cases: 🔹COVID: 375 (+11.6%) 🔹Influenza: 1,690 (-10.9%) 🔹RSV: 312 (-15.6%) Hospitalisations: 🔸COVID: 32 (-20.0%) 🔸Influenza: 66 (-8.3%) 🔸RSV: 31 (+3.3%) Source: https://health.qld.gov.au/clinical-practice/guidelines-procedures/diseases-infection/surveillance/reports/flu

Huge thanks to [@mike_honey_](

Aus.Social

Mike Honey (@mike_honey_@aus.social)

5.72K Posts, 52 Following, 2.94K Followers · Data Visualisation and Data Integration specialist - Melbourne, Australia

) for all the valuable COVID data he tracks. His work has become incredibly important for scientists and health professionals, and with so little data available now, it really matters for people who want to stay safe and informed.

SBS News

Meet the Australian who's still counting our COVID cases — five years on

Meet the Melbourne IT specialist who tracks "incredibly valuable" COVID-19 data in his spare time.

Measles alert for Sydney NSW Health just issued a measles alert for multiple locations across Sydney after a confirmed case travelled around the city while infectious earlier this month. Full list of locations and times below. Source:

Measles alert for Sydney

NSW Health is advising people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles after being notified of a confirmed case who was infectious while visit...

Australia’s TGA has added the new Comirnaty LP.8.1 COVID-19 vaccine, targeting the LP.8.1 variant. It’s recommended annually for adults 18–64 who aren’t severely immunocompromised and is free for all residents. Pfizer says it’s now available. Source:

SBS News

New jab for new COVID-19 variant: Australians can now access additional vaccine

The federal health department says regular COVID-19 vaccinations are "the best way" to maintain protection.

Scientists Explain How mRNA COVID Vaccines May Rarely Cause Myocarditis. "A new study identifies a mechanism for how COVID vaccines may, in infrequent cases, drive heart inflammation, a condition that can be caused by the disease itself" Source: https://archive.md/HvfTL Study: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adq0143

USA: Deadly 'super' flu surge forces schools to close and triggers mask mandates across the US "The CDC has reported that between 1.9 million and 3.3 million Americans have had the flu since October 1 and 19,000 to 38,000 have been hospitalized. The surge has led to a reinstatement of mask mandates across several states for everyone entering a hospital." Source: https://archive.md/Sa6yF