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Man living in a tent after partner “gave up” on Covid restrictions

A hyper-vigilant man has resorted to living in a “pressurised” tent in a garage to avoid contracting Covid, after his girlfriend relaxed about restrictions. The Aussie man named Jason, who is a self-proclaimed “Covid education activist” caused a stir online after he posted a photo of his unusual sleeping arrangements. The now-viral post shared by Jason featured a picture of the peculiar tent he claims to be sleeping in, with an air purifier sticking out of the door, igniting a firestorm of reactions on Twitter, ranging from agreeance, to humour, to concern. Despite the media storm, Jason defended his decision to maintain strict pandemic precautions, despite never having contracted Covid-19. “This is my bed in the garage because my partner has dropped precautions. I take precautions 100 per cent of the time. Don’t tell me that this hasn’t upended every f**king second of my life,” Jason declared in his original post, which included the image of his extraordinary sleeping arrangement. Taking his precautions to the next level, Jason also revealed that he has experimented with sleeping in a face mask, but he admitted that he found it uncomfortable and could not sleep properly with it. “I’ve tried to sleep in a mask, and I can’t. I know people sleep in CPAP masks all the time, so it’s possible, but I can’t do it,” he shared on Twitter. Despite the flurry of reactions to Jason’s living arrangement, he did receive some support for his precautionary measures, while some even suggested Jason leave his partner, to which he admitted the thought “had occurred to me”. Another Twitter user commended the tent and air filter idea, considering it a cost-effective and potentially effective solution to avoid contracting Covid. “I like the tent+filter idea. It’s cheap and should be effective,” another agreed. A few people shared that they empathised with Jason, and are also maintaining strict pandemic precautions. One person wrote, “Initially didn’t think much of the pic, but this is infuriating. I spend all my salary in-flo mask, enovid (antiviral nasal spray), no social life, so yes, I take precautions 100 per cent of the time.” “I’m sorry you have to live like this. I no longer see my family since they stopped masking,” another added. However, not everyone empathised with Jason’s living arrangements, saying he was being unrealistic about the future of Covid. “I work in senior living, and in the two years we’ve been open, we’ve lost zero to Covid. Even the (85-year-olds) getting it now are mild cases. Why? They’re boosted, so they don’t panic or sleep in a garage,” one commenter explained. “The vaccine is meant to enable you to live normally without worrying. Covid is endemic, so you will be in the tent for the rest of your life, lol.” posted another. In response to the viral post, one Twitter user humorously remarked, “We’re a few years away from a really good documentary on how this virus broke people’s brains.” Image credits: Getty Images / Twitter

Real Estate

10 noises your dog makes – and what they mean

<h2>10 noises your dog makes – and what they mean</h2> Pet parents, fess up: how often have you wished that your dog could talk? Chances are, pretty often. But the thing is, your dog is talking to you every day, all day long – you just have to figure out what he’s saying. It’s not as simple as decoding a bark or howl, the two sounds we most commonly associate with our furry friends. Dogs actually make a plethora of telling sounds, and each has its own distinct meaning. Here’s what you need to know to better understand your canine companion. <h2>Barking</h2> You might have noticed that a dog’s bark varies greatly. That’s because barking is a dog’s way of communicating a variety of messages and emotions, including excitement, happiness, fear or even an alert to danger. “With such varying meanings behind a dog’s bark, it’s no surprise that the pitch and forcefulness of the noise – just like with a human’s voice – can imply the reason behind their vocalisation,” says veterinarian Danielle Bernal. “For instance, a fear-driven or panicked bark is often higher in repetition and intensity. This is compared to a monotonous bark that may communicate boredom.” <h2>Incessant barking</h2> There’s a difference between brief barking and non-stop barking. “When the barking does not stop, it is often caused by anxiety in your furry friend,” says veterinarian Evelyn Kass-Williamson. “Dogs may bark like this because they’re experiencing separation anxiety, or because they’re getting mixed messages from different family members and aren’t sure what to do. Be sure you are consistent when around these dogs, and above all, try to relax so they can, too.” <h2>Whining</h2> Like barking, whining can also have a number of different meanings. Though we often associate whining with a negative emotion, that’s not always the case with dogs. In fact, it can simply be a dog’s way of getting human attention, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). What is your pup trying to say? Possibly that he wants to play, eat or go outside. Whining may also be a sign of stress, fear or pain. It’s important to take all factors into consideration when deciphering your dog’s whining. <h2>Howling</h2> Howling is that classic head-back, guttural call that’s most often associated with wolves. “Howling links back to our dogs’ ancestor, the grey wolf,” explains Dr Bernal. “As pack animals, wolves traditionally used this communication method to call to their pack to signal distress or motivate them to regroup for a hunt.” In terms of your domesticated dog, she says, that howl is often triggered by common noises like a siren, the sound of a child’s toy, or the command of an owner. <h2>Sighing</h2> We often tie feelings of boredom or frustration to sighing, but that’s not the case for canines. According to the AKC, sighing is generally indicative of contentment, especially if it’s combined with half-closed, sleepy eyes. If your dog is wide-eyed and fully alert, however, it could be his way of catching your attention and asking for a little TLC or playtime. <h2>Growling</h2> Like barking and howling, growling can have a number of different meanings, ranging from being scared to feeling playful. “A hostile growl is often a warning sign to a person, another dog, or object that has frightened the dog. It signals that a serious attack may follow if the growl is not adhered to,” says Dr Bernal. “On the other hand, a playful growl is often easy to identify. The key body language of a hostile growl is missing: visible teeth, flattened ears, and raised hairs.” <h2>Soft noises while asleep</h2> When a pup makes soft grumbles, yaps or whimpers while snoozing, it’s not cause for alarm. “This mix of noises simply means that a dog is in a deep stage of sleep, similar to our REM sleep,” says Dr Bernal. “You may notice it’s also accompanied by a faster breathing rate and twitching of the muscles, limbs or eyelids.” <h2>Sneezing</h2> Don’t be fooled: sneezing isn’t always caused by nasal irritation, allergies or a canine cold. “Many dogs will sneeze with excitement or to get your attention,” says Dr Kass-Williamson. “However, if there is ever thick nasal discharge that is white, yellow or green, it means it’s time to call your vet.” <h2>Snorting</h2> “Like the sneeze, this can be an attention-getter for the very squishy-faced breeds,” explains Dr Kass-Williamson. “However, when the snorting continues for a few seconds or longer, it can sound like your dog is choking. This is called a reverse sneeze and is often a sign of allergy or sinus congestion.” It’s best to schedule a visit with your vet if the issue is ongoing. Knowing what conditions your pet may be predisposed is important. <h2>Low-pitched moaning</h2> Though we often associate moaning with sadness or other negative emotions, it’s actually the opposite for dogs. It’s generally a sign that your dog is feeling at peace, according to the AKC. This sound is most commonly made by puppies – especially when they’re nestled up to their human companions. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/pets/10-noises-your-dog-makes-and-what-they-mean" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Family & Pets

Tips to filter out the noise in your life

The modern world can make you feel like you are in a constant state of busyness. Here’s how to filter out the noise and take back some time for yourself. 1. Begin your day with some quiet They way you start your morning can determine your whole day. When you wake up, take a few minutes to centre yourself in silence. This could be meditation or even just some quiet reflection in bed. You will be amazed at how it can change your outlook. 2. Declutter your digital Technology is a wonderful thing, but it also means we are constantly tied to our smartphones, email accounts or the latest news updates. It can be hard to switch off when you are constantly connected. You don’t have to switch off completely, but set yourself limits – only check social media once a day, don’t check emails on the weekend or leave your phone at home if it’s not essential. 3. Limit TV time It’s amazing how quickly an hour (or two or three) can go by when you are sat mindlessly in front of the TV. Don’t automatically turn it on as soon as you walk in the house. Set a time for TV (say after 7pm) and then use your new free time to read a book, do some gardening or take a walk. You’ll be amazed at how much free time you suddenly have. 4. Get out into nature Never underestimate the power of connecting with the physical world. Head out for a walk through the park or along the beach. Leave your phone and iPod at home so you can listen to the sounds around you. You can clear your mind in a sort of moving meditation, plus the physical exercise will give you an extra boost. 5. Find meaningful activities In our busy life we rarely take time for the activities we love, like drawing, reading, singing or yoga. These activities can bring meaning to our lives, and encourage us to slow down and find stillness. It is worth setting aside some time each day or week to do something you really love. 6. Practice inner stillness Too often we are our own worst enemy. So, even if we can quiet the external noise, we persist with the internal noise. We constantly run over to do lists, fret over mistakes we’ve made, berate ourselves for not loosing weight. When you feel yourself falling into these patterns, stop. Relax, reset and feel grateful for what you have. Image credits: Getty Images

Mind

Warning against latest egg-stremely restrictive diet trend

A viral “egg diet” is the latest weight loss trend taking over TikTok as people continue to find ways to drop a few kilos. The #eggdiet has attracted over 68.5 million views, with a lot of people sharing their weight-loss success. Nutritionists warn the egg-stremely restrictive diet is simply unsustainable and just another eggs-ample of why most diets fail. According to TikTok users, the egg diet consists of eating only eggs for every meal, alongside low-carb snacks such as fruit, veggies, and some additional protein. While this diet is capable of boosting your metabolism and burning fat in the short term, it can then slow the metabolism and make it more difficult to lose weight in the future. One TikTok user trying the diet admitted she had broken it, writing, ”I think the last nine days of eating the bare minimum has caught up with me today. The whole day I just felt nauseous.” A diet focused on one food eggs-cludes many healthy food groups that are otherwise beneficial for your body. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies, an unhealthy amount of weight loss, mood changes, muscle weakness, and hair loss. A nutrition eggs-pert from Fitness Volt says most people fail to stick with their diet long enough for it to work sustainably. They make fast progress, but egg-ventually, they fall off the wagon and return to their previous diet plan. "That's why so many of us lose weight only to regain it shortly afterwards, and it seems long-term, sustainable weight loss is rare nowadays," Saini said. "Fortunately, healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated or unpleasant, and weight management doesn't have to take over your life. "You don't even have to give up your favourite foods. However, you will need to quit looking for short-term fixes and adopt healthier long-term habits.” It is clear the #eggdiet is not sustainable and the lack of nutrition is likely to leave your brain scrambled. The idea is a bit of a crack-up, but don’t whisk it. Image credit: TikTok

Body

5 sounds you hear on the plane explained

Nervous fliers know just how freaky a sudden noise on the plane can be, but we’ve broken down the most common ones you’ll hear and what they mean so you can travel with ease. <ol> <li>The puff of air at the gate – it’s usually one of the first unsettling sounds you’ll hear on the plane, but it’s one of the most important – it signals that the ventilation on the plane has been switched on. It’s also why lights can tend to flicker, as the plane is moving from an off-board power source to an onboard system.</li> <li>The “bark” during taxi – before take-off and landing, it’s normal for the plane to make a sort of “barking” noise. This is just the hydraulics kicking in, ensuring steering, braking and air pressure are all at optimum levels for a safe departure or arrival.</li> <li>The wings “whirring” – upon take-off and even during flight, you may hear a “whir” coming from the wings. This sound indicates the wingspan is expanding and retracting to help assist take-off and speed maintenance.</li> <li>The “bang” from the belly of the plane – this noise can be pretty scary as you make your descent into your destination, but it’s completely safe. All it means is the landing gear is being released so you can arrive safely.</li> <li>The brakes “screeching” – don’t be alarmed by this sound, it’s just the plane’s natural response to landing at the speed of 160 to 240 kph while carrying hundreds of tonnes of cargo and passengers.</li> </ol> Image: Getty

Travel Tips

The real reason liquids over 100ml can’t be brought onto international flights

One thing most people keep in mind when setting off on an international holiday is to condense any liquids in their carry-on to 100ml or less, or run the risk of it being thrown out by security. This goes for bottles of water, makeup, skincare, and other liquid toiletries, as well as big bottles of hand sanitiser or the coffee you bought on the way to the airport. While we accept this is a part of boarding an international flight, a lot of people don’t know the reasoning behind the strict rules. So, why can’t we take liquids over 100ml in our carry-on on an overseas flight? A Department of Home Affairs and Australian Border Force spokesperson told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/why-liquids-over-100ml-need-to-be-tossed-for-international-flights/news-story/385fc9198465d82812f04d000c4f339c">news.com.au</a> restrictions on the volume of liquids, aerosols and gels were introduced in many countries around the world, including Australia, following the disruption of a terrorist plot in the UK back in 2006. The 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot targeted various aircrafts with specific liquid explosives. “[And as such] screening measures restrictions on what can be carried on board an aircraft have been enforced to ensure the safety and security of travellers,” the spokesperson said. Even if you have a 100ml or more bottle of liquid that is only half filled, it will still be thrown away by security. The only exceptions to this rule are some baby products and medications, but these must be presented to security officials along with a doctor's letter. While these rules are non-negotiable for international flights, domestic flights around Australia don’t have the same level of restriction. Image credits: Shutterstock

International Travel

Should I still go on holiday if I have COVID?

Your flights are booked, your bags are packed, and in your mind you’re already sunning yourself by the beach with a cocktail. With summer in full swing in the northern hemisphere, and most <a href="https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus?gclid=CjwKCAjw_ISWBhBkEiwAdqxb9u_dVdg0T_EbAlN8bWRd2HBUnc0oogiIZwtoZBjIZgzx2W30V6WgZBoCHE8QAvD_BwE">COVID-related restrictions</a> behind us, travel is back on the agenda for many people. But at the same time, <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/articles/coronaviruscovid19/latestinsights">COVID cases</a> in the UK are rising. So what if you’re unlucky enough to catch COVID just before your long-awaited getaway? Given most countries have stopped requiring negative tests to enter, can you just go anyway? “Obviously not – you don’t want to go and infect another country”, my 13-year-old responded when I asked him this question. But is the answer as obvious as my teenage son seems to think? The first thing to note is that other countries may still have COVID restrictions in place, so entry might be restricted altogether, or you may be prevented from travelling with COVID due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-covid-19-vaccine-passports-fair-163838">testing, vaccination or quarantine rules</a>. You can check the requirements in different countries using <a href="https://apply.joinsherpa.com/map?affiliateId=sherpa&language=en-US">this map</a>. But assuming you’ve checked the rules for the country you’re visiting, and you’re legally allowed to travel even with COVID, what should you do? This is clearly an ethical question, and what seems like an obvious answer to one person might not be so obvious to others. First, let’s look at the facts. The combination of vaccination and effective treatments for severe COVID has changed the situation compared with 2020 or 2021. The ratio of deaths to infections <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/articles/coronaviruscovid19latestinsights/deaths">continues to become more favourable</a>, and while the potential for a new, more harmful variant is an ongoing concern, the risks from COVID are becoming increasingly similar to risks faced from many other infectious diseases. Given this, and the fact that it’s becoming harder to find a COVID test (or certainly a free one), it may be more pertinent to consider the question in relation to infectious diseases more generally. <h2>Weighing up the risks</h2> If you’re planning to travel while knowingly ill, there would seem to be risks both to you and others. For instance, people generally don’t like the idea of being sick far from home, and buy travel insurance in the hope it will ensure they’re cared for should they become unwell (or get worse) while abroad. But while taking out insurance shows one level of concern for health risks, these concerns are by definition quite self-centred. Considering risks to other people, travelling with an infectious disease clearly carries the potential of passing the disease on to others. With all diseases, certain sections of the population will be more vulnerable. So where a virus like COVID might result in only mild cold-like symptoms for you, it could be fatal for someone else. But working out who may be vulnerable so that you can then avoid them if you’re sick is very difficult. There are also plenty of people who care for vulnerable people, and could easily pass an infection on. Being careful and wearing a mask <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-your-face-mask-protect-you-or-other-people-142612">will help to a certain extent</a>, but the obvious solution for protecting vulnerable people and their carers is to avoid mixing in large groups altogether. A second health risk is the possibility of being the cause of a new, geographically distinct outbreak. This is especially worth considering in countries with less developed healthcare systems or poorer availability of vaccines. A mild variant of a disease like COVID in the UK (which has a high vaccination rate) may well be significantly more lethal in a country where a lower proportion of the population is vaccinated. A final thing to consider is that no one has a “right” to go on holiday. Broadly speaking, “rights” are socially or legally determined, and while certainly many of us are very tired of COVID and the restrictions we’ve had to endure over the past couple of years, it’s difficult to argue that this frustration means we have a “right” to travel. Just because something is legal does not mean it is a right. <h2>Changing attitudes</h2> It’s interesting to note that the experience of the last couple of years – the first true pandemic in most people’s lifetime – has changed general attitudes towards infection and health risks, so that behaviour that was socially acceptable before COVID is now no longer considered appropriate. In particular, the pandemic has increased the <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-wearing-a-cloth-face-mask-is-less-about-science-and-more-about-solidarity-138461">public’s awareness</a> of infection control. While previously many people would have perhaps drawn a moral distinction between passing on clearly severe infectious diseases like tuberculosis or Ebola, they were often more relaxed about spreading milder diseases like influenza or the common cold. The experience of COVID has changed this as more people have <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-76763-2">come to realise</a> infections that are mild in most people can be highly risky for some. So should you go on holiday if you have COVID? I would argue that the answer to this question is similar to considering what you should do more generally if you have COVID at home, or indeed any other infection: stay away from others and <a href="https://theconversation.com/caught-covid-heres-what-you-should-and-shouldnt-do-when-self-isolation-isnt-mandatory-179441">treat the illness with respect</a>. Maybe you can achieve this if your holiday involves driving on your own, or with a small number of people you’ve previously had close contact with. Perhaps you (or your group) may also be able to stay away from others until you have recovered. But if your intention is to fly, stay in a hotel, or visit tourist hot spots, I refer you to the comment from my 13-year-old son: “Obviously not – you don’t want to go and infect another country”. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-i-still-go-on-holiday-if-i-have-covid-186185" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Time to remove vaccine mandates? Not so fast – it could have unintended consequences

Several Australian states have used mandates to drive up COVID vaccination rates. Governments justified the mandates on the basis of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=479962466825937&set=pb.100044365632393.-2207520000..&type=3">preventing the spread of disease</a> and <a href="https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/93754">protecting the vulnerable</a>. Now many states are rolling back these mandates, with Queensland <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-05/qld-coronavirus-covid19-vaccination-mandate-eased-april-14/100958850">removing the requirement to show you’re vaccinated</a> before entering cafes, pubs, galleries and other public spaces from tomorrow. It would be nice to think that when mandates have served their purpose, they can be removed. In practice, removing mandates may affect public attitudes about the importance of vaccination and the likelihood of getting boosters. Remind me, what were the mandates? <a href="https://theconversation.com/vaccine-passports-are-coming-to-australia-how-will-they-work-and-what-will-you-need-them-for-167531">Public space mandates</a> involve governments mandating that venues (such as restaurants, libraries and sporting venues) check individuals’ vaccination status and <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-time-to-rethink-vaccine-mandates-for-dining-fitness-and-events-we-asked-5-experts-176356">exclude the unvaccinated</a>. This is facilitated by <a href="https://theconversation.com/could-a-france-style-vaccine-mandate-for-public-spaces-work-in-australia-legally-yes-but-its-complicated-165814">vaccine passports and certificates</a>. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X21015309?via%3Dihub">Government employment mandates</a> involve governments requiring workers in specific industries to be vaccinated. Businesses and organisations may also implement their own policies requiring the vaccination of their staff, their clients, or both. Most states and territories embraced public space mandates and all have required vaccination of aged and health-care workers. But many are on their way out. NSW eased its requirements last year. South Australia has recently revoked mandates for police, teachers and transport workers. Queensland’s new policy is noted above. Victoria, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory are sitting with their existing requirements for now. What could happen next? It’s unclear what impact removing vaccine mandates will have in Australia. However, we can learn from other public health measures and COVID vaccine mandates implemented overseas. Seat-belt laws converted a government requirement into a widespread social norm. Car manufacturers reinforced the norm with vehicles that beep at us when we don’t comply. But just because something has become habitual doesn’t mean we can lose the law. If governments removed the seat-belt law now and expected us to comply because we are informed, educated, and socialised, some people would still conclude that seat belts are no longer important. Removal of a requirement can send a bad message. The Italian government learned this when the region of Veneto suspended childhood vaccine mandates for four childhood vaccines in 2007. Officials thought the region’s wealthy and educated population would continue to vaccinate their children if the regional government provided strong education and messaging. They were <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-021-09427-1">wrong</a>. Their strategy worked until there was a national vaccine scare in 2012. Vaccination rates in Veneto plummeted faster than anywhere else in the country. Eventually, the national government <a href="https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/publications/recent-vaccine-mandates-in-the-united-states-europe-and-australia">mandated more vaccines</a> for the whole country. Other countries have already experimented with introducing, removing, and sometimes re-introducing mandates. Some, such as <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(22)00063-7/fulltext">Austria</a> and the <a href="https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/vaccine-mandates">United Kingdom</a>, have flip-flopped, providing little opportunity to study the impact of their mandates’ introduction or removal. Israel, which vaccinated its population promptly with Pfizer to the envy of the world, used a “public space” mandate (with an opt-out of a negative COVID test). The mandate has been <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8582817/">switched on and off</a> depending on the disease situation at the time. Unfortunately, Israelis’ uptake of subsequent doses has <a href="https://datadashboard.health.gov.il/COVID-19/general">dropped over time</a>, but its government still <a href="https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/global/israel-rolls-back-green-pass-as-prime-minister-declares-the-covid-wave-is-breaking/news-story/b6f9ce495359166126b16c477af062b3">ended the mandate</a> in February. Mandates are also not without <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2021/215/11/policy-considerations-mandatory-covid-19-vaccination-collaboration-social">risks and costs</a>. They can provoke reactance, making those who are reluctant to vaccinate more determined not to do so. They may also prompt activism against vaccines and mandates. High vaccination rates help contain COVID One of the biggest challenges is nobody knows what the next phase of COVID will look like. Neither infection nor the current vaccines provide long-lasting immunity. We don’t know whether the next strain will continue the trajectory towards less serious symptoms started by Omicron (and helped by high vaccination rates). Whether we continue to be able to stay on top of COVID and whether the disease continues to remain less severe in most people infected will depend on maintaining high vaccination coverage rates. Governments across the nation and the world have struggled to get third doses into populations at the same level and with the same enthusiasm people showed towards the first two. Uptake in paediatric populations is also lagging in Australia – and there are no mandates. Now adults are being asked to prepare for and accept our fourth doses. Leading the way Western Australia has one of the highest rates of uptake in the country, with 76.7% of people aged over 16 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=533610064794510&set=a.263657845123068">triple dosed</a>. This compares with the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2022/04/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-update-8-april-2022.pdf">national average</a> of 52.3%. It’s no coincidence the state’s employment mandates, which cover 75% of the workforce, require workers have their third dose within a month of becoming eligible. The WA mandate did not contain three doses to begin with, but it was very easy for the government to build it in. Faced with rolling back the mandate or keeping it operational for the fourth dose, the government will have to grapple with whether the population continues to support these measures – and there are definitely people who reluctantly accepted two doses and are not prepared to keep having more. WA’s public space mandate only covers two doses for now. WA’s COVID vaccination experience has shown that mandates, including for third doses, drive high levels of uptake, and are <a href="https://www.ijhpm.com/article_4210.html">easy for governments to implement</a>. However, much of the rest of Australia is moving in an opposite direction to WA in removing its mandates. As we live through the continued natural experiment of living with COVID – and not allowing it to defeat us – we now move into a new phase of making sense of what to do with the policy instruments governments used.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/180781/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katie-attwell-94905" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Katie Attwell</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The University of Western Australia</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/time-to-remove-vaccine-mandates-not-so-fast-it-could-have-unintended-consequences-180781" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Domestic Travel

Review: Block out the world with these Bose headphones

Whether you’re trying to concentrate on work or enjoy some peace and quiet on a noisy train, a pair of noise-cancelling headphones can be a lifesaver. With a host of options to choose from nowadays, it really comes down to your budget and how customisable a sound you’re looking for. Coming in at about $549, the Bose QC45 are a little on the pricier side - beating Apple's $899 Max Pods and several Sennheiser models, while being beaten by the ranges from Sony and Beats. But price isn’t everything, and it’s noise-cancelling technology, sound quality, and comfort factor all make it feel like an investment that will last you a good long while. After spending a week trialling the headphones, both while working at home and commuting on peak-hour trains, here are my thoughts on how they stack up. Easy to use, with or without the companion app The QC45 headphones come in a sleek, lightweight travel case with a charging cable and 3.5mm audio jack, as well as a companion Bose app which is free to download. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/bose-inside.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The headphones pack away compactly into a hardy travel case. Image: Author The app makes pairing your devices a simple task (though I found connecting to my laptop worked just as well without it), all while giving you the option to name your headphones and adjust the bass, treble and other audio settings to your liking. If using an app or fiddling with audio settings doesn’t appeal, connecting via Bluetooth or the audio jack is just as simple and the sound is great with its default settings (which I’ll touch on further). The headphones also come with controls on the ear cups which are quite handy. The singular button on the left cup allows you to toggle between Active and Quiet mode, while you can adjust the volume, and pause, play and skip music using three standard buttons on the right cup. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/headphones1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The headphones are comfy and sound great - what more could you ask for? Image: Matt O’Rourke With the ability to connect to multiple devices, swapping between them is incredibly easy - and the app can help with that too. It also helps that every time you switch them on, the headphones tell you which devices they are currently connected to and how much battery life is left. Battery life is good, but more power-saving options could be better Speaking of the battery, Bose estimates it will last for 24 hours and that seems to ring true. After using them almost non-stop during my work hours - approximately 7-8 hours a day - as well as on my hour-long commute and relaxing for a few hours after work, I found it needed a recharge every couple of days, and that charging it overnight was sufficient. However, having the option to turn off the Active and Quiet modes to extend the battery life just that little bit more would be a nice addition. Though just a nitpick, the charging cord is a tad short, making it hard to continue using the headphones while they’re charging. How does it sound? Though some sound aficionados might not be too impressed, I loved it. Even without adjusting the sound, I found it was crisp and quite balanced. When I put the headphones through several headphone tests it performed well and I experienced zero buzzing or rattling during the driver quality (bass shaker) test. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/bose-app.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The companion app allows you to control the volume, mode, and EQ levels with ease. Image: Author The crisp sound is maintained when using the wired connection too, with the only difference being the absence of the hum of the noise-cancelling. The noise-cancelling settings The Quiet mode is supreme. While working from home, my partner and I sit across from each other, and I often turn to my headphones to not get distracted by the show he has running in the background. My standard headphones mostly muffle the dialogue, with moderately loud music taking up the rest of the slack in helping me focus. In comes the Bose headphones to completely change the game. Even without music, the quiet mode makes dialogue - currently from Tony Robertson’s Time Team - sound faint and far away and even muffles my usually clacky keyboard. But, when the complete noise cancelling is too much, the Active mode provides a nice alternative. It still blocks out noise to a certain degree but you can still hear some environmental noises, such as typing, while making it easier for someone to get your attention. However, if you’re prone to tension headaches from noise-cancelling headphones like I am, the Bose may initially do the same. Reassuringly, using them for extended periods of time (at least 15 minutes) saw this become less of an issue as my brain adjusted. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/bose-headphones.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Image: Supplied In summary, here are some pros and cons to consider if you’re thinking of buying the headphones for yourself or someone else. Pros: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Incredibly comfortable and cushiony ear cups </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Can choose between Quiet and Active mode </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Crisp clear audio </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Bluetooth and wired connection to choose from </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Can switch between devices with ease </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Relatively quick charging time and decent battery life </li> </ul> Cons <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> The noise-cancelling may cause headaches if you’re prone to them </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Its price ($549 RRP) </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Being able to turn off the Active and Quiet modes to conserve battery would be a nice option </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Charging cable is a bit short </li> </ul> The Bose QC45 headphones are available from retail outlets and from the Bose <a href="https://www.bose.co.nz/en_nz/products/headphones/noise_cancelling_headphones/quietcomfort-headphones-45.html?mc=20_PS_45_BO_00_GO_&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhMOMBhDhARIsAPVml-EE1a4vChe4Njc4xIW7_Ij7s6o6a-4lAoyp3d4nzB0zZPaXnYCQyaUaAo4BEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#v=qc45_black" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>. Images: Supplied / Matt O'Rourke

Technology

Tenant “living in hell” with nightmare landlord’s restrictions

A woman claims she was “living in hell” under the regime of a strict landlord just days into her tenancy. The woman, named Mel, says her landlady imposed several unreasonable restrictions two days after she moved in, which involved restricting her access to parts of the house to short windows. Mel paid $1,090 (£595) a month to live in the two-storey South London home, and said that everything started out great in her new home when she moved in. Speaking with <a href="https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/south-london-woman-living-hell-23205354">MyLondon</a>, Mel said her landlady Sheena Shepherd presented her with a set of rules for the home within the first week of her tenancy, stipulating that she would only have access to the kitchen between 9am to 11am and 12pm to 2pm as Shepherd would be running PT sessions from home. If she needed to use the kitchen outside of these hours, she needed to cross reference Shepherd's demanding schedule. The lounge room was also off limits, with access only allowed to reach the kitchen. Mel also wouldn't be able to use the front door to the property between 9am and 5:30pm and was only permitted to work from home in her bedroom. Mel also told MyLondon that she was to "only come down the stairs once a day" in order to avoid disturbing Shepherd while she worked in the lounge, and was banned from having deliveries sent to the house as the doorbell was deemed "too distracting". Elsewhere in the house, Mel claims wardrobes were full of her landlady's "personal stuff," leaving her to keep her own belongings in the loft or shed. The relationship between the two quickly deteriorated, as Shepherd told Mel over WhatsApp, "You pay for a ROOM. If you want full access to the half, pay half the bills too. When you can pay £1,000 you can have equal say! Have some respect and not be so bloody entitled." Despite only having a three-month rental contract, Shepherd continuously tried to get Mel to leave early, but to no avail. The conflict eventually culminated in Shepherd having a party in the residence, where one of her guests verbally abused Mel in the kitchen with the police being called as a result. Tired of the abuse and restrictions at the hands of her landlady, Mel left the home and moved into a hotel, which she asked Shepherd to cover the costs of. The pair are now involved in legal proceedings over what happened during Mel’s tenancy. Image credits: Getty Images / MyLondon

Real Estate

5 reasons to keep wearing your face mask

Mask mandates in most indoor settings <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-25/covid-mask-rules-australian-states-territories/100854564" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have been dropped</a> in New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT, with Queensland to follow later this week. Without a mandate, <a href="https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(21)00274-5/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mask use tends to drop</a>, so we can expect only a minority of people to be masked in public indoor spaces. With thousands of cases a day and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/ng-interactive/2022/feb/21/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-australia-vaccination-rate-progress-how-many-people-vaccinated-percent-tracker-australian-states-number-total-daily-live-data-stats-updates-news-schedule-tracking-chart-percentage-new-cases-today" target="_blank" rel="noopener">just over half</a> (57%) of Australians having received a third COVID vaccine dose and children still under-vaccinated, we may see a surge in infections. While masks are a small inconvenience, they remain vital in preventing SARS-CoV-2, because the virus <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-pressure-is-on-for-australia-to-accept-the-coronavirus-really-can-spread-in-the-air-we-breathe-160641" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spreads</a> through the air we breathe. Some people will continue to wear masks to stay safe and achieve a more normal life through the pandemic. Here are five reasons to keep wearing yours. 1. Masks reduce your chance of getting COVID Many studies <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7106e1.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have shown</a> masks protect against COVID. While N95 respirators offer the greatest protection, even cloth masks are beneficial. N95s respirators <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7106e1.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lower the odds</a> of testing positive to COVID by 83%, compared with 66% for surgical masks and 56% for cloth masks. The protection when everyone wears a mask is much greater, because it <a href="https://theconversation.com/which-mask-works-best-we-filmed-people-coughing-and-sneezing-to-find-out-143173" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduces the likelihood</a> of well people inhaling the virus and prevents infected people from exhaling the virus into the air. If everyone wears a mask, the viral load in the air is much lower. When we lose the protection of universal masking, it’s a good idea to wear a <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/02/25/1083046757/coronavirus-faq-im-a-one-way-masker-what-strategy-will-give-me-optimal-protectio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high protection</a> N95 or P2 respirator. 2. You might not know you have COVID Transmission of the virus without symptoms is a major driver of spread, and we cannot know who around us is infected. Infected people may be asymptomatic or may not know they’re infected. This is <a href="https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220103/Very-high-rates-of-asymptomatic-infection-with-Omicron-compared-to-prior-SARS-CoV-2-variants.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">especially so</a> for Omicron. Overall, about one in four infections are <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/12/e049752.long" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asymnptomatic</a>. But even people with symptomatic infection are contagious before the symptoms start. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Business woman wears a mask." /><figcaption>You might not know you’re infectious. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/virus-mask-asian-woman-travel-wearing-1629206074" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> 3. Wearing a mask protects others, including those at risk of severe COVID Wearing a mask protects others, including those at greatest risk of severe COVID: people with disability, chronic illnesses and <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2022/02/covid-pandemic-immunocompromised-risk-vaccines/622094/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suppressed immune systems</a>. COVID disproportionately affects <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/covid-19-update-being-a-migrant-increases-risk-of-dying-from-covid-19-in-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">migrants</a> and people from lower socioeconomic groups who are more likely to work in customer-service roles. If you wear a mask, you’re protecting workers, commuters and others you interact with. Rates of vaccination also <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/coronavirus/aboriginal-communities-covid-vaccination" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lag</a> among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, leaving them more vulnerable to COVID in the absence of masks. Masks also protect children who are vulnerable to COVID, with only <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/ng-interactive/2022/feb/21/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-australia-vaccination-rate-progress-how-many-people-vaccinated-percent-tracker-australian-states-number-total-daily-live-data-stats-updates-news-schedule-tracking-chart-percentage-new-cases-today" target="_blank" rel="noopener">half of five to 11 year olds</a> partially vaccinated and under-fives not yet eligible for vaccination. Children who wear masks can also protect their peers. In the United States, the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7039e1.htm#T1_down" target="_blank" rel="noopener">risk of outbreaks</a> was nearly four times higher in schools without mask mandates compared to those with mandates. Omicron is not the flu or a cold, and has accounted for <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/omicron-wave-accounts-for-more-u-s-deaths-than-delta-surge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">17% more deaths than Delta</a> in the United States. While Omicron generally causes less severe disease than Delta, it has claimed more lives because of vastly higher case numbers. There is also growing evidence SARS-COV-2 <a href="https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-1139035/v1_covered.pdf?c=1640020576" target="_blank" rel="noopener">persists in the body after infection</a>, which may result in long-term heart, lung and brain damage. 4. Masks protect your colleagues Many workplaces are insisting on people returning to face-to-face work, some without providing safe indoor air – and now without mask mandates. The risk of COVID transmission is <a href="https://theconversation.com/time-to-upgrade-from-cloth-and-surgical-masks-to-respirators-your-questions-answered-174877" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greatest when indoors for prolonged periods without adequate airflow</a>. So sitting in an office for eight hours without a mask is a risk, especially if safe indoor air has not been addressed. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Man in a mask sits at his work desk, next to his female colleagues." /><figcaption>Wearing a mask reduces your risk of contracting COVID from co-workers. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/panoramic-group-business-worker-team-wear-1792685398" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> At the same time as dropping many workplace mask mandates, NSW has <a href="https://www.begadistrictnews.com.au/story/7629871/nsw-virus-compo-burden-of-proof-opposed/?cs=12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moved to remove automatic workers’ compensation</a> for people who catch COVID at work. This is a double disadvantage for workers returning to workplaces with fewer protections and facing greater obstacles to workers’ compensation should they get infected. 5. Others might follow your lead Being one of the few people wearing a mask when others aren’t, such as in a supermarket, is a daunting prospect for those of us who wish to continue masking. There are <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/covid-19-convoy-protest-mask-wearing-17-year-old-egged-by-aggressive-convoy-protesters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> of masked people being abused and bullied. However a NSW <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/more-comfortable-with-masks-voters-want-some-covid-restrictions-to-stay-20220225-p59zs4.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey showed</a> the majority of people in that state wanted mask mandates to remain. The more we normalise masks and the more we see them, the better protected the community will be. As much as we wish it so, the pandemic is not over and new variants will <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com.au/who-warns-of-covid-19-continuation-and-more-dangerous-variants-2022-2?r=US&IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">likely emerge</a>. A layered, multi-pronged strategy which includes vaccines, masks, ventilation, testing and tracing is the best way to protect health, the economy and a resumption of normal activities. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/177824/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/c-raina-macintyre-101935" target="_blank" rel="noopener">C Raina MacIntyre</a>, Professor of Global Biosecurity, NHMRC Principal Research Fellow, Head, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNSW Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-mask-mandates-might-be-largely-gone-but-here-are-5-reasons-to-keep-wearing-yours-177824" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Body

Wedding venue sued for millions over "destroying" couple's big day

When Russell and Marjorie Newman spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on their daughter's wedding, they hoped the big day would be perfect. However, the fairytale wedding has ended in legal action being taken over the luxurious venue, who the Newman's claim "destroyed" their daughter's day. Marjorie and Russell's daughter Jessica married Matt Alovis at the Brooklyn Pier 1 Hotel in September 2021, in a night that left Jessica "hysterically crying". The Newman's filed a lawsuit in the Brooklyn Supreme Court last week, after the venue failed to disclose a new "severe" noise restriction. The lawsuit states that the newlywed's first dance was ruined when the DJ refused to turn the music up, keeping it so low during the celebration that guests could hardly hear it. In order to continue dancing, the newlyweds and their 200 wedding guests were allegedly forced to squeeze into a 'dingy' room off-site meant for 60 people. "It was very, very devastating," Marjorie, who is also suing their wedding planner, Real Housewives of Miami star Guerdy Abraira, told the <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/02/06/nyc-couples-dream-wedding-destroyed-by-hotels-noise-restriction-5m-suit-claims/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">New York Post</a>."This was supposed to be her night to shine and it was all taken away from her."Brooklyn Pier 1 Hotel reportedly implemented the noise restriction rule just three weeks before Jessica and Matt's wedding due to residential condos in the building, but the Newman's claim the hotel "never made them aware" of the rule. "They never brought us in to say, 'This is what it is going to sound like or not sound like,' they never gave us the opportunity to move the venue," Russell explained. The Newmans, who spent $150,000 on flowers alone for the wedding, are demanding $5 million from the hotel and wedding planner for the "destroyed" event caused by a "breach of contract" and the "deceptive concealment of sound restrictions" which resulted in "humiliation, indignity, distress of mind, mental suffering, inconvenience, and physical discomfort," according to the lawsuit. "There were countless hours spent over at least a one year planning period for what should have been a once in a lifetime special event which was single handily destroyed by the egregious actions of the defendants," the lawsuit says. Image credits: Getty Images

Legal

Jacinda Ardern announces plan to reopen New Zealand

After months of being closed to locals stranded overseas, New Zealand is planning to reopen its borders. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern annouced the plan for New Zealand citizens to return home in a speech on Thursday, and detailed a new scheme to reconnect the country to the rest of the world. New Zealanders who have been stranded in Australia will be able to return home form February 27th, while citizens suck in other parts of the world will have to wait until March 13th.The country still boasts strict border policies, with residents located across the world have been forced to enter a lottery system to gain a place in New Zealand's hotel quarantine system. However, Ms Ardern said the stringent policies would now change. "The tools we used yesterday to help battle this health crisis, they won't stay the same," she said. She said there was "no question" the managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) system "has been one of the hardest parts of the pandemic".From the end of the month, returning New Zealanders will be allowed to isolate at home instead of facing an overcrowded hotel quarantine system. While this new rule only applies to New Zealand citizens, it is expected Australian tourists and travellers from visa-waiver countries will be allowed in under similar conditions "no later than" July. Visa holders, including international students and migrant workers, will be allowed in and to isolate at home from mid-April. Non-visa holders can expect to enter New Zealand in October. Image credits: Getty Images

International Travel

CDC and EU slap restrictions on travel to Australia

As Covid-19 case numbers continue to rise due to the Omicron wave, two major international governing bodies have warned against travelling to Australia. America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the European Union have both identified Australia as a “Covid danger zone”, and warned their residents against travelling Down Under. The EU’s concerns could see Aussie travellers banned from entering Europe or forced into mandatory quarantine when arriving on European soil. Australia joins Canada and Argentina on the EU’s “danger zone”, as European Council officials recommend restrictions not be relaxed for these countries. The new directive means that non-essential travel to Europe from Australia could be banned by individual EU countries, although Cyprus, Greece and Italy have already gone against the ruling. The CDC came to a similar decision about the fate of Aussie travellers, as Australia joined the likes of Israel, Argentina, Egypt, and 18 other countries on a “very high” Covid warning. America’s health protection agency told US residents they should avoid travelling to the “dangerous” countries that feature in the CDC’s “level four: very high risk” list. Australia first banned international tourists at the start of the pandemic in March 2020, but has recently started to relax restrictions as the nation’s leaders are encouraging everyone to “live with the virus”. Image credits: Getty Images

Domestic Travel

Adding noise to electric cars for safer driving

<div class="copy"> The low-decibel motors of <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy/as-the-world-surges-ahead-on-electric-vehicle-policy-the-morrison-governments-new-strategy-leaves-australia-idling-in-the-garage/" target="_blank">electric cars</a> are a blessing to many in noise-polluted cities, where poorly muffled gasoline engines can rattle nerves (and eardrums). But are they too silent? The answer, says Michael Roan, an engineering professor at Penn State University, Pennsylvania, US, is an unfortunate yes, especially for the vision impaired, who rely on their ears to detect approaching danger. In fact, Vision Australia has reported that 35% of the blind or vision impaired report being hit, or nearly hit, by electric vehicles they didn’t hear approaching. Governments are also aware of the problem, Roan says, with Australia, the US, and the EU all setting standards for how much sound electric vehicles must make. But do these standards work? To find out, Roan borrowed a Chevy Volt from General Motors and recruited 16 people, some vision impaired and some with normal vision but blindfolded, to listen to the car approaching on a quiet stretch of road. Sometimes the Volt was unmodified; other times it used speakers programmed to emit four different types of sounds, all meeting the standards. When his volunteers heard the car approaching, he asked them to push a button. When they thought it was gone, they pushed the button a second time. To make it harder, in some of the tests Roan’s team set up speakers to play background noise comparable to that in normal urban settings. Sometimes the car went 20 kilometres per hour, sometimes 10 km/h. The results were disconcerting. In general, Roan said last week in Seattle, Washington, at the 181st meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, people heard the car much better at 20 km/h than at 10 km/h—not surprising, because the faster a car goes, the more its overall sound is dominated by tyre noise. Above 20 km/h, he says, tyre noise dominates, and most cars sound pretty much alike. But at 10 km/h, he found that 20% of his volunteers would have stepped into the path of danger. Worse, in the course of 90 experimental runs, there were two in which nobody heard the car. That’s not a lot, “but when you extrapolate it to millions and millions of people, that’s a lot of people getting injured”, he says. The next step is figuring out what type of noises best reduce this risk, without being unpleasantly loud. Regulatory authorities, Roan says, have ruled against simply making the car sound like an internal combustion engine. In tests, he says, “people really didn’t like that”. Instead, they want something “more futuristic” that points to the vehicle being electric. The sounds that seem most effective at catching attention, he adds, aren’t steady whirs, but ones that change in volume or pitch. “That gets people’s attention really quickly,” he says. “[Though] their annoyance factor tends to go up, so it’s a balancing act.” Another issue is how to make this work as the green energy future fully arrives and electric vehicles are everywhere. “If there are 20 of these cars all in one area, how is that going to affect people’s detection of the one that’s most dangerous?” Roan asks. “I don’t think anyone knows that yet.” Image credits: Getty Images</div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/automation/adding-noise-to-electric-cars-for-safer-driving/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Richard A Lovett. </div>

Technology

COVID travel restrictions have created new borders for migrants who want to visit home

In the early days of the pandemic, many countries closed their borders to stop the spread of COVID-19. International travel has continued to be limited with <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52544307">changing caveats</a>, including “essential” travel only, restrictions on travellers from particular countries and vaccination “passports”. While a necessary public health measure, these restrictions have been especially disruptive to migrant families. For these families, travel is a necessary part of fulfilling <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15350770.2020.1787035">familial obligations</a> and maintaining a sense of “<a href="https://www.lexico.com/definition/familyhood">familyhood</a>” and belonging across borders. These policies present a new layer of “everyday bordering” for transnational families. The term “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0038038517702599">everyday bordering</a>” describes how policy and media narratives around migration affect migrants’ everyday lives and define who “belongs” in a nation state. In the UK, these borders amplify the state’s “<a href="https://www.jcwi.org.uk/the-hostile-environment-explained">hostile environment</a>”, the Home Office’s immigration policy, aimed at making it as difficult as possible to stay in the UK without adequate documentation. For migrants, their country of origin represents <a href="https://www.movingpeoplechangingplaces.org/locations/home-and-away.html">home</a> and family. Visiting home is important to many people’s wellbeing and allows migrants to be part of <a href="https://www.expatica.com/living/family/family-rituals-442783/">family traditions</a> and religious and <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-09/how-china-s-big-annual-migration-differs-this-year-quicktake">cultural festivals</a>. Travel may also be necessary to fulfil caring obligations for ageing, sick or young relatives. Pandemic aside, the ability to visit home and family has always been constrained by a number of factors, including migration status and travel costs. The impact of these everyday borders on some migrants’ lives has been <a href="https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Addressing-the-pain-of-separation-for-refugee-families.pdf">well-documented</a>. The introduction of COVID-19 travel restrictions has inhibited and added costly and complex border checks into the everyday lives of migrants. This is at a time when the need to maintain transnational family caring practices is particularly important. <h2>Everyday borders</h2> Our fieldwork for the study <a href="https://everydaybordering-familiesandsocialcare.group.shef.ac.uk/">“Everyday Bordering in the UK”</a> aims to understand how immigration legislation – including COVID-19 travel restrictions – has impacted social care practitioners and the migrant families they support. Through interviews, diary entries and ethnographic observations, we explored how families from diverse migratory backgrounds experience everyday bordering. While transnational family practices were not our primary focus, our work has revealed the impact of COVID-19 travel restrictions on transnational family life. This was also supported by our researcher’s own travel experiences when visiting family in Italy. Our research participants consistently discussed and wrote about their family members who do not live in the UK and expressed feeling responsible for their care. This demonstrates how important it is for family members to be able to travel in order to provide care. Some expressed remorse at being unable to travel historically, due to restrictive visa conditions or prohibitive flight costs. Interviews and ethnographic observations from online English language classes also reveal the impact of COVID-19 travel restrictions on fulfilling care practices. One couple from Poland –- whom we call Krystyna and Henryk –- now living in the UK, describe the disruption caused by such restrictions. In March 2020, Krystyna was visiting Poland to help her parents with her ageing grandparents, when travel was first inhibited. She was unable to return to her partner in the UK due to flight cancellations. During this time, Henryk described being “depressed” and alone, saying, "My family isn’t here because they are in Poland, so I spent a few days in bed […] it was a very bad experience in my life." While commercial flights were not available at that time, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52098067">chartered flights</a> returned many citizens back to their home countries from work or holiday. But these flights did not take into account those in Krystyna’s position – as a Polish citizen – and their transnational caring responsibilities, which are now divided between two countries. <h2>Essential travel</h2> Now that many countries have reopened their borders for travel, governments and airlines have implemented a series of measures and checks to contain the virus. Examples include <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/safe-covid-19-vaccines-europeans/eu-digital-covid-certificate_en">the EU green pass</a>, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk">the UK’s passenger locator form</a>, evidence of testing negative for COVID-19 and compulsory quarantine in hotels. These can be costly and hard to access, as our researcher noted in her own experience, "After not seeing my family for over one year, including my mum with a severe disability, we decided to fly to Italy. For the trip, we needed four tests, costing … £160 per person. Italy required a 48-hour test, and not a postal test. For a person living in London there were more, cheaper options but not for people in rural areas. In Italy, we also had to isolate for five days and get a further green pass to access public spaces." For two participants in the English language class, despite wanting to visit their mothers in Turkey and India, these measures were so costly and “complicated” that they said they “didn’t bother to ask for permission”. They realised it would be too difficult to travel, and they cancelled their plans to visit their families. The global emergency of COVID-19 has presented many challenges for governments, and has emphasised the differing needs of populations, including those who are marginalised. Since the initial peak of the crisis in early 2020, many countries, the UK included, permitted carers to move between different households to provide care. While international travel restrictions are an important feature of public health responses, in the context of this health crises, migrant families’ need to travel should also be recognised. Health-related boarding requirements should, we believe, be removed in a timely manner, but governments can do more to support migrant families in the short term. If we consider differing regulations between countries, the current system is too complex, costly and contradictory. There is a need for international agreements to standardise the documentation required to travel and make processes more streamlined and accessible. Image credits: Getty Images This image originally appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/covid-travel-restrictions-have-created-new-borders-for-migrants-who-want-to-visit-home-171461" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Who’s in? Who’s out? The ethics of COVID-19 travel rules

Omicron, the latest COVID-19 variant dubbed a “<a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern">variant of concern</a>” by the World Health Organization, has prompted <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/28/world/middleeast/israel-morocco-travel-bans-omicron.html">new travel restrictions in many nations</a>. Although little is known about omicron, scientists have expressed concern that it may be <a href="https://theconversation.com/omicron-why-the-who-designated-it-a-variant-of-concern-172727">more transmissible</a> or vaccine-resistant than previous variants. On Nov. 26, 2021, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/26/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-the-omicron-covid-19-variant/">the United States</a> joined <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/concerns-over-covid-variant-trigger-more-travel-curbs-southern-africa-2021-11-27/">a growing list of nations</a> banning travelers from countries in southern Africa, where the variant was first identified. The U.S. decision followed <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/noncitizens-US-air-travel.html">another recent change</a>, which went into effect on Nov. 8, 2021, requiring non-citizens entering the U.S. by plane to be fully vaccinated, with limited exceptions. Everyone entering by plane, including citizens, must provide a negative COVID-19 test. As bioethicists based in <a href="http://depts.washington.edu/bhdept/nancy-s-jecker-phd">the U.S.</a> and <a href="https://www.ug.edu.gh/phcl/staff/caesar-atuire">Ghana</a>, we explore the intersection of global health and ethics <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2021-107555">in our research</a>. In the U.S. government’s recent rules for entry, we see far-reaching consequences that should prompt policymakers to consider not just science, but ethics. <h2>Buying time?</h2> There are multiple arguments to support travel rules imposing bans or requiring full vaccination. U.S. policy aims to “prevent further introduction, transmission, and spread of COVID-19 into and throughout the United States,” <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/10/25/a-proclamation-on-advancing-the-safe-resumption-of-global-travel-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/">President Joe Biden said</a> as he introduced the vaccination requirement. He noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “has determined that the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19, including preventing infection by the delta variant, is for individuals to get vaccinated.” Ethically, the reason to contain the spread is to protect health and save lives. It could be argued that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10677-021-10160-0">a country’s first duty is to keep its own people safe</a>. However, many countries manage to protect their people while building in flexibility, such as by testing and quarantining visitors in lieu of travel bans or strict vaccination requirements. France, for example, tailors requirements to infection rates. It considers the U.S. <a href="https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/coronavirus-advice-for-foreign-nationals-in-france/">an “orange” country</a>, meaning unvaccinated Americans must show negative COVID-19 tests and self-isolate for seven days. One argument in favor of travel bans holds that they could slow the spread of the virus and buy time while scientists learn more. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease advisor, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-braces-omicron-prepares-african-country-travel-ban-2021-11-28/">reportedly told the president</a> it would take two weeks to have definitive answers about omicron. A travel ban gives scientists <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/omicron-travel-bans-snap-defences-buy-time-as-scientists-race-to-decode-new-covid-variant-2626702">more time</a> to assess how well existing vaccines fare against new variants, and to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/26/pfizer-biontech-investigating-new-covid-variant-jj-testing-vaccine-against-it.html">begin reformulating vaccines</a> if needed. An ethical argument for vaccine requirements is that people should be held accountable for their choices, including refusing vaccination. Yet throughout much of the world, particularly poorer regions, people cannot access vaccines. On average, only 6% of people in low-income countries <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-people-vaccinated-covid?country=High+income%7EUpper+middle+income%7ELower+middle+income%7ELow+income">have received a dose</a> of a COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 74% in rich countries. <h2>Science in flux</h2> Critics of travel bans and vaccine requirements point out that such controls are hardly foolproof. There is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taab123">scant evidence</a> that travel restrictions reduce disease spread, particularly if they are not timed right and paired with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aba9757">other prevention strategies</a>. Meanwhile, many studies have highlighted <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aba9757">the negative consequences</a>of international travel restrictions, such as xenophobia and mental health concerns. Vaccines are currently highly effective at <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-many-lives-have-coronavirus-vaccines-saved-we-used-state-data-on-deaths-and-vaccination-rates-to-find-out-169513">preventing hospitalization and death</a>from COVID-19. But vaccinated people can <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-breakthrough-infection-6-questions-answered-about-catching-covid-19-after-vaccination-164909">still be infected</a> and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html">transmit the virus</a>, although they are <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-vaccinated-people-are-not-just-as-infectious-as-unvaccinated-people-if-they-get-covid-171302">less likely</a> than unvaccinated people to be contagious, and less likely to get COVID-19 in the first place. Vaccines could also become less effective if <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8118153/">undercut by new virus variants</a>, though it is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-03552-w">not yet clear</a> if omicron reduces vaccine efficacy. Finally, there is uncertainty about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02249-2">how long</a> vaccine protection lasts. Banning travelers in response to omicron is intended to keep people safe. But bans could backfire if they are seen as punitive, and could make countries <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/11/28/1059619823/omicron-travel-bans-covid">less likely to share information about new variants</a>. After South Africa reported the omicron variant, its health minister said travel bans had made the country <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/26/south-africa-slams-unjustified-travel-bans-omicron-coronavirus-variant">a scapegoat</a> for a “worldwide problem,” while the foreign ministry claimed, “<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-59442129">Excellent science should be applauded and not punished</a>.” Targeting African countries with travel bans “<a href="https://www.afro.who.int/news/who-stands-african-nations-and-calls-borders-remain-open">attacks global solidarity</a>,” the World Health Organization’s Africa director said in a statement. <h2>Health and justice</h2> Travel bans and vaccine rules also raise equity concerns, given the dramatic disparity in vaccination rates across the globe. Travel restrictions disproportionately impact people from low-income nations where few vaccines are available. It might appear that requiring vaccination for entry would not leave many people worse off, if people in poorer countries can rarely afford travel. Yet many people traveling to wealthier countries do so for jobs. Pre-pandemic, in 2019, the U.S. <a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/us-temporary-foreign-worker-visa-programs">issued more than 900,000 work-eligible visas</a>. Many opponents of travel restrictions emphasize that new variants <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/26/new-covid-variant-rich-countries-hoarding-vaccines">are not surprising</a>, given how unequally vaccines have been distributed around the globe. When nations in southern Africa protested the new travel ban, they <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/27/world/africa/coronavirus-omicron-africa.html">pointed to previous warnings</a> that the delay in rolling out vaccinations there would <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/11/omicron-coronavirus-variant-what-we-know/620827/">increase the risk</a> of new variants. Equity concerns are intensified by wealthy nations’ partial responsibility for poorer nations’ difficulty accessing vaccines. Early in the pandemic, rich countries struck advance market agreements and secured <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01288-8">as much as 500%</a> of their predicted vaccine need, exacerbating global vaccine scarcity and bidding up prices. Wealthy nations pledged 1.8 billion doses of vaccine to low-income nations through COVAX, a global initiative to equitably distribute vaccines. Yet <a href="https://app.box.com/s/hk2ezb71vf0sla719jx34v0ehs0l22os">only 14% of them have been delivered</a>, according to <a href="https://peoplesvaccine.org/faq/">The People’s Vaccine</a>, an alliance calling for equal access to COVID-19 vaccines. [Research into coronavirus and other news from science <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/science-editors-picks-71/?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=science-corona-research">Subscribe to The Conversation’s new science newsletter</a>.] Some ethicists have argued that governments should <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2021-107491">hold off on vaccination requirements</a> for international travelers until there is more universal access to vaccines, or allow alternatives, such as testing or vaccination upon arrival. The U.S. vaccine requirement for visitors does make <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/order-safe-travel/technical-instructions.html">humanitarian exceptions</a> for travelers from countries where fewer than 10% of people are fully vaccinated. Still, it bars entry to people on a tourist or business visa, and citizens of many low- and middle-income nations where vaccination rates are low, but just above the bar. <h2>Do as I say, not as I do?</h2> The U.S. vaccination requirement also sounds hypocritical, because it does not apply to Americans. Unvaccinated citizens are allowed to reenter the country with a negative test result. Though free COVID-19 vaccines are widely available, <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations">just 58% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated</a>. In addition, U.S. rules exclude unvaccinated foreigners from countries with far lower COVID-19 rates. The U.S. has about 210 confirmed <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-cases">cases per million people</a>, but excludes unvaccinated people from countries including India (6 per million), Paraguay (8 per million), Cambodia (2 per million) and Zimbabwe (3 per million), although <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus-testing">lack of testing</a> may contribute to low case counts. In our research, we argue global health can be protected by more equitable methods, like <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2021-107824">following the WHO’s recommendation</a> to delay booster shots until 10% of people in every nation have received first shots; expanding vaccine manufacturing through <a href="https://jme.bmj.com/content/early/2021/10/06/medethics-2021-107824">waiving vaccine patents</a>; and showing <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hast.1250">solidarity in the global distribution of vaccines</a> by prioritizing countries with low ability to obtain vaccines. Ultimately, the best way for wealthy nations to protect their own citizens is to vaccinate people across the globe. “If the variant shows up anywhere in the world, you can pretty much count on it being everywhere in the world,” as infectious disease specialist <a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/about-us/cidrap-staff/michael-t-osterholm-phd-mph">Michael Osterholm</a> told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/26/us/us-officials-are-consulting-with-south-african-scientists-on-the-variant.html">the New York Times</a>. Vaccinating more people reduces the chance of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsr2105280">new variants appearing that are impervious to vaccines</a>. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/whos-in-whos-out-the-ethics-of-covid-19-travel-rules-172053" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Omicron doctor declares no reason for panic

One of the first doctors to identify the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has said there is too much “hype” around it and criticised government decisions to close borders and reimpose travel restrictions. Dr Angelique Coetzee, the chair of the South African Medical Association was one of the first doctors who suspected that a new kind of coronavirus had emerged. She has criticised travel restrictions and said they served no purpose as those with the new variant weren’t experiencing severe symptoms. “Looking at the mildness of the symptoms that we are seeing, currently there’s no reason for panicking as we don’t see severely ill patients,” Dr Coetzee <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-omicron-updates-doctor-says-symptoms-mild/78a27c87-9857-45fc-af3d-ae9e6aee41ef">said</a>. “The hype that’s been created currently out there in the media and worldwide, doesn’t correlate with the clinical picture.” Cases of people with the Omicron variant have been recorded in the UK, Germany, Belgium and Italy, as well as Israel, Botswana and Hong Kong. Two cases were recorded in Australia over the weekend, after genomic testing confirmed that the two international arrivals to Sydney who tested positive to COVID-19 had the new variant. They were among 14 people arriving from southern Africa, with the remaining 12 now undertaking 14 days of hotel quarantine. About 260 passengers and air crew have been identified as close contacts and directed to isolate. Around the country, there are fears the new variant could alter reopening plans. In Queensland, businesses have called for the government to stick with the easing of restrictions in mid-December, while Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has said the state won’t return to “square one” in terms of lockdowns and restrictions. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has said the state will continue with its current roadmap, with restrictions to ease on December 15. “At the moment we’re sticking to that (reopening) plan,” he told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/coronavirus/dominic-perrottet-says-nsw-government-is-sticking-with-plans-to-ease-restrictions-on-december-15-amid-omicron-fears/news-story/1903551bc8855ebff3ee1352a332e85c" target="_blank">Sky News Australia</a>. “I think this is just another example COVID is going to be with us for some time and the best thing we can do as a state is keep that vaccination level as high as possible.” The emergence of the Omicron variant comes as the World Health Organisation has called out wealthy countries for hoarding COVID-19 vaccines and administering third doses while other countries struggle to vaccinate their own populations. As of Sunday, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2021/11/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-update-28-november-2021.pdf" target="_blank">86.7 percent</a> of Australians over the age of 16 have been fully vaccinated, whereas only about <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-59442129" target="_blank">24 percent</a> of South Africa’s population have had both jabs. Image: Getty Images

News

Traffic noise could increase your risk of dementia

The amount of noise a person is exposed to from road and railway traffic could affect their risk of developing dementia, according to international research. A team from Denmark has investigated the connection between long-term residential exposure to road traffic and railway noise and dementia risk among two million adults over the age of 60 living in Denmark between 2004 and 2017. To do this, they estimated the level of road traffic and railway noise at the most and least exposed sides of every residential address in Denmark. Then, they analysed national health registers in search of all cases of all-cause dementia and different types, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and Parkinson’s disease related dementia. After taking other potentially influential factors into account, the team found that an average of 10 years exposure to noise was associated with a higher risk of dementia. They also found that both road and railway noise were associated with a higher risk of Alzheimer’s, with a 27 percent increase for exposure to road traffic noise of 55 decibels and a 24 percent increase for exposure to railway noise of 50 decibels. But, they found that the increased risk of vascular dementia was only associated with road traffic noise. The researchers note that the study is observational and doesn’t include information about how lifestyle habits could have played a part in participants’ risks of developing dementia. They conclude: “If these findings are confirmed in future studies, they might have a large effect on the estimation of the burden of disease and healthcare costs attributed to transportation noise. “Expanding our knowledge of the harmful effects of noise on health is essential for setting priorities and implementing effective policies and public health strategies focused on the prevention and control of diseases, including dementia.” The researchers estimate that as many as 14 percent of the 8,475 cases of dementia in Denmark in 2017 could be attributed to transportation noise exposure. Transportation noise has been previously linked to several other health conditions, including coronary heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. The study was published in the journal <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n1954" target="_blank">The BMJ</a>. Image: Getty Images

Mind

Why China has imposed strict bans on gaming time

Regulators in China have imposed new restrictions on young gamers. The new laws dictate that players under the age of 18 are only allowed to play online games for one hour on Fridays, weekends and holidays. The strict regulations come in response to growing concerns over gaming addiction in reports by the state media. Published by the National Press and Publication Administration, the rules say that gaming hours will also be limited from 8pm to 9pm, as reported by Xinhua news agency. Online gaming companies will be banned from providing any gaming services to teens in any form outside those hours, as well as having to enforce name verification systems that oversee China’s video games market. China has previously limited the total length of time minors could access online games to three hours on a holiday or 1.5 hours on other days. The new rules have come in conjunction with a crackdown by Beijing on China’s tech giants, such as Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group, which has spooked investors and plummeted Chinese shares traded at home and overseas. The National Press and Publication Administration also told Xinhua news agency that it would be increasing the intensity and frequency of inspections for online gaming companies to ensure they are adhering to the new laws. This is the second act of China limiting entertainment resources, as government agencies recently announced a blacklist of popular songs in the country’s booming karaoke industry. Any song that was deemed to have “harmful content” was removed from country-wide karaoke venues, as rules outlined by the country’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism state that karaoke must not endanger national unity, sovereignty or territorial integrity. Image credit: Shutterstock

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