Reliable information on Covid-19 and SARS-CoV-2
Covid-19 is an infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Coronavirus (COVID-19)
is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation, with a lot of information being produced. This information can change frequently.
This guide provides some reliable resources of medical and health information from reputable resources. You can either browse through our curated list of Covid-19 research or you can find your own current research by using search sets provided.
Tips for finding credible information
The following websites are useful to consider when searching for reliable and credible information on the Covid-19 infection and pandemic.
You might find the “How To Spot Fake News, COVID-19 Edition” info graphic by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) useful to consider when reviewing material on Covid-19 for its credibility.
Retraction Watch has been tracking retractions of papers about COVID-19, which is updated as needed. Context and analysis is provided about each item that has been retracted.
Caution
Be aware that this guide does not replace the University's advice on Covid-19.
COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving situation and there is a lot of information being produced that changes frequently. This guide provides some reliable resources of health information, however the resources contained here are not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Suggested starting points
The Conversation RSS Feed
Read the most recent COVID-19 articles from The Conversation, a collaboration between academics and journalists of research-based news and analysis, in an easy-to-read format. Content is free to read, and free to republish under Creative Commons.
- Everything we know about the Covid-19 virus (Chemical & Engineering News)A collection of articles providing an overview of the virus with a chemistry spin: how disinfectants work on viruses, how the vaccine is progressing.
- Coronavirus is in the air — there’s too much focus on surfaces(Editorial) Nature 590, 7 (2021), doi:10.1038/d41586-021-00277-8
- Assessment of the Frequency and Variety of Persistent Symptoms Among Patients With COVID-19A Systematic ReviewTahmina Nasserie, MPH, Michael Hittle, BS, Steven N. Goodman, MD, MHS, PhD, JAMA Netw Open. 2021, 4(5):e2111417, doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.11417
- Similarities and Dissimilarities of COVID-19 and Other Coronavirus DiseasesTo Sing Fung and Ding Xiang Liu, Annual Review of Microbiology 2021 75:1, doi:10.1146/annurev-micro-110520-023212
- CoronacastABC Radio podcast with Dr Norman Swan and Tegan Taylor.
- NEJM Coronavirus UpdateAudio interviews by Eric J. Rubin, M.D., Ph.D., Lindsey R. Baden, M.D., and Stephen Morrissey, Ph.D.
- MJA PodcastsPodcast by The Medical Journal of Australia.
- Coronavirus and Beyond by JN LearningJAMA Network.
- COVID-19 publications and resourcesThe Australian Parliamentary Library is publishing a range of information related to the COVID-19 pandemic, with materials added to their COVID-19 publications and resources page as they are published.
- Australian Institute of Health and WelfareAustralian Institute of Health and Welfare look at identifying the connections between the pandemic, as well as the longer-term impacts of COVID-19, on the health and welfare of Australians.
- A modelling analysis of the effectiveness of second wave COVID-19 response strategies in AustraliaGeorge J. Milne, Simon Xie, Dana Poklepovich et. al, Scientific Reports 2021, doi:10.1038/s41598-021-91418-6
- Stay Strong: Aboriginal leaders deliver COVID-19 health messages(Letter to the editor) Vicki Kerrigan, Anne Marie Lee, Anna P. Ralph & Paul D. Lawton, Health Promotion Journal of Australia 2020, doi:10.1002/hpja.364
Monitoring reports and latest updates
- Victorian Government: Infectious diseases updatesGuidelines from The Department of Health (VIC) regarding infectious diseases.
- DHHS Coronavirus (COVID-19)Victorian updates from the Department of Health and Human Services.
- DHHS TwitterThe latest updates from The Department of Health, Victoria via their official Twitter account.
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) resources for the general publicA collection of information sheets and other resources for the general public and compiled by the Australian Government Department of Health.
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) health alertNational updates from the Australian Department of Health, which includes the latest case numbers, official medical advice and information on treatment.
- Australian Government Department of Health TwitterThe latest updates from The Australian Government Department of Health via their official Twitter account.
- Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemiology reportsEpidemiology reports, published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence (CDI), available via The Australian Government Department of Health.
- World Health Organization (WHO)Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
- CSSE COVID-19 DashboardDashboard by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.
- HealthMap COVID-19Real-time surveillance on confirmed cases worldwide.
- ClinicalTrials.govCOVID-19 Information via the U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Center for Disease Control (CDC)General information about Coronavirus Disease and COVID-19 vaccines via the CDC
- CEIC COVID-19 Impact & OutbreaksNovel Coronavirus outbreak monitor - worldwide map of confirmed cases & economic impact estimates.
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) VaccinationsOur world in data - COVID-19 Vaccinations worldwide.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)NIH's COVID-19 research and response.
Diagnosis and preventative measures
- Australia must act to prevent airborne transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2Zoë Hyde, David Berger and Andrew Miller, The Medical Journal of Australia, 2021, doi:10.5694/mja2.51131
- High infectiousness immediately before COVID-19 symptom onset highlights the importance of continued contact tracingWilliam S Hart, Philip K Maini, Robin N Thompson, eLife 2021, doi:10.7554/eLife.65534
- Public Health Measures to Slow Community Spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019Benjamin J Cowling, Allison Aiello, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, vol. 221, no.11 (2020) doi:10.1093/infdis/jiaa12
- Hand Hygiene Compliance Rate During the COVID-19 Pandemic(Research Letter) JAMA Internal Medicine, 181(7), 2021, doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.1429
- Evaluating the safety and effectiveness of novel personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemicMathilde R Desselle, Marianne Kirrane, Ian T Chao et. al, The Medical Journal of Australia, 2021, doi:10.5694/mja2.51091
- Willingness to Vaccinate against COVID-19 Declines in Australia, Except in Lockdown AreasQuyen G. To, Robert Stanton, Saman Khalesi et. al, Vaccines 2021, doi:10.3390/vaccines9050479
- Travel‐related control measures to contain the COVID‐19 pandemic: a rapid reviewCochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2021, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD013717. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013717.pub2
- Commuting before and after COVID-19Francene M.F. Thomas, Samuel G. Charlton, Ioni Lewis & Sonali Nandavar, Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.trip.2021.100423
- A number’s game: Towards a solution to the policing of ringfenced COVID HotspotsDirk H. R. Spennemann, Health Promotion Journal of Australia 2021, doi:10.1002/hpja.467
- Evaluation of a rapid antigen test to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection and identify potentially infectious individualsMichael Korenkov, Nareshkumar Poopalasingam, Matthias Madler et.al, Journal of Clinical Microbiology 2021, doi:10.1128/JCM.00896-21
- COVID-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Infections: Microbial MinutesVideo and links to articles concerning breakthrough infection by American Society for Microbiology.
- Covid-19: Pfizer vaccine efficacy was 52% after first dose and 95% after second dose, paper showsElisabeth Mahase, BMJ 2020, doi:10.1136/bmj.m4826