What's That Rash?
Episodes
A single glass of red wine for your health, yeah or nah?
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Much has been said about the single glass of red wine. It's good for you, it’s bad for you, it's good for you again.It can be confusing to follow.N...
Your emotional support water bottle is probably too big
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have your water bottle beside you right now? How close are you to reaching your daily water goal?It can feel like a slog sometimes to meet the...
How can you boost your immune system?
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As the weather cools down, you may be noticing more people around you are dropping from cold or flu.And with COVID-19 also in the mix, it’s underst...
Is it safe to dose yourself with pre-workout?
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It can sometimes be tough to summon the motivation and energy to go to exercise. Well, there’s a product for that and it’s gaining popularity.Pr...
How do over-the-counter painkillers compare?
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When you get a headache, what do you reach for? Ibuprofen, aspirin or paracetamol?Over-the-counter painkillers can be difficult to differentiate, but...
Restless Legs Syndrome and how it's treated
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Restless Legs Syndrome is a common condition with somewhat mysterious underpinnings…While it can be a side effect on an underlying condition, many ...
Kate's cancer announcement: What do we know about her health?
23 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Middleton announced via a video message that she is undergoing treatment for cancer. The Princess of Wales has been out of the public eye since...
Is your (artificial) sweet tooth killing you?
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that we're evolutionarily predisposed to seek out sweet treats?Simple carbs were harder to come by in caveman times than they are today....
Pimples, spots and pleuks: The who, why and what (to do)
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Although it’s often thought of as an adolescent affliction, acne can affect people well into adulthood.But some people seem to be immune to pimples...
Why are mosquitoes so attracted to me?
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Some people are mosquito magnets. The blood suckers do, in fact, have their favourites. And this could pose a major health risk. After all, mosquito...
We're doing a live show! Bring your rash to Brisbane March 22
03 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What's That Rash? is coming to the World Science Festival Brisbane!Bring yourself (and your non-communicable rash) to a live podcast recording with D...
Are hormones hindering your workout?
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been told to 'listen to your body' when it comes to fitness?It makes sense. You shouldn't push through injury, or past the point of exh...
Why do we have wisdom teeth?
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The only time most of us think about wisdom teeth is when they’re causing trouble.Do they have a use beyond causing pain (and leaving you with a he...
Multivitamins: Are they a scam?
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Let's say you're a pretty healthy person. You have a balanced diet, exercise regularly and don't have any health issues. A multivitamin can only help...
Are chiropractors charlatans or misunderstood?
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Thousands of Australians see a chiropractor for relief from back pain, headaches or stiffness.There has been a level of controversy surrounding the p...
Does anti-ageing skincare actually work?
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There are so many weird and wonderful skin potions out there, promising to fend off or reverse the signs of ageing.But do they work? And if so, how d...
What's the deal with night terrors?
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Night terrors are distressing awakenings of intense screaming, thrashing and fear that often happen at the same time each night. They're more common...
Why do we eat cereal for breakfast?
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been chastised for eating a bowl of cereal for lunch? Or having leftovers for breakfast?There are certain foods designed 'breakfast foo...
Working out? Why 'No Pain No Gain' is bull
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
No pain, no gain — right?Well, if you're looking to build muscle, not necessarily. Chasing discomfort might even slow you down. Norman and Tegan ...
Is there such thing as TOO much sun protection?
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Because of the country's high UV levels, Australians hear a lot about the risks of sun exposure. But there are some benefits too. Sunlight enables u...
Can you adapt to allergies or does the dog have to go?
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Pet allergies can range from mild to severe — from a nuisance to, occasionally, anaphylaxis. When all you've got is some itchiness and a runny nos...
Why do you feel so tired after a big meal?
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's holiday season, and family feasts are inevitable. But is the post-feast nap also inevitable?Norman and Tegan explain why you get so tired afte...
Can listening to music make you smarter?
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Binaural beats are a phenomenon that happens in your brain when you listen to two different tones in each ear. There are lots of claims surrounding ...
Am I addicted to caffeine?
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Caffeine is a part of many people's routines, whether it be a shot of coffee or a cup of tea. If you've ever noticed a headache creeping in when you...
What is the perfect nap duration?
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Napping can be risky. Will you wake up feeling better or worse?There's no doubt that sometimes an afternoon snooze is an absolute necessity. Norman ...
Are probiotics worth the money?
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever been told to take a probiotic — after a course of antibiotics, or just for your general health — you may be wondering what they ...
Does it matter whether I enjoy exercise?
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Consistent exercise is good for you, but does it make any difference whether you actually enjoy what you're doing?Norman and Tegan explore how fun mi...
End of Coronacast, but we're not going away!
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As the saying goes: All good things must come to an end. But don't go away, we've got something big coming!Obviously we're not talking about the pand...
INTRODUCING — Hello AI Overlords (and some Coronacast news!)
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hello Coronacasters - it's been a while! We have a little bit of news to share about what's coming up for Coronacast.Also, Tegan's here to share a v...
Getting a (strong) grip on Long COVID
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There's still so much to learn about COVID, and this week we have two big things about Long COVID and how long we spread the virus.Firstly, a recent ...
When will we be out of the COVID pandemic phase?
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's a question that we've been asking since the very beginning of the pandemic: when will it really end?It's easy to think that because people are v...
We're finally feeling a bit less lonely!
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The COVID pandemic brought on a whole bunch of change to nearly everyone in the world.All of a sudden people were under lockdowns, out of work, unabl...
Why the risk of Long COVID might be falling
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One of the big scary unknowns that remains with COVID is long-COVID.There are hundreds of thousands of Australians with the condition.But little bit ...
Where have all the new variants gone?
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the early days of COVID, it seemed like we were getting new variants of concern every few months.Wuhan led to Alpha then to Delta via a side trip ...
Pirola! An asteroid? Football player? No, it's the latest strain!
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It seems like a mere week ago that we were talking about the last new variant - because it was only a week ago.Move over Eris, there's a new variant ...
Hello furry mammal are you the next pandemic?
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Wherever you look, viruses are going into and coming out of animals.Mostly this happens without much fanfare, though occasionally it causes big probl...
Can picking your nose lead to COVID
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you think that excavating your nose is a harmless if somewhat disgusting habit - think again.A new study reckons you could emerge with COVID-19.Ot...
How you and 200 friends can save one hospitalisation
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We've said it before and we'll say it again - make sure you get your booster dose. But what, you ask, is in it for me? How likely am I to be the one...
COVID's not alone in the wastewater
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the early days of COVID, we used wastewater surveillance to spot undetected community transmission.Our sewage gave public health authorities early...
How do COVID antivirals work? And what's with the rebound?
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A lot has been said about COVID antivirals, especially on how they might help bring down the number of deaths from the disease.But occasionally an in...
What's RSV again? The *other* winter virus that's hitting hard
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's the depths of winter, and every second person you know has a cold of some sort. Most are mild but some can hit hard - as we all know from COVID...
What happened to Sweden? We're answering your questions!
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It was a massive question at the start of the pandemic: is Sweden's strategy of keeping things open a better way forward?Zoom ahead a few years, and ...
Is this why it feels like everyone keeps getting COVID?
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our immune system does an amazing job keeping us healthy - but it works in mysterious ways, especially when it comes into contact with novel viruses ...
What makes a COVID superspreader?
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We've all heard that COVID spreads in clusters and sometimes the cluster comes from a single person who can infect nearly everyone around them.They'r...
What could a diabetes drug do for long COVID?
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes a study comes along that shows some amazing results and one published in The Lancet does just that.The study - which looked at people aged ...
Introducing - Quick Smart
10 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tegan has been playing away, making another show.It's called Quick Smart, and because you're such a loyal Coronacast listener, we'll give you a previ...
We're in a wave - are more drugs the answer?
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The public health measures we relied on in years past to control COVID have now largely gone.Social distancing is no more and there aren't nearly as ...
Wait ... how many people have long COVID?
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Long COVID has nearly been around as long as COVID itself. It wasn't long after the pandemic began before we started hearing about long haulers - pe...
How many shots should I have had by now?
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2021, Aussies were queueing round the block quite literally for COVID-19 vaccines one and two.
Is there a new flu surge?
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As respiratory disease goes, COVID got us good. But it's important we don't forget the old school ones like flu and RSV.There's quite a bit of flu ar...
WHO's given up on COVID?
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With the World Health Organisation (WHO) announcing that COVID-19 is no longer a "global health emergency", you'd be forgiven for thinking the pandem...
Arcturus' rise: Another COVID (sub sub sub) variant!
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Omicron variant has been spinning off all sorts of sub variants during its 17 month long reign.The latest is XBB.1.16 - known also as Arcturus - ...
What would it take to guard against future pandemics?
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The coronavirus pandemic might not be a 'pandemic' for much longerSo, looking ahead, experts have come together to propose countermeasures for future...
Animal origin theory suddenly has a lot more weight behind it
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A team has analysed data out of China, proving the presence of animals in the Wuhan market capable of hosting SARS-CoV-2.
Not again! A new wave is building, so what now?
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Another wave of COVID infections seems to be underway in parts of Australia, and NSW is leading the pack. The variant soup is getting more complex b...
Almost 20,000 more deaths than expected last year – is it all down to COVID?
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2022, Australia saw an estimated 12% increase in the number of deaths compared to expert predictions. More than half of those were due to COVID-1...
We're all getting boosters – why aren't little kids?
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Since ATAGI updated its booster advice there have been lots of questions about why kids aren't able to get another jab. We discuss the reasoning be...
Do antivirals increase your risk of rebound COVID?
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Antivirals are an important measure to prevent severe disease in vulnerable people with COVID-19. But there have been concerns antivirals could le...
Don't chuck out your mask — and when to get boosted
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
An old debate has been reignited after a review declared the effects of masks is uncertain and in need of further investigation. Meanwhile Sydney...
BONUS: ATAGI updates its booster advice — it's not just about the fifth dose
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Australian adults will be able to get a fifth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine within a fortnight.People aged 18 and over who've not had a COVID vaccine...
How well does getting COVID protect you from COVID?
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The majority of Australians have received at least two doses of a COVID vaccine — and they've most likely caught the virus as well. New research s...
Three years on, is COVID still an emergency? Or should we be more worried about the flu?
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It has been three years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global health emergency. The WHO isn't ready to downgrade the statu...
We're back! So what did we miss?
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Although we didn't begin this year with any lockdowns or border closures, the pandemic hasn't abated.In fact we're off to a worse start than we had i...
What has COVID cost us in 2022?
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What a year 2022 has been for COVID. We started with a new variant sweeping the world, heavy restrictions and border closures and we end with very f...
Are we going to be free of this wave by Christmas?
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The number of new weekly COVID cases seems to be slowing, but sadly doesn't seem to be slowing fast enough to be free of the current wave by Christma...
How do you know if a pandemic is from a lab leak?
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There's been a lot of discussion about the origins of COVID, especially on the question of did it come from a lab, did it form naturally - or maybe a...
Is this the end of China's COVID zero?
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Protests are breaking out across parts of China in response to the Chinese government zero COVID restrictions.The number of COVID cases has soared in...
Are the waves getting smaller?
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There's hope that the current Omicron sub variant wave will be in decline again just in time for Christmas - but like everything COVID, it's hard to ...
Ok, now it's off and running - how do we slow it down?
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Another week, another big jump in COVID case numbers and rising admissions to hospitals.The next wave is well and truly underway, with the BA4 and BA...
Does anyone give a rat about RATs anymore?
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Rapid-antigen tests promised so much: a quick, cheap and easy way to tell if you were COVID positive so you could make a decision to help protect you...
Has the next wave already begun?
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
New sub-variants of Coronavirus are increasingly appearing in Government statistics and clinical breakdowns of the virus' spread.The BQ1 and XBB sub-...
What could the floods mean for disease outbreak?
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For those keeping count, 2022 hasn't been a great year for animal virus outbreaks into human populations.A new study has suggested that the Omicron v...
Australia's COVID report card is in. How did we do?
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After all big events, it's important to look back and think about what worked and what didn't.And one of the biggest events lately is COVID, and espe...
New Omicron booster is here! How well will it work?
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The first COVID booster that targets the Omicron variant has finally been introduced to Australia's vaccine rollout.The vaccine from Moderna targets ...
What could the end to mandatory isolation mean?
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The decision by National Cabinet to remove mandatory isolation for people testing positive to COVID-19 is seen by many as an "official" end to the pa...
Putin isn't our only worry from Russia
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Russia has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, and here's another concern to add to the list.Scientists are on the alert about the risk of an...
COVID numbers just got a whole lot harder to interpret
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
One of the mainstays over the past few years has been daily reporting of COVID cases, hospitalisations, ICUs and deaths.
How else has COVID been killing people? Taking another look at excess deaths.
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When COVID hit, there were a whole lot of predictions about how many people would die.Not just of the virus itself, but the knock on effects from red...
Where’s my Omicron specific booster? And will it help?
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It may not be long before Omicron specific vaccines are available in Australia, like they are elsewhere in the world.Last week the Therapeutic Goods ...
Is it time to scrap COVID isolation?
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Back at the start of the pandemic, if you tested positive for COVID - or even if you were a contact - you were looking at two weeks of isolation. Th...
The best news since January - but can it last?
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It seems that COVID cases in the latest wave have indeed peaked, and all things across the usual pandemic metrics are improving.It's the best COVID c...
How much coronavirus is coming out of your mouth?
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Pretty much ever since the pandemic began, we've been told to socially distance by at least 1.5 meters if possible to reduce the chances of infection...
Can we wave bye bye to the B5 wave?
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Is it finally time to say a big see ya later to the latest B5 COVID wave?The Omicron family has already brought us several waves - the first at the s...
Rebound? Reinfection? Release me from this pandemic prison!
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As more and more people become infected with COVID-19, more and more people are also going to be reinfected.But there's another type of reinfection k...
Do we need a new health revolution?
31 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When the pandemic started we were so worried about surfaces. But it turned out that wasn't so much of a concern.The big thing was the very air we bre...
Why BA5 isn't like measles, but is still a big worry
26 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
BA5 sure is making itself well known, and is responsible for soaring infection and reinfection rates right across the country.So how does it compare ...
The Doctor is back. What's Australia's COVID prognosis?
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a month since Coronacast took a break, and since then a lot has changed.The BA4 and 5 variants have become dominant, and immunologists are ...
The latest great news for young kids and COVID!
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There's been a bunch of good news this week about kids and COVID, including kids under 5 moving a touch closer to become eligible for vaccinationA Sc...
Have we lost our vaccine mojo?
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This time last year, Australia's vaccination program was getting underway and many were coming forward for their first or second shots.But Australia'...
Which subvariant will be the One True Omicron?
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Since the variant we now know as Omicron burst onto the scene late last year, it's proved to be a shapeshifter, spawning no fewer than five subvarian...
How worried should we be about monkeypox?
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While COVID continues to ravage the world, it's far from the only virus that's affecting humans at the moment.Cases of flu are soaring in Australia, ...
The BIG COVID challenge facing Australia’s next government
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We are only days away from the 2022 Federal Election, where we'll find out who'll be leading the country for the next few years.But for whoever wins,...
Yes, you can get long COVID if you're triple vaxxed
10 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A British COVID report has finally answered a question many have had: can you get long COVID, even after you're triple vaccinated.And the answer is, ...
5000 deaths this year and counting
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While most of the Australian population is vaccinated against COVID-19, going by the amount of people who have died in 2022, this is by far the worst...
The sub-variants just keep coming
26 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When Omicron burst onto the scene late last year, scientists were shocked at how many mutations it had compared to previous variants.We now know that...
How long can any country stay COVID zero?
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
China is fighting its largest coronavirus outbreak since the pandemic begun, but the lockdown being used to try and control it is facing resistance?V...
Our first proper flu AND covid season looms
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The race has well and truly been on for third dose COVID-19 vaccinations, but now add to that vaccination for the coming flu season.The past couple o...
When two variants become one
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the BA2 subvariant of Omicron infects its way to the top of the coronavirus leaderboard, we're thanking our lucky stars that it's not as or more s...
Wasn't the peak meant to be in January?
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With cases rising quickly again, it's left many wondering: wasn't the peak supposed to be behind us?Well, turns out the pandemic isn't over and a mix...
BONUS: Introducing Australia, If You're Listening
19 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The sixth season of If You're Listening tells the story of Australia's turbulent history with climate change, and what that means for the future.As w...