John Thwaites, Liam Smith, Salim Abdool Karim, Yanis Ben Amor
New COVID variants have changed the game, vaccines will not be enough
At the end of 2020, there was a strong hope that high levels of vaccination would see humanity finally gain the upper hand over SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 COVID-19. In an ideal scenario, the virus would then be contained at very low levels without further societal disruption or significant numbers of deaths.
But since then, new âvariants of concernâ have emerged and spread worldwide, putting current pandemic control efforts, including vaccination, at risk of being derailed.
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As a state MP for 15 years and Victoria’s deputy premier from 1999 to 2007, John Thwaites was constantly in the public eye but after politics he has flourished in academia as a sustainability advocate.
Professor Thwaites, 65, has been made a member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2021 Australia Day honours, “for significant service to the environment, and to the people and Parliament of Victoria”.
Professor John Thwaites
As chair of the Monash Sustainable Development Institute at Monash University and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, he sees himself as a bridge between researchers, government and business.
The Institute works in Australia and Asia on climate action, sustainable cities and developing a more environmentally conscious approach to water management.
Nomophobia? Photo Jorge Barahona – Pixabay.
A Monash University study shows that Australians are addicted to their mobile phones and their inability to disconnect could be endangering their health.
The Australia-first study, measuring nomophobia (no mobile phone phobia) and its consequences, shows 99.2 per cent of users have some fear of being without their phone.
And for 13.2 per centre of the population, their level of nomophobia is severe – leading to an increased risk of dependence and dangerous use.
The study,
Nomophobia: Is the Fear of Being without a Smartphone Associated with Problematic Use, was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Monash University
Australians are addicted to their mobile phones and their inability to disconnect could be endangering their health, a Monash University study shows.
The Australia-first study, measuring nomophobia (no mobile phone phobia) and its consequences, shows 99.2 per cent of users have some fear of being without their phone.
And for 13.2 per centre of the population, their level of nomophobia is severe – leading to an increased risk of dependence and dangerous use.
Researchers from BehaviourWorks Australia, part of the Monash Sustainable Development Institute (MSDI) surveyed 2838 Australians on their psychological attachment to their phone and usage habits. They found almost half of all participants (43.3 per cent) spent upwards of three hours a day on their phone. The more they used their phone, the higher their level of nomophobia and the greater their risk of problematic dependent, prohibited or dangerous usage.