After a massive few months of outbreaks and lockdowns popping up across the country, things seem to have stabilised a bit lately.

While health authorities remain on alert around the nation, serious outbreaks are being managed in three jurisdictions: NSW, Victoria and ACT.

Everyone is racing towards high levels of vaccination to either control the outbreak or to avoid the worst of it if another one pops up.

So on today's Coronacast, how is everything going and the race to 80 per cent plus.

Also on today's show:

* If you've been double vaccinated, isn't it better to get exposed to covid to get a good immune response rather than getting a booster shot?

* What is the rate of hospitalisation once we reach 70 per cent (16+) and 80 per cent vaccinated?

What might the next few weeks look like?

Get answers to the health questions everyone's asking. Our experts give you the information you need to feel good and make the best decisions for your brain and body.

Medicine

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Health & Fitness

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 understandable that many are wondering how they can boost their immunity to avoid getting sick so often.

Norman and Tegan take us through some of the approaches that have the evidence to back them up (and the ones that don’t).

References:
Nutrition and Athlete Immune Health: New Perspectives on an Old Paradigm
Effect of air pollution on the human immune system
Current Directions in Stress and Human Immune Function

How can you boost your immune system?

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.

Pre-workout mixtures come in powders, pills, drinks, gummies — you name it, they’ve got it.

Norman and Tegan run through what they actually contain, and what the evidence says about their effectiveness…

Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

References: 
Multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements, safety implications, and performance outcomes: a brief review
Effects of Beta-Alanine on Muscle Carnosine and Exercise Performance:A Review of the Current Literature
Creatine Supplementation for Muscle Growth: A Scoping Review of Randomized Clinical Trials from 2012 to 2021

Is it safe to dose yourself with pre-workout?

When you get a headache, what do you reach for? Ibuprofen, aspirin or paracetamol?

Over-the-counter painkillers can be difficult to differentiate, but they do vary, not only in their effectiveness but also in their side effects.

Norman and Tegan talk us through how these drugs work, and which one might be best depending on your situation.

References: 
Paracetamol versus ibuprofen – which works best and when?
Is paracetamol effective for low back pain?
The dangers of NSAIDs: Look both ways

How do over-the-counter painkillers compare?

Restless Legs Syndrome is a common condition with somewhat mysterious underpinnings…

While it can be a side effect on an underlying condition, many people suffer for no known reason.

Norman and Tegan take us through what we know, what we suspect and some of the treatments for those jittery legs…

References:
Iron and restless legs syndrome: Treatment, genetics and pathophysiology
Iron-deficiency and dopaminergic treatment effects on RLS-Like behaviors of an animal model with the brain iron deficiency pattern of the restless legs syndrome
The Management of Restless Legs Syndrome:An Updated Algorithm

Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

Restless Legs Syndrome and how it's treated

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 Christmas. This is the first official announcement about her condition since she revealed she would be undergoing planned abdominal surgery in January. 

So what What do we know about Kate's cancer diagnosis? What is the likely treatment? And, given she is relatively young, what's the message for people who do have unexpected new symptoms?

What is preventative chemotherapy? What could treatment look like? What are some of the side effects of chemotherapy? How long does it take to recover from? We're answering the health questions everyone's asking on What's That Rash?

What might the next few weeks look like?

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