If you knew what you know now about coronavirus, what would you have done differently this year?

Since COVID came into our lives, more than 67 million people have had COVID and more than one and a half million people have died from it.

On today's Coronacast, it's time to look back and see what we've learned from the global pandemic.

As the world eagerly awaits the rollout of a coronavirus vaccine, it's worth looking at exactly how it might and might not work.

While we know from trials that the vaccines are very good at stopping people from getting sick from COVID, that's not the same as a vaccine protecting against getting infected in the first place.

And what the vaccine actually does matters a lot, because if it's only stopping you from getting sick, you may still be able to infect others.

So on today's Coronacast, a deep dive into what and what not to expect from upcoming coronavirus vaccines.

Featured:

Dr Kirsty Short, University of Queensland

It's been nearly a year since coronavirus burst into the world's consciousness, and finally mass vaccination campaigns have started.

Over the weekend, Russia started vaccinating people. The UK will begin in the next few days and the US will hopefully follow later this month.

And already, hundreds of thousands of people in China have received vaccinations.

But on today's Coronacast, not every vaccination program is the same, and one of the big differences is that some of the drugs have gone through the full three phases of human trials, and others have not.

Also on today's show:

* The difference between emergency use approval and approval in an emergency

* Two people manage to escape hotel quarantine

* No new cases from the NSW hotel quarantine outbreak so far

* And some more reflections on things you'll be doing differently once COVID is less of a concern

Just as South Australia seems to be getting on top of its hotel quarantine outbreak, a new one is starting in NSW.

Late on Wednesday night, a NSW hotel quarantine worker tested positive for COVID19 - prompting health authorities to put out alerts and start contact tracing.

NSW Health is taking the extra step of asking people who travelled on certain trains to not only get tested immediately but also self-isolate until further advised.

It follows what happened in Victoria - which suffered a massive second wave due to issues with COVID escaping hotel quarantine.

So on today's Coronacast - are we just going to have to get used to this?

Also on today's show:

* We break down the emergency vaccine approval in the UK

* Could Vitamin C be a miracle treatment for COVID?

* We read out your comments on what you'll keep doing after the pandemic

* And it's Friday so there's that quick fire thing too :)

As more restrictions are relaxed, and as border controls continue to come down, it's time to revisit the things we should be doing to stay safe and healthy.

From the start of the pandemic, getting tested if you show any symptoms at all is vital and will remain so until everyone is vaccinated.

But what about the other things like washing your hands, choosing to wear masks even if it's not mandated and refraining from hugging or getting too close?

On today's Coronacast, the things that are worth continuing just to be safe and the things we can relax about a bit.

Also on today's show:

* Norman has some things to say about WA. But don't worry, he's nice (enough)

* Victoria finds something in the sewage in Colac

* An update on Moderna's latest claims about preventing "severe" COVID disease

* And why Australia could benefit by having to wait a bit longer for any vaccine

As more restrictions are relaxed, and as border controls continue to come down, it's time to revisit the things we should be doing to stay safe and healthy.

From the start of the pandemic, getting tested if you show any symptoms at all is vital and will remain so until everyone is vaccinated.

But what about the other things like washing your hands, choosing to wear masks even if it's not mandated and refraining from hugging or getting too close?

On today's Coronacast, the things that are worth continuing just to be safe and the things we can relax about a bit.

Also on today's show:

* Norman has some things to say about WA. But don't worry, he's nice (enough)

* Victoria finds something in the sewage in Colac

* An update on Moderna's latest claims about preventing "severe" COVID disease

* And why Australia could benefit by having to wait a bit longer for any vaccine

The COVIDSafe app has been given a massive update, and with it comes the hope that it'll give contact tracers vital information when tracking down COVID positive cases.

However experts have criticised the update not using technology developed by Apple and Google.

Since the app was first launched in April, it has been used successfully several times to find people who otherwise might have been missed by human contact tracers, but overall hasn't been of much use.

So on today's Coronacast, will the updates help make the app work better this time round?

Featured:

James Purtill, ABC technology reporter, ABC Science Unit

It's been a tough couple of days for health authorities in South Australia, especially surrounding the case of the COVID positive man who went out to lots of places.

Health authorities initially said he had broken quarantine by going shopping, before admitting that as a casual contact he hadn't actually been told to stay home.

It turns out that the man did everything that was asked of him, and it was the authorities who got the message wrong.

So on today's Coronacast, why getting the information right is so important - and particularly in a pandemic.

On today's show:

* We haven't had a case of coronavirus in town for over 6 months now. My school age kids often catch colds and I've been getting them swabbed each time. Do I need to continue having them tested?

* We've heard a lot from the companies about the effectiveness of their vaccines, however could you comment on the safety component of the trials?

As the days have passed since the drug company AstraZeneca announced its coronavirus vaccine results, the questions about those results and what they could mean have only grown.

Last week, AstraZeneca reported a 90 percent efficacy rate for its vaccine - but also another lower rate for another part of the trial.

Now questions are emerging around how the trial was run, and if parts of it were accidental or if they were on purpose.

It's all very confusing, so here's today's Coronacast to help sort it out.

Also on today's show:

* Why haven't Pfizer and Moderna been subject to similar criticism as AstraZeneca?

* Is there any logic to forcing international arrivals who may or may not be infected with coronavirus to quarantine in a hotel, yet those who are confirmed to be infected are able to stay at home?

And will Norman back down on his highly inflammatory pineapple pizza comments?

After a dramatic state-wide lockdown which was swiftly lifted when a patient revealed he'd lied about how he caught coronavirus, there is yet another twist in South Australia's latest outbreak. 

A schoolgirl in Adelaide has been diagnosed with COVID-19, and has been linked to the same pizza restaurant which is now at the middle of Adelaide's cluster.

So on today's Coronacast what might have happened? 

Also on the show:

* SARS-CoV-2 detected in sewage around Geelong

* COVID-19 and deaths in the US and 18 other countries

And Quick Fire Friday returns!

Please note, Norman's pineapple on pizza comments are his own, but I guess if you must complain please send to:

Why does Norman Swan hate pineapple and what has it ever done to him?

C/O: Norman Swan's Boss

GPO BOX 9994

Sydney NSW 2000