Melbourne is now halfway through its stage 4 lockdown, and if the daily case numbers are anything to go by, the restrictions are clearly working.

At the start of the month, Victoria recorded more than 700 cases in a single day. Daily cases are now down to the low 200s.

But is three more weeks of hard lockdown enough to get the number to where it needs to be? And what else could be standing in the way of the city coming out of stage 4?

On today's show:

* Is three more weeks enough to get Melbourne's numbers down?

* What about by Christmas?

We have a few updates and clarifications regarding testing times and the story about which COVID-19 symptoms come first (on average).

If that's not enough, we also have a quick fire round on vaccines!

* How is an unvaccinated person a threat to a vaccinated person?

* How will the vaccine be distributed?

* Is there enough evidence to suggest that it is safe?

* Will it be safe for pregnant women?

* Who will be getting the vaccine first?

Melbourne is now halfway through its stage 4 lockdown, and if the daily case numbers are anything to go by, the restrictions are clearly working.

At the start of the month, Victoria recorded more than 700 cases in a single day. Daily cases are now down to the low 200s.

But is three more weeks of hard lockdown enough to get the number to where it needs to be? And what else could be standing in the way of the city coming out of stage 4?

On today's show:

* Is three more weeks enough to get Melbourne's numbers down?

* What about by Christmas?

We have a few updates and clarifications regarding testing times and the story about which COVID-19 symptoms come first (on average).

If that's not enough, we also have a quick fire round on vaccines!

* How is an unvaccinated person a threat to a vaccinated person?

* How will the vaccine be distributed?

* Is there enough evidence to suggest that it is safe?

* Will it be safe for pregnant women?

* Who will be getting the vaccine first?

New coronavirus cases in Victoria have been falling nicely this week, but if you look a little closer there are still some concerning numbers.

A large number of healthcare workers are still being infected.

And cases from aged care still appear to be making up large parts of the daily totals.

So could the Government's struggle to rein in infections in aged care and hospitals be holding Victoria back?

On today's show:

* Is the drop in Victorian case numbers due to lower testing?

* But didn't the Victorian Health Minister say only 10-15 percent of health workers are catching it at work?

* What are the chances that aged care and hospital transmissions will keep Victoria in lockdown?

* Can you tell me more about the Oxford vaccine? How does it work?

* Will the vaccine work for people with weak immune systems?

* Would Norman and Tegan personally take it?

And we put the call out yesterday to see how long coronavirus tests are taking around the country. We've had a huge response, so thank you! We'll break down the numbers, but no prizes for guessing which state has the longest waiting time.

New coronavirus cases in Victoria have been falling nicely this week, but if you look a little closer there are still some concerning numbers.

A large number of healthcare workers are still being infected.

And cases from aged care still appear to be making up large parts of the daily totals.

So could the Government's struggle to rein in infections in aged care and hospitals be holding Victoria back?

On today's show:

* Is the drop in Victorian case numbers due to lower testing?

* But didn't the Victorian Health Minister say only 10-15 percent of health workers are catching it at work?

* What are the chances that aged care and hospital transmissions will keep Victoria in lockdown?

* Can you tell me more about the Oxford vaccine? How does it work?

* Will the vaccine work for people with weak immune systems?

* Would Norman and Tegan personally take it?

And we put the call out yesterday to see how long coronavirus tests are taking around the country. We've had a huge response, so thank you! We'll break down the numbers, but no prizes for guessing which state has the longest waiting time.

When Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he'd like to see any COVID vaccination be as "as mandatory as you can possibly make it", he put the idea of compulsory vaccines on the table.

Yesterday he announced the Government had signed a "letter of intent" with a British pharmaceutical giant for access to a coronavirus vaccine if it is successful in clinical trials.

So assuming the vaccine is proven to be safe and effective, what are some scientific reasons behind a mandatory rollout of mass vaccination?

On today's show:

* Are there any scientific reasons for mandatory vaccination?

* What are the ethics of mandatory vaccination?

* Are there any ways to speed up getting test results back?

And Norman has some research about COVID symptoms and what, on average, comes first, second, third and fourth, and why it shows testing regimes should be expanded.

When Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he'd like to see any COVID vaccination be as "as mandatory as you can possibly make it", he put the idea of compulsory vaccines on the table.

Yesterday he announced the Government had signed a "letter of intent" with a British pharmaceutical giant for access to a coronavirus vaccine if it is successful in clinical trials.

So assuming the vaccine is proven to be safe and effective, what are some scientific reasons behind a mandatory rollout of mass vaccination?

On today's show:

* Are there any scientific reasons for mandatory vaccination?

* What are the ethics of mandatory vaccination?

* Are there any ways to speed up getting test results back?

And Norman has some research about COVID symptoms and what, on average, comes first, second, third and fourth, and why it shows testing regimes should be expanded.

Governments in Australia and New Zealand are scrambling to find out more about recent coronavirus cases that appear to have escaped from hotel quarantine.

NSW Health is looking into how a security guard became infected with coronavirus while working at a hotel quarantine facility in early August.

And in New Zealand, a maintenance worker at a hotel managed isolation facility has been infected by a returned traveller from the USA, but no obvious person-to-person connection has been identified.

And don't forget the huge problems in Victoria.

So it raises the question: are hotels the best way of managing COVID quarantine?

On today's show:

* With new possible hotel quarantine breaches in NSW and New Zealand, are hotels the best way to manage quarantine?

* Isn't it inevitable that when humans are close together, the virus will find a way eventually?

* Why are we still talking about superspreaders when we should be talking about superspreading environments?

* Why are we still talking a lot about washing hands when it seems the main source of infection is aerosols?

* Can you please clarify about valve masks?

* How does a pandemic end? Everyone gets infected? Vaccine?

* Why don't we do a lockdown every year for the flu?

Governments in Australia and New Zealand are scrambling to find out more about recent coronavirus cases that appear to have escaped from hotel quarantine.

NSW Health is looking into how a security guard became infected with coronavirus while working at a hotel quarantine facility in early August.

And in New Zealand, a maintenance worker at a hotel managed isolation facility has been infected by a returned traveller from the USA, but no obvious person-to-person connection has been identified.

And don't forget the huge problems in Victoria.

So it raises the question: are hotels the best way of managing COVID quarantine?

On today's show:

* With new possible hotel quarantine breaches in NSW and New Zealand, are hotels the best way to manage quarantine?

* Isn't it inevitable that when humans are close together, the virus will find a way eventually?

* Why are we still talking about superspreaders when we should be talking about superspreading environments?

* Why are we still talking a lot about washing hands when it seems the main source of infection is aerosols?

* Can you please clarify about valve masks?

* How does a pandemic end? Everyone gets infected? Vaccine?

* Why don't we do a lockdown every year for the flu?

Governments in Australia and New Zealand are scrambling to find out more about recent coronavirus cases that appear to have escaped from hotel quarantine.

NSW Health is looking into how a security guard became infected with coronavirus while working at a hotel quarantine facility in early August.

And in New Zealand, a maintenance worker at a hotel managed isolation facility has been infected by a returned traveller from the USA, but no obvious person-to-person connection has been identified.

And don't forget the huge problems in Victoria.

So it raises the question: are hotels the best way of managing COVID quarantine?

On today's show:

* With new possible hotel quarantine breaches in NSW and New Zealand, are hotels the best way to manage quarantine?

* Isn't it inevitable that when humans are close together, the virus will find a way eventually?

* Why are we still talking about superspreaders when we should be talking about superspreading environments?

* Why are we still talking a lot about washing hands when it seems the main source of infection is aerosols?

* Can you please clarify about valve masks?

* How does a pandemic end? Everyone gets infected? Vaccine?

* Why don't we do a lockdown every year for the flu?

While scientists are yet to come through with a proven coronavirus vaccine, it hasn't stopped governments around the world signing up for some of the most promising candidates.

The Australian Government is reportedly in "advanced negotiations" with a range of different companies and close to a deal that would allow production in Australia.

But what happens if the deals are for vaccines that end up not working? And is Australia at risk of missing out?

On today's show:

* Will Australia have access to a vaccine if/when it is discovered?

* What happens to production of vaccines if they are shown not to work?

* Can the outbreak in New Zealand be traced back to hotel quarantine? What about Victoria?

* How's the are of the virus coming in via cold storage looking?