As Australia's march towards higher and higher rates of vaccination rolls on, more and more ideas are being thrown around to try and convince eligible people to get the jab.

Yesterday, fruit and vegetable processor SPC became the first Australian company to mandate vaccines for all onsite staff and visitors.

It raises the question: if SPC can do it, why aren't we seeing similar mandates for healthcare, aged care and child care workers? 

At the moment, the answer is ... complicated, as you'll hear on today's Coronacast.

Also on today's show:

* Kids and long COVID. Good news!

* How effective are masks? I've read 80 per cent, then heard someone say 40 per cent. What's the latest research?

* Norman has often said that 80 to 90 per cent of people don't pass on the virus. I don't have any special data on this but that *feels* way too high. Is it?

Why not make vaccinations mandatory? (for certain jobs?)

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

Science & Medicine

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Health & Fitness

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 recommended two lites of water a day.

Norman and Tegan pour over the evidence to find out whether it's REALLY necessary to drink that much.

References:
Food and macronutrient intake of elite Ethiopian distance runners
Statement of the 3rd International Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia Consensus Development Conference

Your emotional support water bottle is probably too big

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!

Why not make vaccinations mandatory? (for certain jobs?)

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