Chief scientist warns Australians against claims of COVID-19 cures

Australia's chief scientist has advised Australians to be wary of "fake news" regarding cures for COVID-19.

"I strongly believe that research is the way out of the epidemic; we need to continue to highlight that science is complex, and it's always developing," Alan Finkel told Guardian Australia on Thursday.

"The community needs to be alert to 'fake news'. Open sharing of data is critical for research and collaboration, but with openness comes the need for the public to understand that the answers are not simple and that understanding is achieved through the weight of evidence from multiple trials."

Finkel on Wednesday launched the Rapid Research Information Forum (RRIF), a collaborative project from the science, research and innovation sectors of Australia and New Zealand, to provide governments with reliable information on the pandemic based on scientific research.

The forum, which will be chaired by Finkel, will answer COVID-19 questions put by Australian ministers, the chief medical officer, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), and the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission (NCCC).

The RRIF has already published three reports in response to questions from Greg Hunt, the Minister for Health, on the spread of COVID-19 in winter, the possibility of reinfection and the feasibility of monitoring wastewater for early detection of the virus.

It will next produce reports on impact of the pandemic on Australia's research workforce and the most promising vaccines and treatments being developed around the world, among others.

"We are in complex and uncharted territory, so it is absolutely appropriate that the independent and multidisciplinary expertise of Australia and New Zealand's science, research and innovation sectors is being brought to bear," Australian Academy of Science President John Shine said in a media release.

"The RRIF demonstrates the strength of evidence-informed decision making and the critical value of research and innovation in driving societal and economic progress."

(CGTN)