Endo pain stops Kira from walking and driving - could brain stimulation help?
A cramping and stabbing-like feeling in her stomach can come on suddenly and not leave for weeks.
"I just had such severe pain that I keeled over and I couldn't walk, and that pain remained for about two weeks," Ms Robertson recalled about one flare-up.
The Canberran is one of at least one in ten girls and women with endometriosis, a condition in which endometrial tissues grow outside the uterus.
A similar condition, adenomyosis, is found in about one in five people of menstruating age. This is when endometrial tissue grows into the wall of the uterus.
There is no known cure and few options to reduce pain.
Excision surgery helped Ms Robertson, but tissue grew back after a few years. Painkillers stopped working when she was a teenager.
"My biggest reliance is very much on heat and, as morbid as it may sound, inflicting pain in other areas," she said.
"There aren't many options out there for people suffering from endometriosis. It is disheartening."
Now, University of Canberra researchers are hoping a treatment used for depression could help people like Ms Robertson.
Two people with the same type of pain will not experience it in the same way, PhD candidate and study lead Tino Toufexis said.
Pain is real and physical, but it is also interpreted by the mind.
"The physiology of pain is so important [but] as research goes on, we realise that your mind is what's processing the pain," he said.
"Your thoughts, your cognition, have such an impact on your experience.
"That's what also makes research difficult and treatments difficult."
Research suggests how people think about pain impacts how they feel it.
Symptoms experienced by endometriosis sufferers do not depend on the severity of the condition, according to the Australian Journal of General Practitioners.
Mr Toufexis said, "What makes this condition so complex is that ... everyone can experience such differing symptoms, and some people can experience no symptoms at all and only find out they have endometriosis when they find out that they're infertile."
He wanted to look at endometriosis because there seem to be few studies on it, despite it affecting so many people he knows.
"Women's health is severely under-researched," he said.
Brain stimulation (transcranial magnetic stimulation) is used to help treat depression, using magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells.
It has been shown to help people with treatment-resistant depression long-term by manipulating brain activity.
Mr Toufexis only knows of one study on endometriosis, but there is a lot of research on the impact of brain stimulation on other types of chronic pain.
Results vary, and scientists are still working out why it might work for some people but not others. They want to work out how to tailor the intervention for each person so everyone can benefit.
Mr Toufexis said that for his study, he stimulates regions of the brain involved in pain and future thinking.
Participants first have their pain processing measured, undergo 20 minutes of brain stimulation and then have their pain measured.
Ms Robertson is unlikely to have another surgery to remove her endometriosis anytime soon.
Endometrial tissue grows back, but surgeons can be reluctant to keep removing it in case it exacerbates symptoms.
She has accepted her life will be marred by pain.
READ MORE:
"There's not much I can do about it other than participate in research and things like this to hopefully advance our knowledge on endometriosis," she said.
The federal treasury says around four million Australians live with chronic pain, rendering some unable to work or participate in everyday activities.
Mr Toufexis hopes his research will help develop treatments for all these people.
The University of Canberra is looking for more participants.
Kira Robertson, 23, often experiences pain so severe she cannot drive, walk or complete simple tasks.
A cramping and stabbing-like feeling in her stomach can come on suddenly and not leave for weeks.
"I just had such severe pain that I keeled over and I couldn't walk, and that pain remained for about two weeks," Ms Robertson recalled about one flare-up.
The Canberran is one of at least one in ten girls and women with endometriosis, a condition in which endometrial tissues grow outside the uterus.
A similar condition, adenomyosis, is found in about one in five people of menstruating age. This is when endometrial tissue grows into the wall of the uterus.
There is no known cure and few options to reduce pain.
Excision surgery helped Ms Robertson, but tissue grew back after a few years. Painkillers stopped working when she was a teenager.
"My biggest reliance is very much on heat and, as morbid as it may sound, inflicting pain in other areas," she said.
"There aren't many options out there for people suffering from endometriosis. It is disheartening."
Now, University of Canberra researchers are hoping a treatment used for depression could help people like Ms Robertson.
Two people with the same type of pain will not experience it in the same way, PhD candidate and study lead Tino Toufexis said.
Pain is real and physical, but it is also interpreted by the mind.
"The physiology of pain is so important [but] as research goes on, we realise that your mind is what's processing the pain," he said.
"Your thoughts, your cognition, have such an impact on your experience.
"That's what also makes research difficult and treatments difficult."
Research suggests how people think about pain impacts how they feel it.
Symptoms experienced by endometriosis sufferers do not depend on the severity of the condition, according to the Australian Journal of General Practitioners.
Mr Toufexis said, "What makes this condition so complex is that ... everyone can experience such differing symptoms, and some people can experience no symptoms at all and only find out they have endometriosis when they find out that they're infertile."
He wanted to look at endometriosis because there seem to be few studies on it, despite it affecting so many people he knows.
"Women's health is severely under-researched," he said.
Brain stimulation (transcranial magnetic stimulation) is used to help treat depression, using magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells.
It has been shown to help people with treatment-resistant depression long-term by manipulating brain activity.
Mr Toufexis only knows of one study on endometriosis, but there is a lot of research on the impact of brain stimulation on other types of chronic pain.
Results vary, and scientists are still working out why it might work for some people but not others. They want to work out how to tailor the intervention for each person so everyone can benefit.
Mr Toufexis said that for his study, he stimulates regions of the brain involved in pain and future thinking.
Participants first have their pain processing measured, undergo 20 minutes of brain stimulation and then have their pain measured.
Ms Robertson is unlikely to have another surgery to remove her endometriosis anytime soon.
Endometrial tissue grows back, but surgeons can be reluctant to keep removing it in case it exacerbates symptoms.
She has accepted her life will be marred by pain.
READ MORE:
"There's not much I can do about it other than participate in research and things like this to hopefully advance our knowledge on endometriosis," she said.
The federal treasury says around four million Australians live with chronic pain, rendering some unable to work or participate in everyday activities.
Mr Toufexis hopes his research will help develop treatments for all these people.
The University of Canberra is looking for more participants.
Kira Robertson, 23, often experiences pain so severe she cannot drive, walk or complete simple tasks.
A cramping and stabbing-like feeling in her stomach can come on suddenly and not leave for weeks.
"I just had such severe pain that I keeled over and I couldn't walk, and that pain remained for about two weeks," Ms Robertson recalled about one flare-up.
The Canberran is one of at least one in ten girls and women with endometriosis, a condition in which endometrial tissues grow outside the uterus.
A similar condition, adenomyosis, is found in about one in five people of menstruating age. This is when endometrial tissue grows into the wall of the uterus.
There is no known cure and few options to reduce pain.
Excision surgery helped Ms Robertson, but tissue grew back after a few years. Painkillers stopped working when she was a teenager.
"My biggest reliance is very much on heat and, as morbid as it may sound, inflicting pain in other areas," she said.
"There aren't many options out there for people suffering from endometriosis. It is disheartening."
Now, University of Canberra researchers are hoping a treatment used for depression could help people like Ms Robertson.
Two people with the same type of pain will not experience it in the same way, PhD candidate and study lead Tino Toufexis said.
Pain is real and physical, but it is also interpreted by the mind.
"The physiology of pain is so important [but] as research goes on, we realise that your mind is what's processing the pain," he said.
"Your thoughts, your cognition, have such an impact on your experience.
"That's what also makes research difficult and treatments difficult."
Research suggests how people think about pain impacts how they feel it.
Symptoms experienced by endometriosis sufferers do not depend on the severity of the condition, according to the Australian Journal of General Practitioners.
Mr Toufexis said, "What makes this condition so complex is that ... everyone can experience such differing symptoms, and some people can experience no symptoms at all and only find out they have endometriosis when they find out that they're infertile."
He wanted to look at endometriosis because there seem to be few studies on it, despite it affecting so many people he knows.
"Women's health is severely under-researched," he said.
Brain stimulation (transcranial magnetic stimulation) is used to help treat depression, using magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells.
It has been shown to help people with treatment-resistant depression long-term by manipulating brain activity.
Mr Toufexis only knows of one study on endometriosis, but there is a lot of research on the impact of brain stimulation on other types of chronic pain.
Results vary, and scientists are still working out why it might work for some people but not others. They want to work out how to tailor the intervention for each person so everyone can benefit.
Mr Toufexis said that for his study, he stimulates regions of the brain involved in pain and future thinking.
Participants first have their pain processing measured, undergo 20 minutes of brain stimulation and then have their pain measured.
Ms Robertson is unlikely to have another surgery to remove her endometriosis anytime soon.
Endometrial tissue grows back, but surgeons can be reluctant to keep removing it in case it exacerbates symptoms.
She has accepted her life will be marred by pain.
READ MORE:
"There's not much I can do about it other than participate in research and things like this to hopefully advance our knowledge on endometriosis," she said.
The federal treasury says around four million Australians live with chronic pain, rendering some unable to work or participate in everyday activities.
Mr Toufexis hopes his research will help develop treatments for all these people.
The University of Canberra is looking for more participants.
Kira Robertson, 23, often experiences pain so severe she cannot drive, walk or complete simple tasks.
A cramping and stabbing-like feeling in her stomach can come on suddenly and not leave for weeks.
"I just had such severe pain that I keeled over and I couldn't walk, and that pain remained for about two weeks," Ms Robertson recalled about one flare-up.
The Canberran is one of at least one in ten girls and women with endometriosis, a condition in which endometrial tissues grow outside the uterus.
A similar condition, adenomyosis, is found in about one in five people of menstruating age. This is when endometrial tissue grows into the wall of the uterus.
There is no known cure and few options to reduce pain.
Excision surgery helped Ms Robertson, but tissue grew back after a few years. Painkillers stopped working when she was a teenager.
"My biggest reliance is very much on heat and, as morbid as it may sound, inflicting pain in other areas," she said.
"There aren't many options out there for people suffering from endometriosis. It is disheartening."
Now, University of Canberra researchers are hoping a treatment used for depression could help people like Ms Robertson.
Two people with the same type of pain will not experience it in the same way, PhD candidate and study lead Tino Toufexis said.
Pain is real and physical, but it is also interpreted by the mind.
"The physiology of pain is so important [but] as research goes on, we realise that your mind is what's processing the pain," he said.
"Your thoughts, your cognition, have such an impact on your experience.
"That's what also makes research difficult and treatments difficult."
Research suggests how people think about pain impacts how they feel it.
Symptoms experienced by endometriosis sufferers do not depend on the severity of the condition, according to the Australian Journal of General Practitioners.
Mr Toufexis said, "What makes this condition so complex is that ... everyone can experience such differing symptoms, and some people can experience no symptoms at all and only find out they have endometriosis when they find out that they're infertile."
He wanted to look at endometriosis because there seem to be few studies on it, despite it affecting so many people he knows.
"Women's health is severely under-researched," he said.
Brain stimulation (transcranial magnetic stimulation) is used to help treat depression, using magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells.
It has been shown to help people with treatment-resistant depression long-term by manipulating brain activity.
Mr Toufexis only knows of one study on endometriosis, but there is a lot of research on the impact of brain stimulation on other types of chronic pain.
Results vary, and scientists are still working out why it might work for some people but not others. They want to work out how to tailor the intervention for each person so everyone can benefit.
Mr Toufexis said that for his study, he stimulates regions of the brain involved in pain and future thinking.
Participants first have their pain processing measured, undergo 20 minutes of brain stimulation and then have their pain measured.
Ms Robertson is unlikely to have another surgery to remove her endometriosis anytime soon.
Endometrial tissue grows back, but surgeons can be reluctant to keep removing it in case it exacerbates symptoms.
She has accepted her life will be marred by pain.
READ MORE:
"There's not much I can do about it other than participate in research and things like this to hopefully advance our knowledge on endometriosis," she said.
The federal treasury says around four million Australians live with chronic pain, rendering some unable to work or participate in everyday activities.
Mr Toufexis hopes his research will help develop treatments for all these people.
The University of Canberra is looking for more participants.
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The Advertiser
03-08-2025
- The Advertiser
Endo pain stops Kira from walking and driving - could brain stimulation help?
Kira Robertson, 23, often experiences pain so severe she cannot drive, walk or complete simple tasks. A cramping and stabbing-like feeling in her stomach can come on suddenly and not leave for weeks. "I just had such severe pain that I keeled over and I couldn't walk, and that pain remained for about two weeks," Ms Robertson recalled about one flare-up. The Canberran is one of at least one in ten girls and women with endometriosis, a condition in which endometrial tissues grow outside the uterus. A similar condition, adenomyosis, is found in about one in five people of menstruating age. This is when endometrial tissue grows into the wall of the uterus. There is no known cure and few options to reduce pain. Excision surgery helped Ms Robertson, but tissue grew back after a few years. Painkillers stopped working when she was a teenager. "My biggest reliance is very much on heat and, as morbid as it may sound, inflicting pain in other areas," she said. "There aren't many options out there for people suffering from endometriosis. It is disheartening." Now, University of Canberra researchers are hoping a treatment used for depression could help people like Ms Robertson. Two people with the same type of pain will not experience it in the same way, PhD candidate and study lead Tino Toufexis said. Pain is real and physical, but it is also interpreted by the mind. "The physiology of pain is so important [but] as research goes on, we realise that your mind is what's processing the pain," he said. "Your thoughts, your cognition, have such an impact on your experience. "That's what also makes research difficult and treatments difficult." Research suggests how people think about pain impacts how they feel it. Symptoms experienced by endometriosis sufferers do not depend on the severity of the condition, according to the Australian Journal of General Practitioners. Mr Toufexis said, "What makes this condition so complex is that ... everyone can experience such differing symptoms, and some people can experience no symptoms at all and only find out they have endometriosis when they find out that they're infertile." He wanted to look at endometriosis because there seem to be few studies on it, despite it affecting so many people he knows. "Women's health is severely under-researched," he said. Brain stimulation (transcranial magnetic stimulation) is used to help treat depression, using magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells. It has been shown to help people with treatment-resistant depression long-term by manipulating brain activity. Mr Toufexis only knows of one study on endometriosis, but there is a lot of research on the impact of brain stimulation on other types of chronic pain. Results vary, and scientists are still working out why it might work for some people but not others. They want to work out how to tailor the intervention for each person so everyone can benefit. Mr Toufexis said that for his study, he stimulates regions of the brain involved in pain and future thinking. Participants first have their pain processing measured, undergo 20 minutes of brain stimulation and then have their pain measured. Ms Robertson is unlikely to have another surgery to remove her endometriosis anytime soon. Endometrial tissue grows back, but surgeons can be reluctant to keep removing it in case it exacerbates symptoms. She has accepted her life will be marred by pain. READ MORE: "There's not much I can do about it other than participate in research and things like this to hopefully advance our knowledge on endometriosis," she said. The federal treasury says around four million Australians live with chronic pain, rendering some unable to work or participate in everyday activities. Mr Toufexis hopes his research will help develop treatments for all these people. The University of Canberra is looking for more participants. Kira Robertson, 23, often experiences pain so severe she cannot drive, walk or complete simple tasks. A cramping and stabbing-like feeling in her stomach can come on suddenly and not leave for weeks. "I just had such severe pain that I keeled over and I couldn't walk, and that pain remained for about two weeks," Ms Robertson recalled about one flare-up. The Canberran is one of at least one in ten girls and women with endometriosis, a condition in which endometrial tissues grow outside the uterus. A similar condition, adenomyosis, is found in about one in five people of menstruating age. This is when endometrial tissue grows into the wall of the uterus. There is no known cure and few options to reduce pain. Excision surgery helped Ms Robertson, but tissue grew back after a few years. Painkillers stopped working when she was a teenager. "My biggest reliance is very much on heat and, as morbid as it may sound, inflicting pain in other areas," she said. "There aren't many options out there for people suffering from endometriosis. It is disheartening." Now, University of Canberra researchers are hoping a treatment used for depression could help people like Ms Robertson. Two people with the same type of pain will not experience it in the same way, PhD candidate and study lead Tino Toufexis said. Pain is real and physical, but it is also interpreted by the mind. "The physiology of pain is so important [but] as research goes on, we realise that your mind is what's processing the pain," he said. "Your thoughts, your cognition, have such an impact on your experience. "That's what also makes research difficult and treatments difficult." Research suggests how people think about pain impacts how they feel it. Symptoms experienced by endometriosis sufferers do not depend on the severity of the condition, according to the Australian Journal of General Practitioners. Mr Toufexis said, "What makes this condition so complex is that ... everyone can experience such differing symptoms, and some people can experience no symptoms at all and only find out they have endometriosis when they find out that they're infertile." He wanted to look at endometriosis because there seem to be few studies on it, despite it affecting so many people he knows. "Women's health is severely under-researched," he said. Brain stimulation (transcranial magnetic stimulation) is used to help treat depression, using magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells. It has been shown to help people with treatment-resistant depression long-term by manipulating brain activity. Mr Toufexis only knows of one study on endometriosis, but there is a lot of research on the impact of brain stimulation on other types of chronic pain. Results vary, and scientists are still working out why it might work for some people but not others. They want to work out how to tailor the intervention for each person so everyone can benefit. Mr Toufexis said that for his study, he stimulates regions of the brain involved in pain and future thinking. Participants first have their pain processing measured, undergo 20 minutes of brain stimulation and then have their pain measured. Ms Robertson is unlikely to have another surgery to remove her endometriosis anytime soon. Endometrial tissue grows back, but surgeons can be reluctant to keep removing it in case it exacerbates symptoms. She has accepted her life will be marred by pain. READ MORE: "There's not much I can do about it other than participate in research and things like this to hopefully advance our knowledge on endometriosis," she said. The federal treasury says around four million Australians live with chronic pain, rendering some unable to work or participate in everyday activities. Mr Toufexis hopes his research will help develop treatments for all these people. The University of Canberra is looking for more participants. Kira Robertson, 23, often experiences pain so severe she cannot drive, walk or complete simple tasks. A cramping and stabbing-like feeling in her stomach can come on suddenly and not leave for weeks. "I just had such severe pain that I keeled over and I couldn't walk, and that pain remained for about two weeks," Ms Robertson recalled about one flare-up. The Canberran is one of at least one in ten girls and women with endometriosis, a condition in which endometrial tissues grow outside the uterus. A similar condition, adenomyosis, is found in about one in five people of menstruating age. This is when endometrial tissue grows into the wall of the uterus. There is no known cure and few options to reduce pain. Excision surgery helped Ms Robertson, but tissue grew back after a few years. Painkillers stopped working when she was a teenager. "My biggest reliance is very much on heat and, as morbid as it may sound, inflicting pain in other areas," she said. "There aren't many options out there for people suffering from endometriosis. It is disheartening." Now, University of Canberra researchers are hoping a treatment used for depression could help people like Ms Robertson. Two people with the same type of pain will not experience it in the same way, PhD candidate and study lead Tino Toufexis said. Pain is real and physical, but it is also interpreted by the mind. "The physiology of pain is so important [but] as research goes on, we realise that your mind is what's processing the pain," he said. "Your thoughts, your cognition, have such an impact on your experience. "That's what also makes research difficult and treatments difficult." Research suggests how people think about pain impacts how they feel it. Symptoms experienced by endometriosis sufferers do not depend on the severity of the condition, according to the Australian Journal of General Practitioners. Mr Toufexis said, "What makes this condition so complex is that ... everyone can experience such differing symptoms, and some people can experience no symptoms at all and only find out they have endometriosis when they find out that they're infertile." He wanted to look at endometriosis because there seem to be few studies on it, despite it affecting so many people he knows. "Women's health is severely under-researched," he said. Brain stimulation (transcranial magnetic stimulation) is used to help treat depression, using magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells. It has been shown to help people with treatment-resistant depression long-term by manipulating brain activity. Mr Toufexis only knows of one study on endometriosis, but there is a lot of research on the impact of brain stimulation on other types of chronic pain. Results vary, and scientists are still working out why it might work for some people but not others. They want to work out how to tailor the intervention for each person so everyone can benefit. Mr Toufexis said that for his study, he stimulates regions of the brain involved in pain and future thinking. Participants first have their pain processing measured, undergo 20 minutes of brain stimulation and then have their pain measured. Ms Robertson is unlikely to have another surgery to remove her endometriosis anytime soon. Endometrial tissue grows back, but surgeons can be reluctant to keep removing it in case it exacerbates symptoms. She has accepted her life will be marred by pain. READ MORE: "There's not much I can do about it other than participate in research and things like this to hopefully advance our knowledge on endometriosis," she said. The federal treasury says around four million Australians live with chronic pain, rendering some unable to work or participate in everyday activities. Mr Toufexis hopes his research will help develop treatments for all these people. The University of Canberra is looking for more participants. Kira Robertson, 23, often experiences pain so severe she cannot drive, walk or complete simple tasks. A cramping and stabbing-like feeling in her stomach can come on suddenly and not leave for weeks. "I just had such severe pain that I keeled over and I couldn't walk, and that pain remained for about two weeks," Ms Robertson recalled about one flare-up. The Canberran is one of at least one in ten girls and women with endometriosis, a condition in which endometrial tissues grow outside the uterus. A similar condition, adenomyosis, is found in about one in five people of menstruating age. This is when endometrial tissue grows into the wall of the uterus. There is no known cure and few options to reduce pain. Excision surgery helped Ms Robertson, but tissue grew back after a few years. Painkillers stopped working when she was a teenager. "My biggest reliance is very much on heat and, as morbid as it may sound, inflicting pain in other areas," she said. "There aren't many options out there for people suffering from endometriosis. It is disheartening." Now, University of Canberra researchers are hoping a treatment used for depression could help people like Ms Robertson. Two people with the same type of pain will not experience it in the same way, PhD candidate and study lead Tino Toufexis said. Pain is real and physical, but it is also interpreted by the mind. "The physiology of pain is so important [but] as research goes on, we realise that your mind is what's processing the pain," he said. "Your thoughts, your cognition, have such an impact on your experience. "That's what also makes research difficult and treatments difficult." Research suggests how people think about pain impacts how they feel it. Symptoms experienced by endometriosis sufferers do not depend on the severity of the condition, according to the Australian Journal of General Practitioners. Mr Toufexis said, "What makes this condition so complex is that ... everyone can experience such differing symptoms, and some people can experience no symptoms at all and only find out they have endometriosis when they find out that they're infertile." He wanted to look at endometriosis because there seem to be few studies on it, despite it affecting so many people he knows. "Women's health is severely under-researched," he said. Brain stimulation (transcranial magnetic stimulation) is used to help treat depression, using magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells. It has been shown to help people with treatment-resistant depression long-term by manipulating brain activity. Mr Toufexis only knows of one study on endometriosis, but there is a lot of research on the impact of brain stimulation on other types of chronic pain. Results vary, and scientists are still working out why it might work for some people but not others. They want to work out how to tailor the intervention for each person so everyone can benefit. Mr Toufexis said that for his study, he stimulates regions of the brain involved in pain and future thinking. Participants first have their pain processing measured, undergo 20 minutes of brain stimulation and then have their pain measured. Ms Robertson is unlikely to have another surgery to remove her endometriosis anytime soon. Endometrial tissue grows back, but surgeons can be reluctant to keep removing it in case it exacerbates symptoms. She has accepted her life will be marred by pain. READ MORE: "There's not much I can do about it other than participate in research and things like this to hopefully advance our knowledge on endometriosis," she said. The federal treasury says around four million Australians live with chronic pain, rendering some unable to work or participate in everyday activities. Mr Toufexis hopes his research will help develop treatments for all these people. The University of Canberra is looking for more participants.
West Australian
18-06-2025
- West Australian
‘Don't soldier on': Cook's message to those with flu symptoms as cases spike
Roger Cook has urged West Australian's who have flu-like symptoms not to 'soldier on' and go to work as cases soar across the State. Mr Cook's comments came after it was revealed there had already been more than 8000 registered cases of the influenza in Western Australia in 2025, more than double that of the same time last year. Nearly one fifth of those cases have ended up in hospital. Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Cook said those with symptoms should stay at home. 'This winter if you're feeling unwell, don't soldier on,' he said. 'Make sure you stay away from your workplace, keep yourself and your family as healthy as you can. 'Don't take your influenza, your contagious, infectious diseases to work.' The message was one echoed by chief health officer Andrew Robertson who urged anyone feeling sick to look after themselves. 'If you have flu symptoms, the message is obviously stay at home, don't go to work, don't go out shopping, don't go to sport,' he said. 'Obviously they need to rest they also need to, if they become unwell, and particularly if they have any other health issues, consider going to the GP and to our emergency department, noting that it is a busy time of year for all of our hospitals.' Dr Robertson said the State had a large number of flu cases earlier in the year, likely from travellers returning from Europe where cases had also spiked. He said vaccination rates in the State were low at just under 25 per cent, but the figure was around 2 per cent higher than this time last year. 'People have become a little complacent over the period of time (since COVID), we got very good at washing our hands, wearing masks if we were feeling unwell, sneezing into our elbows, all of those things,' he said. 'We've gotten a lot less complacent and probably more so people coming back to work when really they are unwell.' Dr Robertson said the Department of Health were looking at a number of ways to improve vaccine uptake. 'There are a number of things that could be done, we're looking at increasing the number of practitioners who can provide vaccines, we're looking at how do we better target the communications to to the different groups,' he said. 'We appreciate that targeting younger age groups and targeting older age groups requires different sort of communications, so they're a key factor we are continue to look at.' Mr Cook was emphatic in his advice to get vaccinated for the flu season. 'I warned you, I told everyone make sure you get take advantage of the State Government's free flu vax program,' he said. 'We know it's going to be a tough flu season if we're not all doing our bit, that puts our hospitals under pressure and you have seen that uplift of flu cases in our hospital system.'
ABC News
31-05-2025
- ABC News
ACT to open market for e-scooter, e-bike companies, as government warned two-thirds of users break the law
Two-thirds of Canberrans are using e-scooters illegally, according to researchers, who are urging the ACT government to address the problem before considering adding another provider to the market. Canberrans may soon see more colours of e-scooter on their street corners, and possibly also e-bikes, when the ACT government reopens the micromobility permit market this month. However, a study into e-scooter user behaviour from the University of Canberra has found almost two-thirds of all riders are not wearing helmets, sparking calls for tighter regulation. For second-year Australian National University (ANU) student Jonathan De Kock, e-scooters are a practical and recreational form of transport he uses weekly. He considers helmets an optional choice. "I tend to use helmets fairly often, if they're available," he said. Many ANU students use e-scooters between the campus and the city. It's a route Mr De Kock believes is very safe, and he said none of his friends had received any meaningful injuries from riding e-scooters at night. "I don't think it's deeply unsafe," Mr De Kock said. Between January and May 2025, ACT Policing issued nine infringement notices and two cautions for people riding e-scooters without a helmet. No cautions were issued for riders using a mobile phone or riding with multiple people on board in that same time period. The fact he might get caught doing the wrong thing does not really affect Mr De Kock's e-scooter use. University of Canberra research assistant Anton Fichtenmaier, who contributed to the study, said e-scooters were often used for short distances. "People are often using these micromobility modes of transport to complete that last little bit of commute either from the bus stop, the light rail or where they parked to get to where they're working," he said. Study co-author and associate professor of psychology Amanda George said their report found 64 per cent of e-scooter users did not wear a helmet — which she said was linked to a perception that legal consequences and physical injury were unlikely. "It's not the done thing," she said. She said some users viewed wearing a helmet as "not cool". The University of Canberra research found e-scooter users also said they chose not to wear helmets because of concerns about hygiene and the helmets sometimes not being available. The report made recommendations to the government, including that it should prioritise helmet use by collaborating with e-scooter companies to enforce the rules. "A key recommendation we made was to engage in some further research, particularly in those late at night and early morning periods," Professor George said. The ACT government confirmed it was considering the report recommendations, but indicated late-night use was not a focus because e-scooter usage peaks between 4pm and 9pm. "Whilst late-night riding may attract some inappropriate use, e-scooters provide an important affordable, flexible and safe service for people who need to travel late at night," a government spokesperson said. Neuron Mobility is the sole shared e-scooter operator in the ACT, and the company has 1,075 of its orange scooters scattered throughout the territory. The company pays a daily permit fee of $1.04 per vehicle to the ACT government, but the permit expires in August. After an application process in June, the government will consider up to two providers to operate in the territory. Canberra previously had two operators — however in September 2024 Beam Mobility's 950 purple shared e-scooters disappeared off the streets, following findings the company had manipulated its fleet numbers. Introducing shared e-bikes has not been ruled out by the territory government, and neither has a possible return of Beam Mobility. "The renewal of permits provides an opportunity to refresh the program with new approaches, services and devices, including e-bikes which can be ridden greater distances," an ACT government spokesperson said. "Two operators would be considered where services complement each other either through competition on services and pricing or through the provision of services that meet different needs within the community."
