Alison Twycross RN PhD
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alitwy.bsky.social
Alison Twycross RN PhD
@alitwy.bsky.social
1.8K followers 4.4K following 330 posts
Living with Long Covid.

Doing my bit to support UK healthcare workers with Long Covid.

Chair of Supporting Healthcare Heroes UK.

Associate Member Long Covid Support.

Former Professor of Children’s Nursing. #FBLC
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alitwy.bsky.social
Alison Twycross RN PhD @alitwy.bsky.social · Sep 1
We need UKHSA to start doing their job

If they provide data on hospital acquired #covid infections then the need for effective airborne infection prevention measures will be clear for ALL to see

Please SIGN & help to AMPLIFY
🔽 🔽
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/7320…
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/7320…
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
helentheot.bsky.social
Thought I’d start sharing links to podcasts & webinars I’ve been involved in over the years.

Starting with the very first one!

It began with a tweet about spoons, which led to a chat on the @longcovidphysio.bsky.social podcast.

#LongCovid #POTS #ChronicIllness #Pacing #OccupationalTherapy
Graphic for the Long Covid Physio Podcast. On the left is the Long Covid Physio logo and text reading “The Podcast – Helen: ‘Navigating Pacing’” with the handle @LongCovidPhysio and social media icons underneath. On the right is a simple line illustration of a studio microphone. Video length shown as 50:11.
February 13, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
shh-uk.bsky.social
🛒💜 Support us for FREE

Support SHH-UK just by shopping online as usual. It costs nothing, but every purchase raises a free donation via EasyFundraising.

👉 Sign up: easyfundraising.org....

#LongCovid #SupportHealthcareWorkers #EasyFundraising #ShopForGood #NHS #Charity
February 14, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
shh-uk.bsky.social
🚨 New resources
📊 Young doctor sickness in the National Health Service
🌬 IAQ guide (Health and Safety Authority)
📣 Safe Air letter to the UK Health Security Agency
🔗 shh-uk.org/sickness-...
🔗 shh-uk.org/indoor-ai...
🔗 shh-uk.org/letter-to...
#SafeAir4All #NHS #PublicHealth
February 15, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
speckle48.bsky.social
FYI @zackpolanski.bsky.social
shh-uk.bsky.social Supporting Healthcare Heroes UK (SHH-UK) @shh-uk.bsky.social · 20h
🚨 New resources
📊 Young doctor sickness in the National Health Service
🌬 IAQ guide (Health and Safety Authority)
📣 Safe Air letter to the UK Health Security Agency
🔗 shh-uk.org/sickness-...
🔗 shh-uk.org/indoor-ai...
🔗 shh-uk.org/letter-to...
#SafeAir4All #NHS #PublicHealth
February 15, 2026 at 10:01 AM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
shh-uk.bsky.social
🌟 Join the SHH UK Volunteer Team 🌟

👉 Find out more and sign up here: reachvolunteering.or...

Let’s make an impact together ✨

#VolunteerWithPurpose #GiveBackUK #SupportHeroes #CommunityFirst #MakeADifference #VolunteerOpportunity
February 11, 2026 at 6:00 AM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
shh-uk.bsky.social
Our SHH-UK AGM is taking place on 11th March 2026, 3-5pm.

It’s an opportunity to:
✔ Reflect on the past year
✔ Share progress & impact
✔ Discuss our 2026–2028 strategy & plans for the future

To join please email info@shh-uk.org for details
February 12, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
tomkindlon.bsky.social
News Release 10-Feb-2026
"Long COVID linked to Alzheimer’s disease mechanisms: Diseases cause damage in some of the same ways"

www.eurekalert.org/news-release...

New US research.

Full paper:
alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

#LongCovid #COVIDBrain #NeuroPASC #postcovid
News Release 10-Feb-2026 Long COVID linked to Alzheimer’s disease mechanisms Diseases cause damage in some of the same ways Peer-Reviewed Publication NYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine FacebookXLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail The increased size of, and lesser blood supply to, a key brain structure in patients with Long COVID tracks with known blood markers of Alzheimer’s disease and greater levels of dementia, a new study finds. Led by NYU Langone Health researchers, the study concerns the choroid plexus (CP), a network of blood vessels lined by cells that produce cerebrospinal fluid, which cushions the brain and forms a protective barrier between the fluid and the bloodstream. The CP regulates immune system responses (inflammation) and waste clearance in the brain. Past studies show that the COVID-19 virus can damage the cells lining CP blood vessels. Published online Feb. 10 in Alzheimer's & Dementia, the new work found that patients reporting Long COVID had a 10% larger CP than those who had fully recovered from an initial infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. Further, CP size increases tracked with blood levels of proteins that increase as Alzheimer’s disease worsens, such as pTau217, and with blood levels of others that rise in response to brain injury, like glial fibrillary acidic protein.
February 10, 2026 at 2:11 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
longcovidsignal.bsky.social
Lower mitochondrial DNA levels were linked to worse cognitive function in long COVID vs recovered controls. Patients also had higher inflammation (CRP) and 25% showed low-grade inflammation in nested case-control study. (n=228)
Circulating mitochondrial and cellular damage markers in long COVID: Links to cognitive function, psychological distress, and inflammation - PubMed
Persistent mitochondrial inflexibility and mitochondrial damage may contribute to Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). However, data linking mitochondrial biomarkers, such as circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA (ccf-mtDNA) to long-COVID symptoms remain limited. We analyzed ccf-mtDNA relative …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
February 10, 2026 at 2:48 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
longcovidweb.bsky.social
In #LongCOVIDWeb's upcoming webinar, Professor Danny Altmann and Professor Birgit Sawitzki will present on the 'Progress on the Pathophysiology and Immunological Understandings of Long COVID'.

Date: Tue, Feb 17, 2026
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET
Register now: bit.ly/46DLSV8
Promotional graphic for the Long COVID Web Webinar Series titled “Progress on the Pathophysiology and Immunological Understandings of Long COVID.” The image lists the webinar date as February 17, 2026, from 1:00–2:00 PM ET, with a “Register Now” button. It features headshots and credentials of two speakers: Danny Altmann, PhD, from the Department of Immunology and Inflammation at Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, and Birgit Sawitzki, PhD, University Professor and Chair of Translational Immunology at the Berlin Institute of Health, Charité University Medicine, alongside the Long COVID Web logo.
February 9, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
ahimsa-pdx.bsky.social
'ME and Long Covid have brought my children's lives to a standstill'

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Mentions Rosetta Stone study which is funded by the ME Association

#MEcfs #LongCovid #POTS
Long Covid and ME patients 'hopeful' about Rosetta Stone study
The £1.1m Rosetta Stone study hopes to make a breakthrough by comparing both conditions.
www.bbc.com
February 9, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
longcovidlabs.bsky.social
UCSF: Solving Long COVID: How Decades of HIV Research Paved the Way 🙏

Great article on how the HIV research team at University’s of California San Francisco uses their decades of expertise to expand to Long COVID 👇

www.ucsf.edu/news/2026/01...
Solving Long COVID: How Decades of HIV Research Paved the Way
Discover how UCSF is leading the charge in Long COVID research, uncovering key findings that advance our understanding of the condition. UCSF researchers have adapted innovative tools and methodologie...
www.ucsf.edu
February 9, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
atranscendedman.bsky.social
Cal Poly researchers analyzed data from over 80 million US adults and found that Long COVID is more common among American Indian, Alaska Native, and multiracial adults, and in rural areas or among the uninsured.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Exploring the Role of Race/Ethnicity, Metropolitan Status, and Health Insurance in Long COVID Among U.S. Adults - Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
Objectives Limited evidence suggests possible disparities in COVID-19 across race/ethnicity, metropolitan status, and healthcare access. This study investigated racial/ethnic, metropolitan, and health...
link.springer.com
February 9, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
sigsovversivo.bsky.social
“Persistent mitochondrial inflexibility and mitochondrial damage may contribute to Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC).”

idp.nature.com/transit?redi...
Circulating mitochondrial and cellular damage markers in long COVID: Links to cognitive function, psychological distress, and inflammation - Molecular Psychiatry
Molecular Psychiatry - Circulating mitochondrial and cellular damage markers in long COVID: Links to cognitive function, psychological distress, and inflammation
idp.nature.com
February 9, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
thewhn.bsky.social
At parts of the Winter Olympics in Italy, COVID precautions remain, grounded in the reality that respiratory illness is still circulating. When your lungs are your livelihood, prevention is part of performance.

#COVID #COVID19 #PublicHealth #InfectionPrevention #Olympics #LongCOVID #MaskUp #N95
Photo of four athletes seated at a press conference table, all wearing face masks, with microphones in front of them. A blue backdrop behind them shows sponsor logos (including P&G, Samsung, TCL, Visa, Salomon) and Olympic branding. WHN branding “whn.global” appears at the top left. Large yellow text over the lower half reads: “Olympians are still masking in 2026” Smaller white text below reads: “At the Winter Olympics in Italy, some athletes are still masking and isolating, aware that COVID and other respiratory illnesses are not over.” Footer text: “The World Health Network is a network devoted to global compassion—working together to inspire collective action through science for a safer, healthier world.”
February 9, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
thesicktimes.org
Join us for a free webinar! The Sick Times editors @mileswgriffis.bsky.social and @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social — plus special guest speakers — will demystify the process of writing and pitching op-eds and essays on Long COVID. Register now: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
ID: A flier for the event reads, "The Sick Times: Free Webinar, The Long COVID Op-Ed. Help Break the Stigma. February 19th, 7-8:15pm ET. Learn how to pitch and share your story with tips from expert guests. Hosted by Miles Griffis and Betsy Ladyzhets. Below are the headshots of three guests, Torie Bosch, First Opinion Editor, STAT. Madeline Miller, Best-selling author. Funmi Okunola, MD, Co-founder Long COVID the Answers. A button at the bottom reads, "Comment "RSVP" for a registration link!"
February 9, 2026 at 9:14 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
smarvsmith.bsky.social
I got Long Covid after one mild infection. It changed my life in all sorts of not great ways. Every time our media frames basic health precautions as "extreme", they are actively promoting misinformation. This virus IS a big deal. It's very dangerous and we've got 6 years of data now as receipts.
astrokatie.com Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 6d
Since the early days of the space program, astronauts have quarantined before missions because any illness could be disastrous. It’s eminently logical — not “extreme” — for athletes who’ve trained their WHOLE LIVES for one event to take similar precautions in order to stay in peak physical condition
npr.org NPR @npr.org · 6d
For most people, the pandemic days of masking are behind us. In certain corners of the Winter Olympics, though, things still look a lot like they did in Covid times. Some athletes are taking extreme measures to stay healthy. n.pr/4akK70l
February 9, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
chromatowski.bsky.social
What a great opportunity!

#LongCovid #NEISvoid
thesicktimes.org The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 6d
Join us for a free webinar! The Sick Times editors @mileswgriffis.bsky.social and @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social — plus special guest speakers — will demystify the process of writing and pitching op-eds and essays on Long COVID. Register now: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
ID: A flier for the event reads, "The Sick Times: Free Webinar, The Long COVID Op-Ed. Help Break the Stigma. February 19th, 7-8:15pm ET. Learn how to pitch and share your story with tips from expert guests. Hosted by Miles Griffis and Betsy Ladyzhets. Below are the headshots of three guests, Torie Bosch, First Opinion Editor, STAT. Madeline Miller, Best-selling author. Funmi Okunola, MD, Co-founder Long COVID the Answers. A button at the bottom reads, "Comment "RSVP" for a registration link!"
February 9, 2026 at 10:12 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
baddestmamajama.bsky.social
If the days of masking are behind you, the days of getting long covid or other complications are lit up like Las Vegas neon in front of you.
npr.org NPR @npr.org · 6d
For most people, the pandemic days of masking are behind us. In certain corners of the Winter Olympics, though, things still look a lot like they did in Covid times. Some athletes are taking extreme measures to stay healthy. n.pr/4akK70l
Olympic Covid restrictions are gone, but some athletes still self-quarantining
For most people, the pandemic days of masking are behind us. In certain corners of the Winter Olympics, though, things still look a lot like they did in Covid times. Some athletes are taking extreme measures to stay healthy.
n.pr
February 10, 2026 at 12:43 AM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
chloedecanson.bsky.social
Out of over half a million healthcare providers in the UK, thirty-three have viewed the module on managing severe ME that was touted as the solution to the ME crisis. This leads to people like Savannah currently being detained and tortured in NHS hospitals
lucibee.bsky.social Lucibee @lucibee.bsky.social · 6d
5/n

Today, I received their answer. This is the data table they sent me, of the number of people who have completed each of the 3 modules up to 20 January 2026:
Table shows the numbers completing each module, split by type of email account. An asterisk indicates there were 5 or fewer. Module 1: An introduction to ME/CFS = 8 (.gov.uk), 51 (.ac.uk), 227 (.nhs), 85 (other). Module 2: ME/CFS: guidance for community-based healthcare practitioners = 8 (.ac.uk), 74 (.nhs), 19 (other). Module 3: Managing severe ME/CFS = * (.gov.uk), 7 (.ac.uk), 33 (.nhs), * (other).
February 9, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
mskellymhayes.bsky.social
Multiple friends have caught COVID recently, including some of my more cautious pals. There are a lot of winter germs in crowded places right now, fam. Personally, I never feel that shopping or riding transit unmasked is worth potentially getting sick. You can always renew this practice.
February 9, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
thecovidinfoguy.bsky.social
Study: Reduced ATP-to-phosphocreatine ratios in neuropsychiatric post-COVID condition: Evidence from 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Published: January 10, 2026

www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S000...
Reduced ATP-to-phosphocreatine ratios in neuropsychiatric post-COVID condition: Evidence from 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Post-COVID condition (PCCo) affects 5-10% of individuals following SARS-CoV-2 infection, with cognitive disturbances being a major feature. Central hypotheses regarding its pathophysiology include dis...
www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:01 AM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
thecovidinfoguy.bsky.social
"Study shows impaired energy metabolism in the brains of people with post-COVID"

Brain fog, poor concentration and slowed thinking in Long COVID patients are linked to altered brain energy metabolism, with MRI studies showing changes that correlate with worse cognitive test performance.
Screenshot of a Medical Xpress article dated February 9, 2026, titled “Study shows impaired energy metabolism in the brains of people with post-COVID.” Article by Torsten Lauer from the Central Institute of Mental Health, edited by Lisa Lock and reviewed by Andrew Zinn. Below the headline is a scientific figure showing brain images and multiple charts comparing ATP/PCr ratios and pH in different brain regions (medial, anterior, and posterior cingulate cortex) between post-COVID patients and controls, illustrating altered brain energy metabolism.
February 10, 2026 at 4:01 AM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
alitwy.bsky.social
The cognitive dysfunction support group is at 1100 on WEDNESDAY 11th Feb.
shh-uk.bsky.social Supporting Healthcare Heroes UK (SHH-UK) @shh-uk.bsky.social · 10d
Join our Cognitive Dysfunction Support Group 🧠

🗓️ Tuesday 11 February 2026
⏰ 11:00am (1 hour)
📍 Online (via Microsoft Teams)
👉 Sign up here: events.teams.microso...

#HealthcareHeroes #SupportGroup #CognitiveHealth #Wellbeing #NHSStaff
February 8, 2026 at 11:17 AM
Reposted by Alison Twycross RN PhD
shh-uk.bsky.social
💉 New research summary: COVID vaccination linked to fewer long-term heart & lung changes and less lasting lung damage on CT scans.

Vaccines protect even after infection 🫁❤️

🔗 shh-uk.org/?p=35450

#COVID19 #LongCovid #VaccinesWork #HeartHealth #LungHealth #PublicHealth
Graphic with a torn-notebook-paper background. At the top is the Supporting Healthcare Heroes UK logo. Large text reads ‘Research Summary,’ with the word ‘Summary’ circled in black. At the bottom, small text says ‘Charity Registered in England & Wales No. 1205685.
February 9, 2026 at 12:30 PM
alitwy.bsky.social
The cognitive dysfunction support group is at 1100 on WEDNESDAY 11th Feb.
shh-uk.bsky.social Supporting Healthcare Heroes UK (SHH-UK) @shh-uk.bsky.social · 10d
Join our Cognitive Dysfunction Support Group 🧠

🗓️ Tuesday 11 February 2026
⏰ 11:00am (1 hour)
📍 Online (via Microsoft Teams)
👉 Sign up here: events.teams.microso...

#HealthcareHeroes #SupportGroup #CognitiveHealth #Wellbeing #NHSStaff
February 8, 2026 at 11:17 AM