Ruth Ann Crystal
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drruth.bsky.social
Ruth Ann Crystal
@drruth.bsky.social
15K followers 1.1K following 1.7K posts
Also known as @CatchTheBaby on Twitter
OBGYN physician, innovator, baker
Weekly newsletter at https://drruth.substack.com/
#Medsky #LongCOVID
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drruth.bsky.social
Ruth Ann Crystal @drruth.bsky.social · Nov 21
✨UPDATED✨

New to Bluesky? HELPFUL LINKS:

Welcome Post, explains many things:
buff.ly/3CAeIKe

Medsky starter packs:
buff.ly/3ZgguJ3

🧵of some Medsky specialties buff.ly/4ghdhir

Directory of Starter Packs by keyword to find people to follow: buff.ly/3AAmJxW

To Bookmark a skeet, reply with 📌.
drruth.bsky.social
"Amid the rise of AI-generated celebrity deepfake scams, McConaughey has been granted eight trademark applications by the US Patent and Trademark Office to 'prevent misuse'", including his catch phrase ‘Alright, alright, alright’. buff.ly/cI6bIJw
buff.ly
January 17, 2026 at 10:43 PM
drruth.bsky.social
"Paws on Parchment" is a show about medieval cats in art and culture at the Walters Art Museum and features a 15th-century manuscript with paw prints from a cat who walked across drying ink more than 500 years ago. 🐾🐱 buff.ly/DtW0MBT

#Caturday
Inky paw prints are seen on a 15th century manuscript.
January 17, 2026 at 10:32 PM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
amuzi.blacksky.app
If you are in Seattle, please go patronize this store because this is amazing content/promo 😂 (laughing to keep from crying, and I do kind of low-key want that orange spider plant I have never seen that before)

Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DTQrTqZ...
January 17, 2026 at 1:33 AM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
mauratwit.bsky.social
Getty photographer was tackled by about 50 agents while covering Whipple.

He threw his camera at another photographer to prevent it from being confiscated.

📸: Pierre Lavie
From instagram: john_abernathy_ Photo by Pierre Lavie. I was tackled by ice agents and surrounded by about 50 border police. Just for taking photos. I tossed my camera to another Photographer to make sure it wouldn't be confiscated. #gettyreportage #getty at the Whipple Federal building in Minneapolis.
January 17, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
erictopol.bsky.social
A vaccine to prevent colon cancer.
Proof-of-concept for strong immune response and safety via neoantigens given to people carrying mutations for Lynch syndrome
nature.com/articles/s41...
Nous-209 neoantigen vaccine for cancer prevention in Lynch syndrome carriers: a phase 1b/2 trial - Nature Medicine
In a phase 1b/2 trial, an off-the-shelf vaccine using gorilla adenoviral and modified vaccinia Ankara vectors with over 200 mutated peptides known to be present in persons with mismatch-repair-deficie...
nature.com
January 16, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
profmarciniak.bsky.social
New meta-analysis finds *no link* between paracetamol (acetaminophen) use in pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, or intellectual disability

Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology. & Women's Health
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Prenatal paracetamol exposure and child neurodevelopment: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Current evidence does not indicate a clinically important increase in the likelihood of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, or intellectual disability in children of pregnant individuals who use paracetam...
www.thelancet.com
January 17, 2026 at 5:38 AM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
donmoyn.bsky.social
"Officers threw flash bangs and tear gas in my car. I got six kids in the car"
"His wife, Destiny Jackson, told FOX 9 their 6-month-old infant stopped breathing and lost consciousness. She then performed CPR on her baby."
January 15, 2026 at 8:22 PM
drruth.bsky.social
States, health organizations reject new CDC vaccine guidelines on reducing the number of vaccinations for children.

👉At least 19 states have announced that they will follow the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidance on immunizations instead. buff.ly/QH2e2x5

#medsky #pedsky 🛟😷🧪
US map with California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin highlighted in green.
January 15, 2026 at 9:31 PM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
lizszabo.bsky.social
At least 19 states are defying the federal government and rejecting the new CDC childhood immunization schedule, announcing that they will follow the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidance on immunizations.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/public-healt...
States, health organizations reject new CDC vaccine guidance
www.cidrap.umn.edu
January 15, 2026 at 4:17 AM
drruth.bsky.social
Yikes!
January 13, 2026 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
gayfabfourfan.bsky.social
“Researchers found that SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause neurological damage…even without the virus itself present in the brain… Targeting both the virus and inflammation in combination may be necessary to prevent long-term neurologic injury after SARS-CoV-2 infection.”
drruth.bsky.social Ruth Ann Crystal @drruth.bsky.social · 5d
✨Please share! My newsletter is out.

🤒"Ridiculous numbers of Flu" now
💊Combo (antivirals + anti-inflammatory) for Long COVID
💉RFK Jr changes Childhood Immunization Schedule w/o data
👶NY free childcare for all 2 year olds

& much more buff.ly/L0LgQG6

#medsky #pedsky 🛟😷🧪
Map of US showing high levels of Influenza like illness across most of the US. Very high in 20 states as well in purple.
January 12, 2026 at 6:55 PM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
captmarkkelly.bsky.social
Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth have tried to silence me for speaking out.

Today, I’m fighting back because this isn’t just about me. This is about the rights of all retired veterans and all Americans, and I’m not going to let this Administration take those away.
January 12, 2026 at 8:16 PM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
npr.org
The judge ordered the restoration of nearly $12 million in funding to the American Academy of Pediatrics, including money for rural health care and the identification of disabilities in children.
A judge orders HHS to restore children's health funding as a lawsuit continues
The judge ordered the restoration of nearly $12 million in funding to the American Academy of Pediatrics, including money for rural health care and the identification of disabilities in children.
n.pr
January 12, 2026 at 8:18 PM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
citizenharry.bsky.social
NY Comrades, we need to be extra careful right now - wear an N95, properly fitted, wherever there are people you don't live with. Flu infections & hospitalizations are record-breaking, plus 1 in 55 have COVID & might not know they're sick.
Reply here for free N95s & rapid tests on Long Island!
New York, one of the states hardest hit this flu season, is breaking records for both the speed of spread and total number of flu hospitalizations. Similar flu surges are being seen in Colorado and Massachusetts, and some other states. There are early signs that New York’s flu surge may be starting to peak. COVID Per Mike Hoerger who uses CDC and Biobot wastewater data for calculations, about 1 in 55 people is currently infectious with COVID in America, with about 892,000 new daily COVID infections nationally. Risk varies considerably by state as seen below. COVID is not over- in fact, more people die of COVID each year than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.
January 12, 2026 at 7:51 PM
drruth.bsky.social
✨Please share! My newsletter is out.

🤒"Ridiculous numbers of Flu" now
💊Combo (antivirals + anti-inflammatory) for Long COVID
💉RFK Jr changes Childhood Immunization Schedule w/o data
👶NY free childcare for all 2 year olds

& much more buff.ly/L0LgQG6

#medsky #pedsky 🛟😷🧪
Map of US showing high levels of Influenza like illness across most of the US. Very high in 20 states as well in purple.
January 12, 2026 at 1:17 AM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
tom.medsky.social
“There’s no defined ‘high risk’,” Ault said. Because of the high hospitalization rate for babies with no preexisting conditions, simply being an infant should make them eligible for the shot, Rupp and Ault both said.

Dr. Ault says all infants are high risk therefore all infants should get them.
January 11, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
nonnarama.bsky.social
Love this collection of surveillance info!!! drruth.substack.com
Dr. Ruth’s Newsletter© | Ruth Ann Crystal MD | Substack
Weekly COVID news and more. Click to read Dr. Ruth’s Newsletter©, by Ruth Ann Crystal MD, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.
drruth.substack.com
January 12, 2026 at 12:42 AM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
coyotetrail.bsky.social
#Fairbanks #Alaska at -30F protests against ICE. We remember Renee Good and the many, many hurt and stolen.

Standing here loving cold, not murder, not abductions, and not vice.
Many people holding ICE protest signs in wintery roadside Abolish ICE No ICE Human Beings are not illegal/ justice for Renee Good
January 10, 2026 at 1:48 AM
drruth.bsky.social
Excuse me. You stopped doing the thing. Please resume immediately.
January 12, 2026 at 12:49 AM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
drruth.bsky.social
This post has the energy of a public health worker who has seen some things.

😷 Mask.
💉 Get vaccinated.
🤒 Stay home if you are sick.
🙏 Thanks.
durhamhealthnc.bsky.social Durham County Department of Public Health (DCoDPH) @durhamhealthnc.bsky.social · 9d
We don’t know who needs to hear this, but the flu is getting out of hand. And we needed to make a post about it. Here are our pretty direct thoughts, because sometimes our social media manager/infographic designer is tired & can’t think of a way to put it more gently. Please make good choices. (1/2)
Here’s the thing: Ridiculous numbers of people are getting the flu right now. Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are reaching or have already reached record-breaking numbers. People of all ages are getting sick, being hospitalized, and dying, even if they had no other health conditions. And lots of people who are “ok” and don’t require hospitalization are feeling terrible and probably wish they were not sick. You should really be trying not to get the flu (and COVID-19 and RSV and more). This means, yes, you should really get vaccinated….Vaccines teach your body how to recognize and respond to the particular viruses they were created for. No amount of washing your hands, eating healthy, sleeping, or exercising can do this for you. Sorry. These are all important for your immune system and other reasons, but they cannot replace the work of vaccines. People of all ages, with or without other health issues, should get vaccinated. Vaccines help prevent infection and severe illness in people of all ages (yes, even kids. Healthy children can and do die from the flu. And most children who die are unvaccinated*). *Sources if you don’t believe us: bit.ly/428YhOU, tinyurl.com/4tmv8km8, bit.ly/mm7241a2. ... and you should wear masks. If you don’t want to get or spread the flu (or COVID-19 or other things) you should really wear masks. Seriously, people. Yes, we know, some of you love them and some of you hate them. But we’re a health agency so we’re here to share the things that work to protect your health. Masks keep you from breathing in, or breathing out into the air, virus particles that make you and others sick, even if you don’t know you or the people around you are sick (and honestly you often won’t know). You should wash your hands frequently, eat healthy foods, and get plenty of sleep, but no amount of any of this is going to keep you from breathing in virus particles in the air. Definitely wash your hands. Please. Viruses can spread in multiple ways, and handwashing helps prevent some of those ways. But you can’t wash away a virus you’ve breathed in. There’s a reason masks often become required again at doctors’ offices and hospitals whenever virus spread gets bad (like now). It’s because they work. Also, it’s very unkind to choose to be unmasked around others if you know you’re sick (and if there’s no reason you can’t wear a mask). For you, maybe it’s “just” the flu or a mild case of another illness, and you don’t care if you’re sick. But for the person you pass it to, it could be: Too much for their body to handle in addition to their chronic illness | The illness they pass to a loved one who has cancer | The reason they are sick on the day of an important life event | A hospital stay for a child | The infection that leads to a disability | Their cause of death. If you are sick, please be kind and stay away from others as much as possible, and wear a mask if you have to spend time away from home. PS: A lot of cases of illness spread by people who don’t have symptoms, so if you want to be even more considerate, it’s a good idea to mask around other people even if you don’t think you’re sick.
January 9, 2026 at 5:35 AM
drruth.bsky.social
This post has the energy of a public health worker who has seen some things.

😷 Mask.
💉 Get vaccinated.
🤒 Stay home if you are sick.
🙏 Thanks.
durhamhealthnc.bsky.social Durham County Department of Public Health (DCoDPH) @durhamhealthnc.bsky.social · 9d
We don’t know who needs to hear this, but the flu is getting out of hand. And we needed to make a post about it. Here are our pretty direct thoughts, because sometimes our social media manager/infographic designer is tired & can’t think of a way to put it more gently. Please make good choices. (1/2)
Here’s the thing: Ridiculous numbers of people are getting the flu right now. Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are reaching or have already reached record-breaking numbers. People of all ages are getting sick, being hospitalized, and dying, even if they had no other health conditions. And lots of people who are “ok” and don’t require hospitalization are feeling terrible and probably wish they were not sick. You should really be trying not to get the flu (and COVID-19 and RSV and more). This means, yes, you should really get vaccinated….Vaccines teach your body how to recognize and respond to the particular viruses they were created for. No amount of washing your hands, eating healthy, sleeping, or exercising can do this for you. Sorry. These are all important for your immune system and other reasons, but they cannot replace the work of vaccines. People of all ages, with or without other health issues, should get vaccinated. Vaccines help prevent infection and severe illness in people of all ages (yes, even kids. Healthy children can and do die from the flu. And most children who die are unvaccinated*). *Sources if you don’t believe us: bit.ly/428YhOU, tinyurl.com/4tmv8km8, bit.ly/mm7241a2. ... and you should wear masks. If you don’t want to get or spread the flu (or COVID-19 or other things) you should really wear masks. Seriously, people. Yes, we know, some of you love them and some of you hate them. But we’re a health agency so we’re here to share the things that work to protect your health. Masks keep you from breathing in, or breathing out into the air, virus particles that make you and others sick, even if you don’t know you or the people around you are sick (and honestly you often won’t know). You should wash your hands frequently, eat healthy foods, and get plenty of sleep, but no amount of any of this is going to keep you from breathing in virus particles in the air. Definitely wash your hands. Please. Viruses can spread in multiple ways, and handwashing helps prevent some of those ways. But you can’t wash away a virus you’ve breathed in. There’s a reason masks often become required again at doctors’ offices and hospitals whenever virus spread gets bad (like now). It’s because they work. Also, it’s very unkind to choose to be unmasked around others if you know you’re sick (and if there’s no reason you can’t wear a mask). For you, maybe it’s “just” the flu or a mild case of another illness, and you don’t care if you’re sick. But for the person you pass it to, it could be: Too much for their body to handle in addition to their chronic illness | The illness they pass to a loved one who has cancer | The reason they are sick on the day of an important life event | A hospital stay for a child | The infection that leads to a disability | Their cause of death. If you are sick, please be kind and stay away from others as much as possible, and wear a mask if you have to spend time away from home. PS: A lot of cases of illness spread by people who don’t have symptoms, so if you want to be even more considerate, it’s a good idea to mask around other people even if you don’t think you’re sick.
January 9, 2026 at 5:35 AM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
erictopol.bsky.social
Here's a summary of all the data that supports adding more red meat to your diet
January 8, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by Ruth Ann Crystal
mementomorty.bsky.social
The new recommendations should automatically come with a statin, stool softener, and a list of good GI doctors in the area
ericacbarnett.bsky.social Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 9d
NYT has an economics professor tell readers that eating a low-fiber diet full of saturated fat, cholesterol, and excess protein, mostly from red meat (along with as much alcohol as you want!) is healthy. Nutrition scientists, as well as anyone with common sense, know better.
Opinion | Kennedy Is Telling Americans How to Eat. It’s Not Crazy Advice.
www.nytimes.com
January 8, 2026 at 7:32 PM
drruth.bsky.social
New paper from Dr. Pridgen and @putrinolab.bsky.social

👉 Giving Valacyclovir + Celecoxib + 15 days of Paxlovid to people with Long COVID reduced fatigue significantly for up to 2 years in an open-label small study. buff.ly/gVF8Ou0

#medsky #IDsky 🛟😷
Chart in gray and white showing how valacyclovir, celecoxib and paxlovid can reduce activation of latent herpes viruses and SARS-CoV-2 infection.
January 9, 2026 at 1:38 AM
drruth.bsky.social
Great news! Now let's see if it can pass the Senate.

9 Republicans vote with Democrats to set up House vote on 3-year extension of ACA subsidies buff.ly/qHABER7
January 9, 2026 at 12:03 AM