Herms Townsley
@hermsnz.bsky.social
ID/Microbiology Academic Clinical Fellow in Sheffield, via Aotearoa NZ
Reposted by Herms Townsley
"A forward looking government would rename Indefinite-Leave-to-Remain/ILR to Permanent Residency (like other countries) to make it more obvious how abusive and cruel any attempt to mess with that status would be"
October 3, 2025 at 10:18 AM
"A forward looking government would rename Indefinite-Leave-to-Remain/ILR to Permanent Residency (like other countries) to make it more obvious how abusive and cruel any attempt to mess with that status would be"
Reposted by Herms Townsley
Just fuck off with this. How about start the conversation by highlighting how much immigrants contribute to the UK - not least by propping up the NHS and social care system!
Also - forced volunteering is not volunteering, it's unpaid labour.
Also - forced volunteering is not volunteering, it's unpaid labour.
September 29, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Just fuck off with this. How about start the conversation by highlighting how much immigrants contribute to the UK - not least by propping up the NHS and social care system!
Also - forced volunteering is not volunteering, it's unpaid labour.
Also - forced volunteering is not volunteering, it's unpaid labour.
Reposted by Herms Townsley
🧵 Our paper out today in @naturemedicine.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon
1/
#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon
1/
#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.
www.nature.com
August 8, 2025 at 9:09 AM
🧵 Our paper out today in @naturemedicine.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon
1/
#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon
1/
#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.
My pet hate in scientific publishing is the trend of putting methods at the end. What happened to telling a story? Is the idea that the reader will get bored with the methods?? I don't know how to understand the results without knowing what was done!
July 22, 2025 at 6:23 AM
My pet hate in scientific publishing is the trend of putting methods at the end. What happened to telling a story? Is the idea that the reader will get bored with the methods?? I don't know how to understand the results without knowing what was done!
Reposted by Herms Townsley
👇💯
If someone invented an AI that could clean bathrooms, I’d be all over it. I don’t need AI to do my thinking, or writing, for me
If someone invented an AI that could clean bathrooms, I’d be all over it. I don’t need AI to do my thinking, or writing, for me
July 20, 2025 at 9:28 AM
👇💯
If someone invented an AI that could clean bathrooms, I’d be all over it. I don’t need AI to do my thinking, or writing, for me
If someone invented an AI that could clean bathrooms, I’d be all over it. I don’t need AI to do my thinking, or writing, for me
Reposted by Herms Townsley
In the latest video in our partnership with @glaucomflecken.bsky.social, the BALANCE trial comparing 7 days of antibiotic treatment with 14 days of treatment in patients with bloodstream infection is explained. Access the article for free: nej.md/DrG19
June 21, 2025 at 10:53 AM
In the latest video in our partnership with @glaucomflecken.bsky.social, the BALANCE trial comparing 7 days of antibiotic treatment with 14 days of treatment in patients with bloodstream infection is explained. Access the article for free: nej.md/DrG19
When your review has one citation and it's this:
June 15, 2025 at 11:07 AM
When your review has one citation and it's this:
Reposted by Herms Townsley
Prof de Silva & Dr Keeley speak on Strep A epi & immunity in the Gambia.
🗝️ Hyperendemicity of Strep A
🗝️ Index infections not explained by household contacts
🗝️ Early life immunity develops <2 y/o
🗝️ Ab response to carriage & infection
🗝️ ?protective immunity from SLO, SpyAD, SpyCEP
#LISSSD25 #IDsky
🗝️ Hyperendemicity of Strep A
🗝️ Index infections not explained by household contacts
🗝️ Early life immunity develops <2 y/o
🗝️ Ab response to carriage & infection
🗝️ ?protective immunity from SLO, SpyAD, SpyCEP
#LISSSD25 #IDsky
June 2, 2025 at 3:50 AM
I've been working for the NHS for 4 years, own a house, can vote, but with recent UK govt plans announced, it may suddenly be another 6 years before I can settle in the country I call home.
If you agree that's unfair, I'd be grateful if you'd sign this!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
If you agree that's unfair, I'd be grateful if you'd sign this!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
Petition: Keep the 5-Year ILR pathway for existing Skilled Worker visa holders
Do not apply the proposed 10-year ILR rule to existing Skilled Worker visa holders. Keep the 5-year ILR route for those already in the UK on this visa. Apply any changes only to new applicants from th...
petition.parliament.uk
May 23, 2025 at 3:18 PM
I've been working for the NHS for 4 years, own a house, can vote, but with recent UK govt plans announced, it may suddenly be another 6 years before I can settle in the country I call home.
If you agree that's unfair, I'd be grateful if you'd sign this!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
If you agree that's unfair, I'd be grateful if you'd sign this!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
Reposted by Herms Townsley
Migrants enrich our culture, contribute to our economy, and become our friends and neighbours.
And cutting NHS waiting times, fixing our social care system and building 1.5 million homes cannot be done without overseas recruitment.
People need people. Britain needs migrants.
And cutting NHS waiting times, fixing our social care system and building 1.5 million homes cannot be done without overseas recruitment.
People need people. Britain needs migrants.
May 12, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Migrants enrich our culture, contribute to our economy, and become our friends and neighbours.
And cutting NHS waiting times, fixing our social care system and building 1.5 million homes cannot be done without overseas recruitment.
People need people. Britain needs migrants.
And cutting NHS waiting times, fixing our social care system and building 1.5 million homes cannot be done without overseas recruitment.
People need people. Britain needs migrants.
Reposted by Herms Townsley
Nick Robinson says the UK-EU deal only gets 10% of what the UK lost due to Brexit.
Rachel Reeves said yesterday that
the deal gains £9 billion for the UK.
Nick Robinson confirming we lost £90 billion due to Brexit. Twice the value of the tax imposition required at the budget. Lost.
#r4today
Rachel Reeves said yesterday that
the deal gains £9 billion for the UK.
Nick Robinson confirming we lost £90 billion due to Brexit. Twice the value of the tax imposition required at the budget. Lost.
#r4today
May 20, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Nick Robinson says the UK-EU deal only gets 10% of what the UK lost due to Brexit.
Rachel Reeves said yesterday that
the deal gains £9 billion for the UK.
Nick Robinson confirming we lost £90 billion due to Brexit. Twice the value of the tax imposition required at the budget. Lost.
#r4today
Rachel Reeves said yesterday that
the deal gains £9 billion for the UK.
Nick Robinson confirming we lost £90 billion due to Brexit. Twice the value of the tax imposition required at the budget. Lost.
#r4today
Reposted by Herms Townsley
The left going full racist boosts the official racist party. If only we had known from this exact thing happening everywhere it's tried
I'll be the party pooper who says that YouGov poll is an outlier. Still, devastating for the Tories that they are within an outlier's distance of fourth place
May 20, 2025 at 8:12 AM
The left going full racist boosts the official racist party. If only we had known from this exact thing happening everywhere it's tried
Reposted by Herms Townsley
Another report on how our high visa costs deter top R&D talent
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
April 22, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Another report on how our high visa costs deter top R&D talent
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Is there any hope that this actually influences IPC practices and we get to wear gel nails again in healthcare settings? Can we do smartwatches next? (Also - where do I sign up to join 'the Finger Nail Polish Study Group'?!)
www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S019...
www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S019...
Gel nail polish does not have a negative impact on the nail bacterial burden nor on the quality of hand hygiene with an alcohol-based hand rub
The bacterial burden on gel polished (GP) nails, standard polished (SP) nails and
unpolished (UP) nails was evaluated before and after hand hygiene (HH) with alcohol-based
hand rub.
www.journalofhospitalinfection.com
February 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Is there any hope that this actually influences IPC practices and we get to wear gel nails again in healthcare settings? Can we do smartwatches next? (Also - where do I sign up to join 'the Finger Nail Polish Study Group'?!)
www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S019...
www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S019...
Reposted by Herms Townsley
...to be clear, when I said I'm open to feedback on my draft I meant that you could give me a nice compliment
January 11, 2025 at 7:34 PM
...to be clear, when I said I'm open to feedback on my draft I meant that you could give me a nice compliment
Reposted by Herms Townsley
This is, to literally anyone from a first year/FY1 resident doc through to a consultant of 20 years standing, a fairly unhinged referral pathway
This person needs an appointment with a GP, not a kitchen sink approach involving unnecessary ionising radiation in a shopping centre
This person needs an appointment with a GP, not a kitchen sink approach involving unnecessary ionising radiation in a shopping centre
So this is the new great idea🤔
I’m pretty sure if Sarah had seen a GP she wouldn’t have needed to have a CT scan, no need to speak to the ENT registrar & yes it could be managed in the community
Why does NHS England always underestimate the skills of GPs?
www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/re...
I’m pretty sure if Sarah had seen a GP she wouldn’t have needed to have a CT scan, no need to speak to the ENT registrar & yes it could be managed in the community
Why does NHS England always underestimate the skills of GPs?
www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/re...
January 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM
This is, to literally anyone from a first year/FY1 resident doc through to a consultant of 20 years standing, a fairly unhinged referral pathway
This person needs an appointment with a GP, not a kitchen sink approach involving unnecessary ionising radiation in a shopping centre
This person needs an appointment with a GP, not a kitchen sink approach involving unnecessary ionising radiation in a shopping centre
Reposted by Herms Townsley
Carter used the power of his post presidency to nearly eradicate guinea worm. There were 3.5 million cases when the Carter Center’s work began in 1986. He said in 2015 that he wanted to see “guinea worm completely eradicated before I die.” There’ve been 7 cases this year. www.npr.org/sections/goa...
Jimmy Carter took on the awful Guinea worm when no one else would — and he triumphed
Carter targeted diseases primarily affecting the poor in remote areas — notably "Guinea worm disease." Because of his commitment, case numbers plummeted from 3.6 million a year to just 13 in 2022.
www.npr.org
December 29, 2024 at 9:34 PM
Carter used the power of his post presidency to nearly eradicate guinea worm. There were 3.5 million cases when the Carter Center’s work began in 1986. He said in 2015 that he wanted to see “guinea worm completely eradicated before I die.” There’ve been 7 cases this year. www.npr.org/sections/goa...
Reposted by Herms Townsley
Almost ready to start writing - just need to quickly read everything that has ever been, or will ever be, documented about this topic
December 12, 2024 at 12:55 PM
Almost ready to start writing - just need to quickly read everything that has ever been, or will ever be, documented about this topic
6 weeks post op after what the ortho team keeps emphasising was a “properly nasty” injury - and I put weight on my foot for the first time! So excited to be through the first stage of recovery - now for some hard work 💪
December 6, 2024 at 10:53 AM
6 weeks post op after what the ortho team keeps emphasising was a “properly nasty” injury - and I put weight on my foot for the first time! So excited to be through the first stage of recovery - now for some hard work 💪
Loved this beautifully written article, particularly the lesson regarding the importance of science for it's own sake - we don't know which discoveries will end up being critically important years down the line.
Like many of us, my life in ID was bookended by the emergence of HIV and the Covid-19 pandemic (with #H5N1 threatening to change the script) Tony Fauci's thoughtful piece draws lessons from those unexpected, terrible, and misunderstood pandemics. A must read #IDsky academic.oup.com/cid/advance-...
HIV/AIDS and COVID-19: Shared Lessons from Two Pandemics
The HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics hold important lessons for preparing for, and responding to, future infectious disease outbreaks. Eight lessons common
academic.oup.com
November 27, 2024 at 10:33 PM
Loved this beautifully written article, particularly the lesson regarding the importance of science for it's own sake - we don't know which discoveries will end up being critically important years down the line.
Opening X more often than not used to end with me feeling angry about something (state of the world, political arguments, the latest medtwitter binfire) - in comparison Bluesky is so positive and collaborative. Good riddance to X + Elon!
November 26, 2024 at 5:58 PM
Opening X more often than not used to end with me feeling angry about something (state of the world, political arguments, the latest medtwitter binfire) - in comparison Bluesky is so positive and collaborative. Good riddance to X + Elon!
Reposted by Herms Townsley
I also want my contribution to a paper to be given as 'writhing'.
November 22, 2024 at 10:01 PM
I also want my contribution to a paper to be given as 'writhing'.
Was recently discussing with a friend the ethics of AI re climate change, and felt guilty about using ChatGPT to help with coding. Decided to look into it today and found this: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
So, maybe academics are off the hook?
So, maybe academics are off the hook?
The carbon emissions of writing and illustrating are lower for AI than for humans - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - The carbon emissions of writing and illustrating are lower for AI than for humans
www.nature.com
November 25, 2024 at 8:50 AM
Was recently discussing with a friend the ethics of AI re climate change, and felt guilty about using ChatGPT to help with coding. Decided to look into it today and found this: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
So, maybe academics are off the hook?
So, maybe academics are off the hook?
Reposted by Herms Townsley
#IDSky colleague from New Zealand @maxgbloomfield.bsky.social sent us his study on environmental benefits when they switched TID cefuroxime to once a day ceftriaxone. They had a 383kg waste reduction! Nice to connect with #IDSky across the globe on sustainability.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38696830/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38696830/
Incorporating patient, nursing and environmental factors into antimicrobial stewardship: effects of simplifying treatment from cefuroxime to ceftriaxone - PubMed
This simplification of our AG from a three-times-daily to a once-daily antibiotic resulted in considerable savings for our hospital (roughly 1.7 full-time equivalent nurses and over a tonne of waste y...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
November 21, 2024 at 12:00 PM
#IDSky colleague from New Zealand @maxgbloomfield.bsky.social sent us his study on environmental benefits when they switched TID cefuroxime to once a day ceftriaxone. They had a 383kg waste reduction! Nice to connect with #IDSky across the globe on sustainability.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38696830/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38696830/