Karuna S
@karunas.bsky.social
Pinned
Reposted by Karuna S
This is super exciting - mRNA vaccine against EBV enters early stage phase 2 trial in 180 people with a recent MS diagnosis. The virus is known to play a significant role in its development
www.independent.co.uk/news/health/...
www.independent.co.uk/news/health/...
Common virus jab could be key in fight against multiple sclerosis
The vaccine will be trialled in patients recently diagnosed with MS
www.independent.co.uk
November 22, 2025 at 7:01 PM
This is super exciting - mRNA vaccine against EBV enters early stage phase 2 trial in 180 people with a recent MS diagnosis. The virus is known to play a significant role in its development
www.independent.co.uk/news/health/...
www.independent.co.uk/news/health/...
Reposted by Karuna S
Fascinating 🧵. The grotesquely mutated spike of this NJ Cryptic binds ACE2 very tightly.
It raises a broader question: Can cryptic wastewater-like lineages transmit?
YES
We knew it happened once. Now we know it's happened at least twice. The results in both cases were not pretty. 1/15
It raises a broader question: Can cryptic wastewater-like lineages transmit?
YES
We knew it happened once. Now we know it's happened at least twice. The results in both cases were not pretty. 1/15
This is wild.
Remember the NJ crytic lineage?
I posted 18 months ago that the Spike was too divergent to predict ACE2 binding, and asked if someone else could figure it out.
Some colleagues took me up on it.
Guess what they found?
1/
Remember the NJ crytic lineage?
I posted 18 months ago that the Spike was too divergent to predict ACE2 binding, and asked if someone else could figure it out.
Some colleagues took me up on it.
Guess what they found?
1/
November 22, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Fascinating 🧵. The grotesquely mutated spike of this NJ Cryptic binds ACE2 very tightly.
It raises a broader question: Can cryptic wastewater-like lineages transmit?
YES
We knew it happened once. Now we know it's happened at least twice. The results in both cases were not pretty. 1/15
It raises a broader question: Can cryptic wastewater-like lineages transmit?
YES
We knew it happened once. Now we know it's happened at least twice. The results in both cases were not pretty. 1/15
Reposted by Karuna S
In Quebec you can’t get the covid vax under 64 years old without heightened exposure like healthcare workers, or a medical complication. First time I’ve been happy about having asthma.
November 22, 2025 at 8:20 PM
In Quebec you can’t get the covid vax under 64 years old without heightened exposure like healthcare workers, or a medical complication. First time I’ve been happy about having asthma.
Reposted by Karuna S
My wife has severe asthma. Her appointment was postponed twice and the pharmacy had run out of vaccines when she showed up for attempt #3 yesterday.
Gotta pay for that Northvolt mess somehow, I guess.
Gotta pay for that Northvolt mess somehow, I guess.
November 22, 2025 at 8:35 PM
My wife has severe asthma. Her appointment was postponed twice and the pharmacy had run out of vaccines when she showed up for attempt #3 yesterday.
Gotta pay for that Northvolt mess somehow, I guess.
Gotta pay for that Northvolt mess somehow, I guess.
Reposted by Karuna S
Will PRIVATIZING Canadian MEDICARE WORK?
Researchers compared 25 wealthy countries.
The more each relies on FOR-PROFIT COMPANIES to deliver healthcare
...the WORSE LIFE EXPECTANCY gets.
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
Researchers compared 25 wealthy countries.
The more each relies on FOR-PROFIT COMPANIES to deliver healthcare
...the WORSE LIFE EXPECTANCY gets.
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
November 22, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Will PRIVATIZING Canadian MEDICARE WORK?
Researchers compared 25 wealthy countries.
The more each relies on FOR-PROFIT COMPANIES to deliver healthcare
...the WORSE LIFE EXPECTANCY gets.
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
Researchers compared 25 wealthy countries.
The more each relies on FOR-PROFIT COMPANIES to deliver healthcare
...the WORSE LIFE EXPECTANCY gets.
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
Reposted by Karuna S
University of Bergen researchers estimate long COVID affects at least 36% of people post-infection and costs the global economy $1 trillion annually, with US patients facing $9000 each in yearly impacts and $170 billion in national lost earnings.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Economic burden of long COVID: macroeconomic, cost-of-illness and microeconomic impacts - npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine
npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine - Economic burden of long COVID: macroeconomic, cost-of-illness and microeconomic impacts
www.nature.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:07 PM
University of Bergen researchers estimate long COVID affects at least 36% of people post-infection and costs the global economy $1 trillion annually, with US patients facing $9000 each in yearly impacts and $170 billion in national lost earnings.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Karuna S
This was the H5N5 patient.
"Public health officials are continuing to monitor anyone who was in contact with the patient — including more than 100 health care workers — for symptoms to ensure that human-to-human spread has not occurred."
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
"Public health officials are continuing to monitor anyone who was in contact with the patient — including more than 100 health care workers — for symptoms to ensure that human-to-human spread has not occurred."
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
Bird flu patient dies, marking second U.S. fatality in 2025
The Washington state resident, an older adult with underlying conditions, was infected with a strain that has previously been reported in animals but never before in humans.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:46 AM
This was the H5N5 patient.
"Public health officials are continuing to monitor anyone who was in contact with the patient — including more than 100 health care workers — for symptoms to ensure that human-to-human spread has not occurred."
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
"Public health officials are continuing to monitor anyone who was in contact with the patient — including more than 100 health care workers — for symptoms to ensure that human-to-human spread has not occurred."
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
Reposted by Karuna S
GOP Sen. Ron Johnson is crowing about Robert Kennedy Jr.’s CDC pushing debunked vaccine misinformation.
“Time to apologize to Dr. Andrew Wakefield and all the others who were maligned and vilified for simply asking the right questions,” he says.
Wakefield’s paper was *fraudulent.*
“Time to apologize to Dr. Andrew Wakefield and all the others who were maligned and vilified for simply asking the right questions,” he says.
Wakefield’s paper was *fraudulent.*
November 21, 2025 at 2:05 AM
GOP Sen. Ron Johnson is crowing about Robert Kennedy Jr.’s CDC pushing debunked vaccine misinformation.
“Time to apologize to Dr. Andrew Wakefield and all the others who were maligned and vilified for simply asking the right questions,” he says.
Wakefield’s paper was *fraudulent.*
“Time to apologize to Dr. Andrew Wakefield and all the others who were maligned and vilified for simply asking the right questions,” he says.
Wakefield’s paper was *fraudulent.*
Reposted by Karuna S
“I had hemophilia for nearly five decades. I went to Philadelphia and had a 45-minute infusion, and my hemophilia was gone.”
Genes-> Medicine
nature.com/articles/s41...
Genes-> Medicine
nature.com/articles/s41...
November 21, 2025 at 9:45 PM
“I had hemophilia for nearly five decades. I went to Philadelphia and had a 45-minute infusion, and my hemophilia was gone.”
Genes-> Medicine
nature.com/articles/s41...
Genes-> Medicine
nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Karuna S
#Avian flu has decimated world's largest breeding colony of southern elephant seals
The loss may threaten the population's future by reducing the number of surviving pups.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/a...
Photo: David Cook / Flickr cc
The loss may threaten the population's future by reducing the number of surviving pups.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/a...
Photo: David Cook / Flickr cc
November 14, 2025 at 8:56 PM
#Avian flu has decimated world's largest breeding colony of southern elephant seals
The loss may threaten the population's future by reducing the number of surviving pups.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/a...
Photo: David Cook / Flickr cc
The loss may threaten the population's future by reducing the number of surviving pups.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/a...
Photo: David Cook / Flickr cc
Reposted by Karuna S
"There is a notable gap in strong study designs (such as randomized controlled trials and studies that involve large numbers of participants)"
They are literally arguing for large scale RCTs for PPE during Ebola outbreaks because they don't believe in physical science or the precautionary principle
They are literally arguing for large scale RCTs for PPE during Ebola outbreaks because they don't believe in physical science or the precautionary principle
November 18, 2025 at 1:06 AM
"There is a notable gap in strong study designs (such as randomized controlled trials and studies that involve large numbers of participants)"
They are literally arguing for large scale RCTs for PPE during Ebola outbreaks because they don't believe in physical science or the precautionary principle
They are literally arguing for large scale RCTs for PPE during Ebola outbreaks because they don't believe in physical science or the precautionary principle
Reposted by Karuna S
Superb 🧵 by Dr. @evonnetcurran.bsky.social on Twitter earlier today about the (dubious) statement that "80% of infections diseases are spread by contact..."
Full 🧵 (12 tweets):
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19900...
Full 🧵 (12 tweets):
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19900...
November 17, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Superb 🧵 by Dr. @evonnetcurran.bsky.social on Twitter earlier today about the (dubious) statement that "80% of infections diseases are spread by contact..."
Full 🧵 (12 tweets):
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19900...
Full 🧵 (12 tweets):
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19900...
Reposted by Karuna S
The irony.
Designed and proven using entirely mechanistic method and observational data, with a healthy side order of biochemistry.
And fielded for decades with huge successes, without a single randomized trial as proof.
& today, groups of MDs work tirelessly to prove N95 don’t work vs viruses.
Designed and proven using entirely mechanistic method and observational data, with a healthy side order of biochemistry.
And fielded for decades with huge successes, without a single randomized trial as proof.
& today, groups of MDs work tirelessly to prove N95 don’t work vs viruses.
On this day in 1966, Cluny Macpherson died.
Born in St. John's in 1879, he invented the gas mask during the First World War. His design was adopted by the British Army. He later became the president of the St. John's Clinical Society and the Newfoundland Medical Association.
Born in St. John's in 1879, he invented the gas mask during the First World War. His design was adopted by the British Army. He later became the president of the St. John's Clinical Society and the Newfoundland Medical Association.
November 16, 2025 at 5:18 PM
The irony.
Designed and proven using entirely mechanistic method and observational data, with a healthy side order of biochemistry.
And fielded for decades with huge successes, without a single randomized trial as proof.
& today, groups of MDs work tirelessly to prove N95 don’t work vs viruses.
Designed and proven using entirely mechanistic method and observational data, with a healthy side order of biochemistry.
And fielded for decades with huge successes, without a single randomized trial as proof.
& today, groups of MDs work tirelessly to prove N95 don’t work vs viruses.
Reposted by Karuna S
Alice Wong died of an infection 💔
Thinking of all the healthcare workers over time who failed to protect her
www.npr.org/2025/11/15/n...
Thinking of all the healthcare workers over time who failed to protect her
www.npr.org/2025/11/15/n...
Disability rights activist and author Alice Wong dies at 51
The MacArthur "Genius" Award-winner was best known as the founder of the Disability Visibility Project, which highlights disabled people and disability culture through storytelling projects, social me...
www.npr.org
November 16, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Alice Wong died of an infection 💔
Thinking of all the healthcare workers over time who failed to protect her
www.npr.org/2025/11/15/n...
Thinking of all the healthcare workers over time who failed to protect her
www.npr.org/2025/11/15/n...
Reposted by Karuna S
6/ Our message is clear: Health security must be treated as national security. Hospitals, labs, and health data systems are critical infrastructure, and need to be defended.
November 16, 2025 at 9:34 PM
6/ Our message is clear: Health security must be treated as national security. Hospitals, labs, and health data systems are critical infrastructure, and need to be defended.
Reposted by Karuna S
5/ And there's an information war too. Russian-linked networks amplify anti-vaccine narratives, distort pandemic responses, and flood social media with conspiracies that erode trust in institutions.
November 16, 2025 at 9:34 PM
5/ And there's an information war too. Russian-linked networks amplify anti-vaccine narratives, distort pandemic responses, and flood social media with conspiracies that erode trust in institutions.
Reposted by Karuna S
3/ Health systems are now frontline targets. A 2024 ransomware attack UK NHS blood testing and contributed to at least one patient death. Croatia’s main hospital was hit. Poland faces repeated attacks on hospitals and water systems. These aren’t random.
November 16, 2025 at 9:34 PM
3/ Health systems are now frontline targets. A 2024 ransomware attack UK NHS blood testing and contributed to at least one patient death. Croatia’s main hospital was hit. Poland faces repeated attacks on hospitals and water systems. These aren’t random.
Reposted by Karuna S
🧵1/ Europe is experiencing a hybrid war. Russia is targeting not only military and commercial infrastructure and security systems but our health systems. In our new paper in the European Journal of Public Health, @charlottemar.bsky.social & I spell out the implications
@eupha.bsky.social
@eupha.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 9:34 PM
🧵1/ Europe is experiencing a hybrid war. Russia is targeting not only military and commercial infrastructure and security systems but our health systems. In our new paper in the European Journal of Public Health, @charlottemar.bsky.social & I spell out the implications
@eupha.bsky.social
@eupha.bsky.social
Reposted by Karuna S
Among other things, I think $37M of taxpayer money for student mental health would be better spent on ongoing care from human therapists vs an "AI-driven platform that facilitates behavioral health training and education while delivering measurement-based care" www.thetrillium.ca/news/politic...
Ford government sends audit of company involved in Skills Development Fund controversy to OPP
The province says it sent police details of a ‘forensic audit’ of a company it’s paid $37M, and whose lobbyist’s Parisian wedding was recently attended by the labour minister
www.thetrillium.ca
November 15, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Among other things, I think $37M of taxpayer money for student mental health would be better spent on ongoing care from human therapists vs an "AI-driven platform that facilitates behavioral health training and education while delivering measurement-based care" www.thetrillium.ca/news/politic...
Reposted by Karuna S
Algorithms drive people further and further to the extremes. People who exploit these algorithms make a lot of money from doing so.
Building on previous work, Palmer and Gorman argue that until we accept misinformation as a social determinant of health, we won’t be able to address it effectively.
Building on previous work, Palmer and Gorman argue that until we accept misinformation as a social determinant of health, we won’t be able to address it effectively.
Misinformation, trust, and health: The case for information environment as a major independent social determinant of health
We argue for the inclusion of information environment as a major independent element in social determinants of health (SDoH) models. During the early …
www.sciencedirect.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Algorithms drive people further and further to the extremes. People who exploit these algorithms make a lot of money from doing so.
Building on previous work, Palmer and Gorman argue that until we accept misinformation as a social determinant of health, we won’t be able to address it effectively.
Building on previous work, Palmer and Gorman argue that until we accept misinformation as a social determinant of health, we won’t be able to address it effectively.
Reposted by Karuna S
“She explained how much Covid could hurt her & how vulnerable it felt to be unable to wear a mask to protect herself.
She was a perfect example of why other people need to wear masks even if they don’t personally think Covid will hurt them”
If you want to honour Alice Wong’s memory, please mask up
She was a perfect example of why other people need to wear masks even if they don’t personally think Covid will hurt them”
If you want to honour Alice Wong’s memory, please mask up
Thank You Alice Wong
Alice Wong has passed away and the disability community has lost a leader. I lost a mentor and a friend. The Disabled Ginger wouldn't exist without Alice and everything she taught me.
www.disabledginger.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:48 AM
“She explained how much Covid could hurt her & how vulnerable it felt to be unable to wear a mask to protect herself.
She was a perfect example of why other people need to wear masks even if they don’t personally think Covid will hurt them”
If you want to honour Alice Wong’s memory, please mask up
She was a perfect example of why other people need to wear masks even if they don’t personally think Covid will hurt them”
If you want to honour Alice Wong’s memory, please mask up
Reposted by Karuna S
We should all thank Professor Lidia Morawska for her incredible work over many years which has influenced how the world mitigates the risks associated with the airborne virus that causes COVID-19.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
November 16, 2025 at 12:52 AM
We should all thank Professor Lidia Morawska for her incredible work over many years which has influenced how the world mitigates the risks associated with the airborne virus that causes COVID-19.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by Karuna S
🚨BUYER BEWARE
FOR-PROFIT DIAGNOSTIC CENTRES DON'T SAVE MONEY
They INCREASE
🧪 Tests not indicated
✖️ Anxiety
🧐 Waste of public resources
🗓️ Public wait times
...while Conflicts of interest, Upcharges & Oversold services
are NOT DISCLOSED
@alonghurst.bsky.social
calgaryherald.com/news/local-n...
FOR-PROFIT DIAGNOSTIC CENTRES DON'T SAVE MONEY
They INCREASE
🧪 Tests not indicated
✖️ Anxiety
🧐 Waste of public resources
🗓️ Public wait times
...while Conflicts of interest, Upcharges & Oversold services
are NOT DISCLOSED
@alonghurst.bsky.social
calgaryherald.com/news/local-n...
U of C doctor says study shows for-profit diagnostic screening will lead to unintended problems
"We're going to prey on people's anxieties," says doctor who studied increased cardiac imaging in Alberta in the late 1990s.
calgaryherald.com
November 16, 2025 at 12:51 PM
🚨BUYER BEWARE
FOR-PROFIT DIAGNOSTIC CENTRES DON'T SAVE MONEY
They INCREASE
🧪 Tests not indicated
✖️ Anxiety
🧐 Waste of public resources
🗓️ Public wait times
...while Conflicts of interest, Upcharges & Oversold services
are NOT DISCLOSED
@alonghurst.bsky.social
calgaryherald.com/news/local-n...
FOR-PROFIT DIAGNOSTIC CENTRES DON'T SAVE MONEY
They INCREASE
🧪 Tests not indicated
✖️ Anxiety
🧐 Waste of public resources
🗓️ Public wait times
...while Conflicts of interest, Upcharges & Oversold services
are NOT DISCLOSED
@alonghurst.bsky.social
calgaryherald.com/news/local-n...
Reposted by Karuna S
Trump was a subject in 72% of the Epstein email threads.
Data visualization by WSJ:
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Data visualization by WSJ:
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
November 14, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Trump was a subject in 72% of the Epstein email threads.
Data visualization by WSJ:
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Data visualization by WSJ:
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Reposted by Karuna S
We're seeing lots of stories now with MDs urging Ontarians to get vaccinated. You know who we're not seeing in those stories? Ontario's public health leader, Kieran Moore.
He was quoted in a news release but has had no media availability. He should be playing a key role in promoting vaccination.
He was quoted in a news release but has had no media availability. He should be playing a key role in promoting vaccination.
Doctors, pharmacists urging Ontarians to get flu shots as province sees rise in cases https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-flu-shot-province-sees-rise-in-cases-9.6977916
𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 ⇢ CanadaHealthwatch.ca/newsletter
𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 ⇢ CanadaHealthwatch.ca/newsletter
November 14, 2025 at 9:03 PM
We're seeing lots of stories now with MDs urging Ontarians to get vaccinated. You know who we're not seeing in those stories? Ontario's public health leader, Kieran Moore.
He was quoted in a news release but has had no media availability. He should be playing a key role in promoting vaccination.
He was quoted in a news release but has had no media availability. He should be playing a key role in promoting vaccination.