Steve Griffin
@profstevegriffin.bsky.social
Professor of Cancer Virology, University of Leeds.
Co-Chair, Independent SAGE
Co-Chair, Independent SAGE
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Happy new year!
Chickenpox vaccines for children on NHS starts across UK
For the first time, children will be offered vaccination on the NHS against the common infection which, in rare cases, can be very serious.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 2, 2026 at 9:14 AM
Happy new year!
Reposted by Steve Griffin
A mere one month from Trump winning the inaugural Fifa peace prize for his "exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace".
NEW: Trump administration launches direct military strikes on Venezuela. Explosions reported in Caracas. Aircraft reported flying over the city.
January 3, 2026 at 9:34 AM
A mere one month from Trump winning the inaugural Fifa peace prize for his "exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace".
Reposted by Steve Griffin
A reminder that Venezuela is a signatory to the Rome Statute. So crimes committed on its soil are subject to jurisdiction of ICC, including 👇
www.internationalcrimesdatabase.org/Crimes/Crime...
www.internationalcrimesdatabase.org/Crimes/Crime...
January 3, 2026 at 9:47 AM
A reminder that Venezuela is a signatory to the Rome Statute. So crimes committed on its soil are subject to jurisdiction of ICC, including 👇
www.internationalcrimesdatabase.org/Crimes/Crime...
www.internationalcrimesdatabase.org/Crimes/Crime...
Reposted by Steve Griffin
I’m excited about the real-life experimental medicine question of whether this will reduce risk of future Alzheimer’s?
January 3, 2026 at 11:51 AM
I’m excited about the real-life experimental medicine question of whether this will reduce risk of future Alzheimer’s?
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Assumption comes from a series of excellent, big data papers on reduced risk associated with zoster vaccination
Must admit I didn’t know there was a direct correlation between chicken pox and Alzheimer’s in later life.
January 3, 2026 at 12:08 PM
Assumption comes from a series of excellent, big data papers on reduced risk associated with zoster vaccination
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Anyone else think that we're in a particularly bad game of Risk at the moment.
January 3, 2026 at 1:54 PM
Anyone else think that we're in a particularly bad game of Risk at the moment.
Reposted by Steve Griffin
“Like Mark Antony minus the toga and brains, he struts and preens, cries havoc! and lets slip the dogs of war.” Well penned, Simon Tisdall.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Today an illegal coup in Venezuela, but where next? Donald Trump talks peace but he is a man of war | Simon Tisdall
The world will be anxious, and rightly so. For a man so bent on a peace prize, Trump appears to revel in conflict, writes Simon Tisdall
www.theguardian.com
January 3, 2026 at 5:57 PM
“Like Mark Antony minus the toga and brains, he struts and preens, cries havoc! and lets slip the dogs of war.” Well penned, Simon Tisdall.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Trump's press conference opens with "Late last night and early today, at my direction, the United States armed forces conducted an extraordinary military operation in the capital of Venezuela"
"Extraordinary military operation" sounds quite a lot like "special military operation", don't you think.
"Extraordinary military operation" sounds quite a lot like "special military operation", don't you think.
January 3, 2026 at 10:06 PM
Trump's press conference opens with "Late last night and early today, at my direction, the United States armed forces conducted an extraordinary military operation in the capital of Venezuela"
"Extraordinary military operation" sounds quite a lot like "special military operation", don't you think.
"Extraordinary military operation" sounds quite a lot like "special military operation", don't you think.
Reposted by Steve Griffin
I wrote this only last week, after saying that Trump seems about to wage war on Venezuela. It seems pretty relevant to what transpired today.
UK and Europe *must* reduce our dependence on America and its technologies as rapidly as we can.
christinapagel.substack.com/p/personal-r...
UK and Europe *must* reduce our dependence on America and its technologies as rapidly as we can.
christinapagel.substack.com/p/personal-r...
January 3, 2026 at 10:42 PM
I wrote this only last week, after saying that Trump seems about to wage war on Venezuela. It seems pretty relevant to what transpired today.
UK and Europe *must* reduce our dependence on America and its technologies as rapidly as we can.
christinapagel.substack.com/p/personal-r...
UK and Europe *must* reduce our dependence on America and its technologies as rapidly as we can.
christinapagel.substack.com/p/personal-r...
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Compare and contrast with
bsky.app/profile/ones...
bsky.app/profile/ones...
Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide: "International law is universal and binding for all states. The American intervention in Venezuela is not in accordance with international law."
January 3, 2026 at 10:59 PM
Compare and contrast with
bsky.app/profile/ones...
bsky.app/profile/ones...
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Didn’t someone do a RCT showing that health visitors are “ineffective”? Healthcare is a complex system; we need to stop relying on 20th century research tools.
I see we are going back to the future. Health visitors routinely vaccinated children 15-20 years ago until it was no longer considered part of the baseline in provider contracts. Doesn't need a pilot. Just do it.
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Children in England to be offered vaccines in their own homes
Exclusive: Pilot scheme launches as one in five start primary school with no protection against deadly diseases
www.theguardian.com
January 1, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Didn’t someone do a RCT showing that health visitors are “ineffective”? Healthcare is a complex system; we need to stop relying on 20th century research tools.
Reposted by Steve Griffin
To clarify: I’m being cynical about the reliance on RCT evidence. Thanks @profsarahcowley.bsky.social for confirming - there was no RCT but policy decisions to withdraw HVs were made because no RCT had shown benefit.
Didn’t someone do a RCT showing that health visitors are “ineffective”? Healthcare is a complex system; we need to stop relying on 20th century research tools.
I see we are going back to the future. Health visitors routinely vaccinated children 15-20 years ago until it was no longer considered part of the baseline in provider contracts. Doesn't need a pilot. Just do it.
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
January 1, 2026 at 6:20 PM
To clarify: I’m being cynical about the reliance on RCT evidence. Thanks @profsarahcowley.bsky.social for confirming - there was no RCT but policy decisions to withdraw HVs were made because no RCT had shown benefit.
Reposted by Steve Griffin
I talked to the lovely Dan Snow about how the Roman Empire never fell - but evolved - and my book, Domination:
youtu.be/HynJ2_9_Rmk?...
youtu.be/HynJ2_9_Rmk?...
How Did Ancient Romans Become Christians?
YouTube video by Dan Snow's History Hit
youtu.be
January 1, 2026 at 9:44 PM
I talked to the lovely Dan Snow about how the Roman Empire never fell - but evolved - and my book, Domination:
youtu.be/HynJ2_9_Rmk?...
youtu.be/HynJ2_9_Rmk?...
Reposted by Steve Griffin
What a speech! Really worth listening to in full.
Cant help thinking we would be far better off if our countries were run by some of our mayors
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
@london.gov.uk
@annehidalgo.bsky.social
@andyburnham.bsky.social
youtu.be/NFVT5iUV8bA?...
Cant help thinking we would be far better off if our countries were run by some of our mayors
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
@london.gov.uk
@annehidalgo.bsky.social
@andyburnham.bsky.social
youtu.be/NFVT5iUV8bA?...
WATCH: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's full speech after taking oath of office
YouTube video by PBS NewsHour
youtu.be
January 1, 2026 at 10:31 PM
What a speech! Really worth listening to in full.
Cant help thinking we would be far better off if our countries were run by some of our mayors
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
@london.gov.uk
@annehidalgo.bsky.social
@andyburnham.bsky.social
youtu.be/NFVT5iUV8bA?...
Cant help thinking we would be far better off if our countries were run by some of our mayors
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
@london.gov.uk
@annehidalgo.bsky.social
@andyburnham.bsky.social
youtu.be/NFVT5iUV8bA?...
Happy 2026 folks! S
January 1, 2026 at 12:16 AM
Happy 2026 folks! S
Reposted by Steve Griffin
We don't know if the BA.3.2.2 saltation will mirror BA.2.86>JN1.
Yet, I'm struck by complacency & cognitive dissonance wrt vax & possible impact.
For flu, a handful of HA muts is bad clinically, despite OK ANNUAL vax ND50.
BA.3.2.2 is off the map, but apparently all is well...
Yet, I'm struck by complacency & cognitive dissonance wrt vax & possible impact.
For flu, a handful of HA muts is bad clinically, despite OK ANNUAL vax ND50.
BA.3.2.2 is off the map, but apparently all is well...
December 31, 2025 at 11:08 AM
We don't know if the BA.3.2.2 saltation will mirror BA.2.86>JN1.
Yet, I'm struck by complacency & cognitive dissonance wrt vax & possible impact.
For flu, a handful of HA muts is bad clinically, despite OK ANNUAL vax ND50.
BA.3.2.2 is off the map, but apparently all is well...
Yet, I'm struck by complacency & cognitive dissonance wrt vax & possible impact.
For flu, a handful of HA muts is bad clinically, despite OK ANNUAL vax ND50.
BA.3.2.2 is off the map, but apparently all is well...
We don't know if the BA.3.2.2 saltation will mirror BA.2.86>JN1.
Yet, I'm struck by complacency & cognitive dissonance wrt vax & possible impact.
For flu, a handful of HA muts is bad clinically, despite OK ANNUAL vax ND50.
BA.3.2.2 is off the map, but apparently all is well...
Yet, I'm struck by complacency & cognitive dissonance wrt vax & possible impact.
For flu, a handful of HA muts is bad clinically, despite OK ANNUAL vax ND50.
BA.3.2.2 is off the map, but apparently all is well...
December 31, 2025 at 11:08 AM
We don't know if the BA.3.2.2 saltation will mirror BA.2.86>JN1.
Yet, I'm struck by complacency & cognitive dissonance wrt vax & possible impact.
For flu, a handful of HA muts is bad clinically, despite OK ANNUAL vax ND50.
BA.3.2.2 is off the map, but apparently all is well...
Yet, I'm struck by complacency & cognitive dissonance wrt vax & possible impact.
For flu, a handful of HA muts is bad clinically, despite OK ANNUAL vax ND50.
BA.3.2.2 is off the map, but apparently all is well...
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Want a 2.5 minute primer on the ingenuity of randomised controlled trials?
Of course you do.
Of course you do.
December 30, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Want a 2.5 minute primer on the ingenuity of randomised controlled trials?
Of course you do.
Of course you do.
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Let’s go back to 2010!
We didn’t need cancer pathways as urgent referrals were seen in 2-3 weeks, routine in 2-3 months
Recruitment was rising, jobs were good. It wasn’t perfect but in 4 decades of NHS work it was the best it had been
THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED ….
We didn’t need cancer pathways as urgent referrals were seen in 2-3 weeks, routine in 2-3 months
Recruitment was rising, jobs were good. It wasn’t perfect but in 4 decades of NHS work it was the best it had been
THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED ….
December 20, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Let’s go back to 2010!
We didn’t need cancer pathways as urgent referrals were seen in 2-3 weeks, routine in 2-3 months
Recruitment was rising, jobs were good. It wasn’t perfect but in 4 decades of NHS work it was the best it had been
THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED ….
We didn’t need cancer pathways as urgent referrals were seen in 2-3 weeks, routine in 2-3 months
Recruitment was rising, jobs were good. It wasn’t perfect but in 4 decades of NHS work it was the best it had been
THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED ….
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Oh my God it just keeps getting worse. This #RFK sponsored #hepatitis vaccine trial in #Guinea-Bissau is being run by people whose research methods have been totally discredited. This isn’t research, it’s gun-for-hire antivax nonsense. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
What is actually the emerging evidence about non-specific vaccine effects in randomized trials from the Bandim Health Project?
www.sciencedirect.com
December 19, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Oh my God it just keeps getting worse. This #RFK sponsored #hepatitis vaccine trial in #Guinea-Bissau is being run by people whose research methods have been totally discredited. This isn’t research, it’s gun-for-hire antivax nonsense. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Reposted by Steve Griffin
Miniature musical instrument makers admit defeat as violin size requirement for story is declared "too small to build."
December 27, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Miniature musical instrument makers admit defeat as violin size requirement for story is declared "too small to build."
Reposted by Steve Griffin
We've been doing wastewater metagenomics for 2 years.
In the first 20 months we never detected measles once.
However, in the last 4 months we've detected it 10 times across numerous states.
It's going endemic again; good reason to get vaccinated.
health.hawaii.gov/news/newsroo...
In the first 20 months we never detected measles once.
However, in the last 4 months we've detected it 10 times across numerous states.
It's going endemic again; good reason to get vaccinated.
health.hawaii.gov/news/newsroo...
DOH MONITORING FIRST WASTEWATER DETECTION OF MEASLES IN KAUAʻI COUNTY
HONOLULU — The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) is monitoring a positive wastewater sample for measles virus, the first wastewater detection of the virus for Kauaʻi County. The sample was collected ...
https://health.hawaii.gov/news/newsroom/doh-monitoring-first-wastewater-detection-of-measles-in-kauaʻi-county/
December 16, 2025 at 5:29 PM
We've been doing wastewater metagenomics for 2 years.
In the first 20 months we never detected measles once.
However, in the last 4 months we've detected it 10 times across numerous states.
It's going endemic again; good reason to get vaccinated.
health.hawaii.gov/news/newsroo...
In the first 20 months we never detected measles once.
However, in the last 4 months we've detected it 10 times across numerous states.
It's going endemic again; good reason to get vaccinated.
health.hawaii.gov/news/newsroo...