Esther
@elhopkins.bsky.social
Composer who is currently working on a Song Cycle.
Posting about: Music, COVID safety, Clean Air, Climate Change & wildlife.
#Covidisairborne #FBCV
#Vaccinessavelives
#WearARespie ffp2/3
❌ to mask bans
#TransparencyCovid
Vote Green Party 💚
Posting about: Music, COVID safety, Clean Air, Climate Change & wildlife.
#Covidisairborne #FBCV
#Vaccinessavelives
#WearARespie ffp2/3
❌ to mask bans
#TransparencyCovid
Vote Green Party 💚
Reposted by Esther
RFK Jr. has cancelled grants to the American Academy of Pediatrics because “they no longer align with departmental priorities”.
The grants were on such topics as “reducing sudden infant death, rural access to health care, and mental health…”
The AAP has criticized RFK Jr. That’s the real reason.
The grants were on such topics as “reducing sudden infant death, rural access to health care, and mental health…”
The AAP has criticized RFK Jr. That’s the real reason.
American Academy of Pediatrics loses government funding after criticizing RFK Jr
Cuts, which affect projects focused on issues including early identification of autism, made without prior notice to AAP
www.theguardian.com
December 17, 2025 at 11:36 PM
RFK Jr. has cancelled grants to the American Academy of Pediatrics because “they no longer align with departmental priorities”.
The grants were on such topics as “reducing sudden infant death, rural access to health care, and mental health…”
The AAP has criticized RFK Jr. That’s the real reason.
The grants were on such topics as “reducing sudden infant death, rural access to health care, and mental health…”
The AAP has criticized RFK Jr. That’s the real reason.
Reposted by Esther
This article got RFK so hard.
Vaccination rates are plummeting across the country, as part of a larger, troubling trend of growing vaccine hesitancy that is fueling a resurgence of preventable diseases, an NBC News and Stanford University investigation found.
Whooping cough cases soar as vaccination rates drop
In an NBC News data investigation of 31 states, about 70% of counties and jurisdictions fell below the target vaccination rate needed for community protection.
nbcnews.to
December 18, 2025 at 1:51 PM
This article got RFK so hard.
Reposted by Esther
Vaccinate your tree with water.
You might be thinking, "CPSC, does a dry Christmas tree really burn that much faster than a well-watered tree?"
Friend, let's find out together by watching this PSA.
Friend, let's find out together by watching this PSA.
December 19, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Vaccinate your tree with water.
Reposted by Esther
RFK has a long history of being an antivaxxer and as a non expert he wants to scrutinize vaccines with a long safety history. Even though he has backtracked on his promise to not cut vaccines, which was always the concern in the first place.
www.cnn.com/2025/12/19/h...
www.cnn.com/2025/12/19/h...
RFK Jr. wants to scrutinize the vaccine schedule – but its safety record is already decades long | CNN
The U.S. childhood immunization schedule, the grid of colored bars pediatricians share with parents, recommends a set of vaccines given from birth through adolescence to prevent a range of serious inf...
www.cnn.com
December 19, 2025 at 5:13 PM
RFK has a long history of being an antivaxxer and as a non expert he wants to scrutinize vaccines with a long safety history. Even though he has backtracked on his promise to not cut vaccines, which was always the concern in the first place.
www.cnn.com/2025/12/19/h...
www.cnn.com/2025/12/19/h...
Reposted by Esther
This scares me again!
A lot more disability and death in the books- 6 years into it!
bsky.app/profile/covi...
A lot more disability and death in the books- 6 years into it!
bsky.app/profile/covi...
mRNA vaccines JN.1, LP.1.8.1, NB.1.8.1 or XFG showed limited neutralization activity against BA.3.2, indicating that BA.3.2 is antigenically distinct from circulating JN.1-derived variants.
2/
2/
December 19, 2025 at 11:24 AM
This scares me again!
A lot more disability and death in the books- 6 years into it!
bsky.app/profile/covi...
A lot more disability and death in the books- 6 years into it!
bsky.app/profile/covi...
Reposted by Esther
Young people love Plaid and hate Reform
There has been a lot of talk about Reform being really effective at reaching young people.
However this polling suggests that just 5% of those aged 18 - 24 would vote for them.
There has been a lot of talk about Reform being really effective at reaching young people.
However this polling suggests that just 5% of those aged 18 - 24 would vote for them.
December 17, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Young people love Plaid and hate Reform
There has been a lot of talk about Reform being really effective at reaching young people.
However this polling suggests that just 5% of those aged 18 - 24 would vote for them.
There has been a lot of talk about Reform being really effective at reaching young people.
However this polling suggests that just 5% of those aged 18 - 24 would vote for them.
Reposted by Esther
SARS-CoV-2 Leaves a Lasting Mark on the Immune System
johnsnowproject.org/primers/sars...
johnsnowproject.org/primers/sars...
SARS-CoV-2 Leaves a Lasting Mark on the Immune System
A landmark new study shows COVID-19 isn’t ‘just a cold’: One infection left people with long-lasting immune damage, and those with heart disease lost up to 70% of key immune cells. Reinfections may wo...
johnsnowproject.org
December 7, 2025 at 9:24 PM
SARS-CoV-2 Leaves a Lasting Mark on the Immune System
johnsnowproject.org/primers/sars...
johnsnowproject.org/primers/sars...
Reposted by Esther
Covid is an occupational health hazard to all workers because it’s airborne everywhere. Peru are doing better than us in the UK. From a year or so ago! www.covid19litigation.org/news/2023/09...
Peru – Lima High Court declares COVID-19 an occupational disease for all workers
Peru – Lima High Court declares COVID-19 an occupational disease for all workers
www.covid19litigation.org
December 18, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Covid is an occupational health hazard to all workers because it’s airborne everywhere. Peru are doing better than us in the UK. From a year or so ago! www.covid19litigation.org/news/2023/09...
1 in 4 workers in Spain in this research developed #Longcovid.
Covid is an occupational health hazard everywhere, because it’s airborne in all indoor shared air spaces.
#CleantheAir #WorkersRights
www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/wor...
Covid is an occupational health hazard everywhere, because it’s airborne in all indoor shared air spaces.
#CleantheAir #WorkersRights
www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/wor...
Workplace exposures tied to higher risk of long COVID
www.cidrap.umn.edu
December 19, 2025 at 10:32 AM
1 in 4 workers in Spain in this research developed #Longcovid.
Covid is an occupational health hazard everywhere, because it’s airborne in all indoor shared air spaces.
#CleantheAir #WorkersRights
www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/wor...
Covid is an occupational health hazard everywhere, because it’s airborne in all indoor shared air spaces.
#CleantheAir #WorkersRights
www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/wor...
Reposted by Esther
Sometimes, viruses don't have to be the bad guys...
Sometimes we can use one to treat another!
Chuffed to present excellent work from Dr Samantha Garcia-Cardenas showing how the innate immune system can be "rewired" by a benign Reovirus to eliminate SARS2 infection.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Sometimes we can use one to treat another!
Chuffed to present excellent work from Dr Samantha Garcia-Cardenas showing how the innate immune system can be "rewired" by a benign Reovirus to eliminate SARS2 infection.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Oncolytic Reovirus mediates innate-driven SARS-CoV-2 elimination in the absence of cell toxicity
Interplay between type I interferon (IFN) driven innate responses and viral antagonism strongly influences SARS-CoV-2 transmission and the COVID-19 disease course. Hence, variant adaptation includes d...
www.biorxiv.org
December 19, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Sometimes, viruses don't have to be the bad guys...
Sometimes we can use one to treat another!
Chuffed to present excellent work from Dr Samantha Garcia-Cardenas showing how the innate immune system can be "rewired" by a benign Reovirus to eliminate SARS2 infection.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Sometimes we can use one to treat another!
Chuffed to present excellent work from Dr Samantha Garcia-Cardenas showing how the innate immune system can be "rewired" by a benign Reovirus to eliminate SARS2 infection.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Esther
We should have had HEPA air filters in all hospital wards, all school rooms and all public buildings BEFORE Covid started, yet we still haven’t got them. It’s unbelievable stupidity. We know we’ll face more pandemics in the future, just not when. We’re in a worse position now than before 2019.
December 18, 2025 at 1:49 PM
We should have had HEPA air filters in all hospital wards, all school rooms and all public buildings BEFORE Covid started, yet we still haven’t got them. It’s unbelievable stupidity. We know we’ll face more pandemics in the future, just not when. We’re in a worse position now than before 2019.
Reposted by Esther
Very grateful to Green Party and Natalie Bennett for this.
December 18, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Very grateful to Green Party and Natalie Bennett for this.
Reposted by Esther
Such an important question. Those of us living with #longcovid live in terror of catching it again. No one is safe from this virus.
Thank you for posing this question and raising the issue again @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social It is important that we use the scientifically valid tools to deal with #airborne viruses.
Good ventilation and air filtration are critical tools in preventing respiratory infections.
The Government must assess current standards in hospitals and schools — and act where they fall short.
#Flu #Covid #Ventilation
Full response 👉 hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-1...
The Government must assess current standards in hospitals and schools — and act where they fall short.
#Flu #Covid #Ventilation
Full response 👉 hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-1...
December 18, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Such an important question. Those of us living with #longcovid live in terror of catching it again. No one is safe from this virus.
Reposted by Esther
Only 6 Labour backbencher attack videos on @zackpolanski.bsky.social
left until Christmas Day!
#MistletoeandWhine
left until Christmas Day!
#MistletoeandWhine
December 19, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Only 6 Labour backbencher attack videos on @zackpolanski.bsky.social
left until Christmas Day!
#MistletoeandWhine
left until Christmas Day!
#MistletoeandWhine
www.politico.eu/article/brit...
Britain vows to tackle foreign meddling but the article has one noticeable omission.
Britain vows to tackle foreign meddling but the article has one noticeable omission.
Britain vows to tackle foreign meddling in politics after Reform’s Russia bribes case
Ministers launch a review into foreign financial inference in Britain after a senior Reform UK politician was jailed for taking pro-Russia bribes.
www.politico.eu
December 19, 2025 at 8:51 AM
www.politico.eu/article/brit...
Britain vows to tackle foreign meddling but the article has one noticeable omission.
Britain vows to tackle foreign meddling but the article has one noticeable omission.
Nigel Farage’s £9m donor profits from Putin Propaganda platform.
bylinetimes.com/2025/12/16/n...
bylinetimes.com/2025/12/16/n...
Nigel Farage’s £9m Donor Profits From Putin Propaganda Platform While Holding MoD Stake
Reform UK's biggest donor is profiting from ties to a pro-Kremlin platform that hosts a Russian intelligence-backed influence operation
bylinetimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Nigel Farage’s £9m donor profits from Putin Propaganda platform.
bylinetimes.com/2025/12/16/n...
bylinetimes.com/2025/12/16/n...
Reposted by Esther
Meanwhile in Infectious Diseases Clinic…
December 17, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Meanwhile in Infectious Diseases Clinic…
Reposted by Esther
What's the point of Labour?
At some point you have to accept that Labour isn't "combatting Reform" they are actively enabling Reform's growth by embedding Reform's narrative in the public consciousness, and setting the precedent for a potential Reform government to go even further.
December 18, 2025 at 1:47 PM
What's the point of Labour?
Reposted by Esther
🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 How do they bloody get away with it. Time and time again.
Scandal hit PPE Medpro, the company linked to Michelle Mone has been wound up at a specialist companies court meaning the £145 million it owes the government has probably gone never to be seen again.
In other news Mone continues to live a luxurious lifestyle unburdened by responsibility.
In other news Mone continues to live a luxurious lifestyle unburdened by responsibility.
December 18, 2025 at 5:52 PM
🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 How do they bloody get away with it. Time and time again.
Reposted by Esther
🦠COVID and flu continue to stretch the NHS to its limit.
These airborne pathogens do particularly well when there are fewer people being vaccinated, and at times when more people are mixing in crowded places with poor ventilation, and when face coverings are not being used sensibly.
England latest:
These airborne pathogens do particularly well when there are fewer people being vaccinated, and at times when more people are mixing in crowded places with poor ventilation, and when face coverings are not being used sensibly.
England latest:
December 18, 2025 at 6:02 PM
🦠COVID and flu continue to stretch the NHS to its limit.
These airborne pathogens do particularly well when there are fewer people being vaccinated, and at times when more people are mixing in crowded places with poor ventilation, and when face coverings are not being used sensibly.
England latest:
These airborne pathogens do particularly well when there are fewer people being vaccinated, and at times when more people are mixing in crowded places with poor ventilation, and when face coverings are not being used sensibly.
England latest:
Reposted by Esther
We should not rest until the last food bank closes due to a lack of demand
Sophy Ridge to someone from Trussell: "Can I just ask, demand for food banks is going up and this is often seen as a negative thing basically, that it shows that more people are in need turning to food banks. Could you flip that and say its a good thing..."
er, no.
er, no.
December 18, 2025 at 3:53 PM
We should not rest until the last food bank closes due to a lack of demand
Reposted by Esther
📣Campaign Groups:
Activism can be good for participants' mental health.
But: Campaign strategy needs to include protecting activists from burnout & mitigating depression.
Activism can be good for participants' mental health.
But: Campaign strategy needs to include protecting activists from burnout & mitigating depression.
How participation in activism affects the mental health of stigmatised groups: A systematic review
osf.io/preprints/ps...
osf.io/preprints/ps...
December 18, 2025 at 1:42 PM
📣Campaign Groups:
Activism can be good for participants' mental health.
But: Campaign strategy needs to include protecting activists from burnout & mitigating depression.
Activism can be good for participants' mental health.
But: Campaign strategy needs to include protecting activists from burnout & mitigating depression.
Reposted by Esther
We must learn hard lessons @ukcovid-19inquiry.bsky.social.
To protect people now and in the next pandemic, the UK should focus on core safeguards: correct use of high‑filtration face coverings in healthcare, crowded public settings, and during surges, clean indoor air, and access to trusted vaccine.
To protect people now and in the next pandemic, the UK should focus on core safeguards: correct use of high‑filtration face coverings in healthcare, crowded public settings, and during surges, clean indoor air, and access to trusted vaccine.
While aerosol and respiratory droplet transmission can be classified differently based on particle size & behaviour, they are closely related & often coexist. Understanding both is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies for airborne respiratory diseases.
wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/...
wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/...
December 17, 2025 at 9:13 AM
We must learn hard lessons @ukcovid-19inquiry.bsky.social.
To protect people now and in the next pandemic, the UK should focus on core safeguards: correct use of high‑filtration face coverings in healthcare, crowded public settings, and during surges, clean indoor air, and access to trusted vaccine.
To protect people now and in the next pandemic, the UK should focus on core safeguards: correct use of high‑filtration face coverings in healthcare, crowded public settings, and during surges, clean indoor air, and access to trusted vaccine.