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iballesty.bsky.social
Iain Ballesty
@iballesty.bsky.social
77 followers 130 following 280 posts
Follow @iBallesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy for new posts. Facts matter/opinions differ. If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem. 🇪🇺 🇮🇪 🇨🇱. #LongCovid #SDG #ARP #HostingUkrainians
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iballesty.bsky.social
Iain Ballesty @iballesty.bsky.social · Apr 19
Short but emphatic. Let's talk about long-COVID.
What is it? How to minimise your chances of getting it. A collection of articles 🧵

From 2022: youtube.com/watch?v=jOa9...
Let's talk about long-COVID
youtube.com
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
Tizgui waterfalls on a tranquil Sunday. شلالات تيزغوي
Water drops through greenery Oasis pool and a trickle of water.
November 23, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
🦠 Flu is on the rise and above normal levels
😷 RSV is creeping up but still low
🧼 COVID-19 is going down and staying low
🤧 Rhino/enterovirus remains elevated

🔗 https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/acuterespiratoryinfection/surveillance/integratedreports/IRV_bulletin_week_45_2025.html
November 14, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
"Autism charities must rethink how they portray autistic people—moving from pity to authentic representation. Leadership should include autistic voices, and funding systems need reform". #neurodiversity
Link […]

[Original post on mastodon.ie]
fingers being pointed at a woman in distress reading A paper with symbols on it
November 11, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
Excellent article, thanks.
An Ongoing Battle for Adequate Treatment and Care: The Impact of Long Covid on Families' by Marianne Lynch.

Exulansis - The Gulf of Understanding […]

[Original post on mastodon.ie]
An elephant in the room.
November 9, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
⚖️ Can AI deliver justice?

Ms. Justice Eileen Roberts, Dr Brian Barry & Karlin Lillington unpack how AI is transforming Irish courts—transcription to sentencing algorithms & deepfakes

Ethics, fairness & the future of judgment. #ai #law #justice […]
Original post on mastodon.ie
mastodon.ie
November 7, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
The Elders today call on world leaders attending COP30 in Belém to show courage and ambition in the face of a worsening climate and nature crisis. https://theelders.org/news/world-leaders-must-step-cop30-strengthen-climate-action-and-multilateralism #sdg #globalcompact
World leaders must step up at COP30 to strengthen climate action and multilateralism
The Elders today call on world leaders attending COP30 in Belém to show courage and ambition in the face of a worsening climate and nature crisis
theelders.org
November 5, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
Over 24,208 refugees are being accommodated in Irish residences, thanks to the support of countless community members. This is an untold success story showcasing the generosity of the Irish people. #arp #refugeeswelcome #IrelandIsFull of hospitality. While some […]

[Original post on mastodon.ie]
November 6, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
🦠 #fluwatch Ireland Week 44

• Influenza rising from low levels 📈
• RSV 🆙 slightly, still low
• COVID-19 ⤵️ across all indicators
• Rhino/enterovirus declining

💉 key to reducing severe illness
🛡️ Surveillance = public health protection
🔗 […]

[Original post on mastodon.ie]
The first image shows a multi-year, color-coded time-series graph summarizing SARS-CoV-2 viral loads detected in Irish wastewater, normalized per population (genome copies per day per person) from May 2021 until week 44 of 2025. The y-axis uses a logarithmic scale to represent viral load, ranging from 10^6 to 10^8 genome copies per day per person. The colors indicate intensity levels, with higher viral loads shown in red and lower loads in green. The graph highlights peaks and troughs in viral load trends, with notable surges corresponding to specific periods, visualizing changes in population-level infection across the country. The second image displays a map of Ireland, marked with locations of wastewater catchment areas where SARS-CoV-2 viral loads were measured for week 44 of 2025. The symbols on the map show how viral loads changed compared to the previous week: green downward arrows indicate a decrease of 10% or more, while orange pause symbols denote steady viral loads (within -10% to +10% change). The map helps to geographically identify areas with rising, steady, or falling viral loads, providing an up-to-date spatial overview of community virus trends in Ireland.
November 7, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
Business is going green 🌱

🔋 97% of execs back renewables
💰 91% of firms boosting net-zero investments
🚚 50%+ ready to relocate for clean energy

Momentum is real—but speed is lacking. #climateaction #netzero #renewables #sustainability Interesting :🔗 […]
Original post on mastodon.ie
mastodon.ie
November 5, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
"....However, we did see records in terms of fossil fuel generation: the lowest amount of fossil fuel generation (and, by extension, carbon emissions) in an October month, by some distance". #ireland #greenenergy Irish Grid Monthly: October 2025 […]

[Original post on mastodon.ie]
November 1, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
theworld.org
The nation currently known as Turkey sits where Europe meets Asia. That land was once known to Europeans as part of the Levant. #NatGeoExplorer @paulsalopek.social walked across Turkey on foot in 2014, and looks back on the experience. cc: @outofedenwalk.social
Out of Eden Walk: Walking through Turkey between conflicts - The World from PRX
The nation currently known as Turkey sits where Europe meets Asia. That land was once known to Europeans as part of the Levant. National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek walked across Turkey on foot i...
theworld.org
November 1, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
Guisers (men or kids in disguise) went door-to-door in masks and costumes to give their neighbors a good scare! 🎭👻

Ghost turnips, the púca, fortune-telling and evil abductions...how our ancestors inspire our Halloween | National Museum of Ireland […]

[Original post on mastodon.ie]
October 31, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
🧠 Risk factors associated with #LongCovid using global data
🧬 🤔: Omicron variant infection: Associated with a significantly ⬇️risk of longCOVID

🧭 LongCOVID risk is influenced by age, sex, comorbidities, severity of initial infection, and 💉status.

🔗https://buff.ly/SgvQqUH
Risk Factor Interpretation Middle age Higher risk than older adults Older age Elevated risk compared to younger adults Female sex Women more likely to develop long COVID Obesity Increased susceptibility Respiratory disease Strong association with long COVID Anxiety Mental health impacts linked to long COVID Depression Similar to anxiety Acute hospitalization Strong predictor of long COVID Critical illness (ICU/ECMO) Highest risk among severity factors Non-vaccination Vaccination reduces risk of long COVID
October 28, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
Smell loss = intimacy loss?
Touch, imagination may step in—briefly.
But post-COVID, some report lasting sexual dysfunction.
Could this be Sexual #LongCovid?
🧠👃💔
🔗 https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/10/1597
#preventlongcovid #COVID19
October 25, 2025 at 9:01 AM
iballesty.bsky.social
These statements are true:
This month I put my mother in a home
Flew to Dubai for lunch with His Excellency
& then took an underage refugee home from a pole dancing event.
Also true: my mum had a week's break in a care home; I visited a client; we took our sponsee to a 💃🕺event.
an image of a iceberg with the phrase the truth and nothing but the truth (but not the whole truth) super imposed on it
October 21, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-study-finds-annual-covid-vaccines-protect-people-against-severe-disease/

New study: Annual COVID vaccines cut risk of ER visits by 29%, hospitalizations by 39%, and death by 64%—even with prior immunity. Boosters […]

[Original post on mastodon.ie]
October 18, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
Para mis amigos en el país que amo.... https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/argentina-could-be-a-superpower
October 17, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
Long Covid Is Real — And It's Changing an Entire Generation https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/long-covid-kids-school-absenteeism-1235447552/

#LongCovid #preventlongcovid #COVID19
An elephant in a classroom
October 16, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
greencollective.io
With strong winds and high imports, the island of Ireland saw more renewable generation than fossil fuels in September. Rare, and great when it happens: we estimate CO₂ emissions for the month hit an all-time low.

(from our latest "Irish Grid Monthly" -- sign up for free now)

#SpeirGorm #EnergySky
A treemap of the electricity mix on the island of Ireland. There are eight fuel types: battery, pumped storage, biomass, hydro, solar, wind, gas, and waste-to-energy. Larger sources are annotated with the GWh and percentage of total generation that source comprised. Footnote reads: All-island figures. Excludes domestic solar. Source: EirGrid, SEMO
October 14, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
10,000 🇮🇪 people are hosting #ukrainian in their homes and 🏘️ more than gov supported #landbastards.

We can't solve the the war.
We can't solve 🇮🇪's 🏘️ crisis.
We can help alleviate the pressure on accommodation
#€600 #arp @helpingirishhosts […]

[Original post on mastodon.ie]
October 16, 2025 at 6:09 AM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
Over 1,000 Kildare locals are hosting Ukrainian #refugeesWelcome—on just €600 #arp support. No fanfare. No fuss. Just community. And the number keeps growing. 💛

https://www.helpingirishhosts.com/post/deterrence-doesn-t-build-belonging-communities-do
A list of counties and the number of Ukrainian refugees per county Kildare has 1000+
October 16, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Reposted by Iain Ballesty
iballesty.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy
🩸 URGENT BLOOD DONATION APPEAL! 🩸

Ireland’s blood supply is critically low—most blood groups have less than 3 days’ stock. Your donation can save lives! Please book your appointment to give blood ASAP and share this message! 💪 #giveblood #urgentappeal
https://www.giveblood.ie/
October 15, 2025 at 12:24 PM