Isaac Florence
@isaac-florence.bsky.social
Head of Health Protection Intelligence, Systems, and Data @ UK Health Security Agency.
Infectious Disease Epidemiologist, Civil Servant, Global health person
https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaacflorence
Infectious Disease Epidemiologist, Civil Servant, Global health person
https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaacflorence
Pinned
Our new team is now two years old and reflecting on that time we have a lot to be proud of. This next chapter is going to unlock some serious opportunities to do more good, impactful work, and so as a little commitment to myself, I am going to share more about it here on bluesky going forward 🦋
Reposted by Isaac Florence
We do not talk enough about how much vaccines have transformed Ebola outbreaks. The country stock pile of 2000 vaccines was immediately deployed to respond to the outbreak in the DRC and 45,000 additional doses have been approved for shipment to the DRC.
www.afro.who.int/countries/de...
www.afro.who.int/countries/de...
Ebola vaccination begins in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Vaccination of frontline health workers and contacts of people infected with Ebola virus disease has begun in Bulape health zone in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Kasai Province where an outbr...
www.afro.who.int
September 15, 2025 at 5:47 PM
We do not talk enough about how much vaccines have transformed Ebola outbreaks. The country stock pile of 2000 vaccines was immediately deployed to respond to the outbreak in the DRC and 45,000 additional doses have been approved for shipment to the DRC.
www.afro.who.int/countries/de...
www.afro.who.int/countries/de...
Reposted by Isaac Florence
New paper: we argue that a promising approach for studying mpox vaccine effectiveness in Central Africa to incorporate mpox vaccination + testing data into existing cohort studies, especially those for HIV/STIs.
www.thelancet.com/journals/ebi...
www.thelancet.com/journals/ebi...
Clade I mpox vaccination: strategies for deployment and evaluation
Clade I mpox continues to spread in Central Africa with no sign of abating,1 however
very few doses of vaccine have been deployed. Mpox vaccination strategies using either
of the licenced vaccines, MV...
www.thelancet.com
August 26, 2025 at 4:50 PM
New paper: we argue that a promising approach for studying mpox vaccine effectiveness in Central Africa to incorporate mpox vaccination + testing data into existing cohort studies, especially those for HIV/STIs.
www.thelancet.com/journals/ebi...
www.thelancet.com/journals/ebi...
A little bit of personal career news (1/3) 🙋🏻♂️
With great excitement, I’ve recently started a new part-time role as a Technical Advisor for UKHSA’s Global Health Protection Directorate, focusing on the International Health Regulations Strengthening Programme (IHR-SP) in Pakistan.
With great excitement, I’ve recently started a new part-time role as a Technical Advisor for UKHSA’s Global Health Protection Directorate, focusing on the International Health Regulations Strengthening Programme (IHR-SP) in Pakistan.
August 24, 2025 at 11:23 AM
A little bit of personal career news (1/3) 🙋🏻♂️
With great excitement, I’ve recently started a new part-time role as a Technical Advisor for UKHSA’s Global Health Protection Directorate, focusing on the International Health Regulations Strengthening Programme (IHR-SP) in Pakistan.
With great excitement, I’ve recently started a new part-time role as a Technical Advisor for UKHSA’s Global Health Protection Directorate, focusing on the International Health Regulations Strengthening Programme (IHR-SP) in Pakistan.
Reposted by Isaac Florence
Just announced - @smhopkins.bsky.social will be the new chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency @ukhsa.bsky.social. Starting in September.
August 7, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Just announced - @smhopkins.bsky.social will be the new chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency @ukhsa.bsky.social. Starting in September.
Reposted by Isaac Florence
The Health Protection Research Units have been hiring a lot recently for roles across public health, but this one is a little different:
Drones for public health emergency logistics!
Part of the @ukhsa.bsky.social and Uni Birmingham joint HPRU
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Drones for public health emergency logistics!
Part of the @ukhsa.bsky.social and Uni Birmingham joint HPRU
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Coordinated Aerial Logistics for Emergency Response and National Resilience at University of Birmingham on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Coordinated Aerial Logistics for Emergency Response and National Resilience at University of Birmingham, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
July 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM
The Health Protection Research Units have been hiring a lot recently for roles across public health, but this one is a little different:
Drones for public health emergency logistics!
Part of the @ukhsa.bsky.social and Uni Birmingham joint HPRU
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Drones for public health emergency logistics!
Part of the @ukhsa.bsky.social and Uni Birmingham joint HPRU
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Newly published @ukhsa.bsky.social report prepared by Field Epidemiology Service colleagues and my team on Travel-Associated infections, as we approach peak infection season in late Summer and Autumn
www.gov.uk/government/p... #EpiSky
www.gov.uk/government/p... #EpiSky
Travel-associated infections in England: 2022, 2023 and 2024 (Regional analysis)
www.gov.uk
July 21, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Newly published @ukhsa.bsky.social report prepared by Field Epidemiology Service colleagues and my team on Travel-Associated infections, as we approach peak infection season in late Summer and Autumn
www.gov.uk/government/p... #EpiSky
www.gov.uk/government/p... #EpiSky
Reposted by Isaac Florence
We’re pleased to welcome Professor Robin May as UKHSA’s Interim Chief Scientific Officer from September.
Robin joins us from @foodgov.bsky.social, bringing expertise in public health threats, and continues as Professor of Infectious Disease at @unibirmingham.bsky.social.
Robin joins us from @foodgov.bsky.social, bringing expertise in public health threats, and continues as Professor of Infectious Disease at @unibirmingham.bsky.social.
July 21, 2025 at 12:10 PM
We’re pleased to welcome Professor Robin May as UKHSA’s Interim Chief Scientific Officer from September.
Robin joins us from @foodgov.bsky.social, bringing expertise in public health threats, and continues as Professor of Infectious Disease at @unibirmingham.bsky.social.
Robin joins us from @foodgov.bsky.social, bringing expertise in public health threats, and continues as Professor of Infectious Disease at @unibirmingham.bsky.social.
The National Biosecurity Centre will "strengthen and formalise existing collaborations between UKHSA, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (Dstl) to bolster the UK’s resilience to deliberate, accidental or naturally occurring biological incidents"
The government has announced plans for our new headquarters in Harlow, Essex. The National Biosecurity Centre will be operational from the mid-2030s.
This will create one of the world's largest health protection science centres, replacing facilities at Porton & Colindale
www.gov.uk/government/n...
This will create one of the world's largest health protection science centres, replacing facilities at Porton & Colindale
www.gov.uk/government/n...
July 17, 2025 at 8:03 PM
The National Biosecurity Centre will "strengthen and formalise existing collaborations between UKHSA, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (Dstl) to bolster the UK’s resilience to deliberate, accidental or naturally occurring biological incidents"
Reposted by Isaac Florence
The government has announced plans for our new headquarters in Harlow, Essex. The National Biosecurity Centre will be operational from the mid-2030s.
This will create one of the world's largest health protection science centres, replacing facilities at Porton & Colindale
www.gov.uk/government/n...
This will create one of the world's largest health protection science centres, replacing facilities at Porton & Colindale
www.gov.uk/government/n...
July 17, 2025 at 2:56 PM
The government has announced plans for our new headquarters in Harlow, Essex. The National Biosecurity Centre will be operational from the mid-2030s.
This will create one of the world's largest health protection science centres, replacing facilities at Porton & Colindale
www.gov.uk/government/n...
This will create one of the world's largest health protection science centres, replacing facilities at Porton & Colindale
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Reposted by Isaac Florence
🦟"Vertical transmission in field-caught #mosquitoes identifies a mechanism for the establishment of #Usutu #virus in a temperate country" by Mirjam Schilling et al. at APHA, ZSL, @ukhsa.bsky.social in Scientific Reports @natureportfolio.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
July 15, 2025 at 11:01 AM
🦟"Vertical transmission in field-caught #mosquitoes identifies a mechanism for the establishment of #Usutu #virus in a temperate country" by Mirjam Schilling et al. at APHA, ZSL, @ukhsa.bsky.social in Scientific Reports @natureportfolio.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Isaac Florence
This death is really tragic and sadly avoidable. We have a safe and effective vaccine. High vaccination coverage protects not just the vaccinated but also the vulnerable in our communities. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Measles: Child dies at Alder Hey Children's hospital as cases surge
Seventeen children have been treated at the Liverpool hospital for the virus since June.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 13, 2025 at 1:02 PM
This death is really tragic and sadly avoidable. We have a safe and effective vaccine. High vaccination coverage protects not just the vaccinated but also the vulnerable in our communities. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
“The MI5 of disease prevention” - £1bn invested in new animal biosecurity centre as part of the National Security Strategy.
Set up as part of the National Biosecurity Centre Network coordinated by the Cabinet Office, for making relationships with UKHSA, APHA, and Dstl
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Set up as part of the National Biosecurity Centre Network coordinated by the Cabinet Office, for making relationships with UKHSA, APHA, and Dstl
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Greater security delivered for the British people with record billion-pound investment in new national biosecurity centre
Huge investment in new National Biosecurity Centre to protect the British public and the economy from future pandemics.
www.gov.uk
June 28, 2025 at 6:44 PM
“The MI5 of disease prevention” - £1bn invested in new animal biosecurity centre as part of the National Security Strategy.
Set up as part of the National Biosecurity Centre Network coordinated by the Cabinet Office, for making relationships with UKHSA, APHA, and Dstl
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Set up as part of the National Biosecurity Centre Network coordinated by the Cabinet Office, for making relationships with UKHSA, APHA, and Dstl
www.gov.uk/government/n...
ICYMI: Health Protection Report on the Report a Notifiable Disease Service
The service that I led development of with colleagues @ukhsa.bsky.social has been in National Public beta since September last year, and here is the first public data report on it
🧵 1/6
www.gov.uk/government/p...
The service that I led development of with colleagues @ukhsa.bsky.social has been in National Public beta since September last year, and here is the first public data report on it
🧵 1/6
www.gov.uk/government/p...
HPR volume 19 issue 5: news (21 and 29 May 2025)
www.gov.uk
June 20, 2025 at 10:33 AM
ICYMI: Health Protection Report on the Report a Notifiable Disease Service
The service that I led development of with colleagues @ukhsa.bsky.social has been in National Public beta since September last year, and here is the first public data report on it
🧵 1/6
www.gov.uk/government/p...
The service that I led development of with colleagues @ukhsa.bsky.social has been in National Public beta since September last year, and here is the first public data report on it
🧵 1/6
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Reposted by Isaac Florence
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
June 19, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
*Job Alert* Fantastic opportunity for a Consultant Micro/Viro to join UKHSA's Global Health Protection Directorate in the International Health Regulation Strengthening Programme
Part-time, fixed-term - more details below
www.healthjobsuk.com/job/v7278982
Part-time, fixed-term - more details below
www.healthjobsuk.com/job/v7278982
Job vacancy: Global Health Consultant Microbiologist, UK Health Security Agency, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London (Canary Wharf) | trac.jobs
www.healthjobsuk.com
June 18, 2025 at 8:01 PM
*Job Alert* Fantastic opportunity for a Consultant Micro/Viro to join UKHSA's Global Health Protection Directorate in the International Health Regulation Strengthening Programme
Part-time, fixed-term - more details below
www.healthjobsuk.com/job/v7278982
Part-time, fixed-term - more details below
www.healthjobsuk.com/job/v7278982
Reposted by Isaac Florence
We're hiring! Please share through your networks - we are recruiting an SEO Senior Insights Manager in the Behavioural Science and Insights Unit at @ukhsa.bsky.social. For more information see: www.healthjobsuk.com/job/v7197975 Deadline for applications: Thursday 19th June 2025.
Job vacancy: Senior Insight Manager, UK Health Security Agency, London | trac.jobs
www.healthjobsuk.com
May 29, 2025 at 8:17 PM
We're hiring! Please share through your networks - we are recruiting an SEO Senior Insights Manager in the Behavioural Science and Insights Unit at @ukhsa.bsky.social. For more information see: www.healthjobsuk.com/job/v7197975 Deadline for applications: Thursday 19th June 2025.
Reposted by Isaac Florence
“To be honest, as an African, I am really embarrassed to see this,” said Dr Tedros of the crisis sparked by the aid cuts. “It’s embarrassing because it reveals a reliance, a dependency.”
More from @who.int's Dr Tedros in this interview by @paulnuki.bsky.social: www.telegraph.co.uk/global-healt...
More from @who.int's Dr Tedros in this interview by @paulnuki.bsky.social: www.telegraph.co.uk/global-healt...
Global aid cuts will kill many – but Africa could benefit in the long run, says WHO chief
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says he is ‘embarrassed as an African’ over country’s aid dependency
www.telegraph.co.uk
May 26, 2025 at 6:03 PM
“To be honest, as an African, I am really embarrassed to see this,” said Dr Tedros of the crisis sparked by the aid cuts. “It’s embarrassing because it reveals a reliance, a dependency.”
More from @who.int's Dr Tedros in this interview by @paulnuki.bsky.social: www.telegraph.co.uk/global-healt...
More from @who.int's Dr Tedros in this interview by @paulnuki.bsky.social: www.telegraph.co.uk/global-healt...
Reposted by Isaac Florence
Absolutely thrilled to announce the launch of ARTIC2 - a £5.5M 5 year project funded by @wellcometrust.bsky.social to build on the ARTIC approach of low-cost, globally accessible genome sequencing for surveillance of outbreaks, epidemics and endemic diseases: www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/am...
Ambitious project to develop low-cost genome sequencing for pathogens known and unknown - University of Birmingham
Project will build on research that helped diagnostic labs to adopt sequencing capacity for COVID-19 and permit characterisation of future infectious threats
www.birmingham.ac.uk
May 22, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Absolutely thrilled to announce the launch of ARTIC2 - a £5.5M 5 year project funded by @wellcometrust.bsky.social to build on the ARTIC approach of low-cost, globally accessible genome sequencing for surveillance of outbreaks, epidemics and endemic diseases: www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/am...
Reposted by Isaac Florence
WHO faces a 21% reduction from the original proposed budget for the 2026-27 biennium.
“If we think US$ 2.1 billion a year is ambitious—or $ 4.2 billion for the biennium—then either we must lower our ambitions for what WHO is and does, or we must raise the money.” - @drtedros.who.int
bit.ly/3ZrwCXZ
“If we think US$ 2.1 billion a year is ambitious—or $ 4.2 billion for the biennium—then either we must lower our ambitions for what WHO is and does, or we must raise the money.” - @drtedros.who.int
bit.ly/3ZrwCXZ
May 19, 2025 at 12:43 PM
WHO faces a 21% reduction from the original proposed budget for the 2026-27 biennium.
“If we think US$ 2.1 billion a year is ambitious—or $ 4.2 billion for the biennium—then either we must lower our ambitions for what WHO is and does, or we must raise the money.” - @drtedros.who.int
bit.ly/3ZrwCXZ
“If we think US$ 2.1 billion a year is ambitious—or $ 4.2 billion for the biennium—then either we must lower our ambitions for what WHO is and does, or we must raise the money.” - @drtedros.who.int
bit.ly/3ZrwCXZ
Reposted by Isaac Florence
Professor Dame Jenny Harries discusses COVID-19, vaccines & future pandemics with @adamfleming as she looks ahead to stepping down as Chief Executive of UKHSA.
Listen to #BBCNewscast on @BBCSounds ▶️ www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...
Listen to #BBCNewscast on @BBCSounds ▶️ www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...
May 7, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Professor Dame Jenny Harries discusses COVID-19, vaccines & future pandemics with @adamfleming as she looks ahead to stepping down as Chief Executive of UKHSA.
Listen to #BBCNewscast on @BBCSounds ▶️ www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...
Listen to #BBCNewscast on @BBCSounds ▶️ www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...
Samantha Jones, current DHSC Non-Exec, former Nurse, hospital Chief Exec, and No 10 COO, announced as new Permanent Secretary at DHSC
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
New DHSC Permanent Secretary Appointed
Samantha Jones has been appointed as the new Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care
www.gov.uk
April 22, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Samantha Jones, current DHSC Non-Exec, former Nurse, hospital Chief Exec, and No 10 COO, announced as new Permanent Secretary at DHSC
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Reposted by Isaac Florence
Second report from @ukhsa Gastro teams (lab and epi) led by Clare Jenkins reporting imported cases of Cholera related to travel to Ethiopia and cases without travel who consumed holy water from the same site as travellers. 3/3
www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2...
www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2...
Cholera due to exposure in Europe associated with consumption of holy water from Ethiopia, January to February 2025
In February 2025, public health agencies in Germany and the United Kingdom (UK) reported four cases of domestically acquired cholera caused by consumption of holy water imported from Ethiopia, and a f...
www.eurosurveillance.org
April 11, 2025 at 6:45 AM
Second report from @ukhsa Gastro teams (lab and epi) led by Clare Jenkins reporting imported cases of Cholera related to travel to Ethiopia and cases without travel who consumed holy water from the same site as travellers. 3/3
www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2...
www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2...
Reposted by Isaac Florence
#AMR pertussis is rare, but epidemics raise the risk. In Japan, 5 cases of antibiotic-resistant whooping cough have been reported in Tokyo, tragically claiming the life of a baby girl. A reminder of the stakes in AMR surveillance and vaccine coverage.
#InfectiousDisease
mainichi.jp/english/arti...
#InfectiousDisease
mainichi.jp/english/arti...
1-month-old dies from antibiotic-resistant whooping cough in Tokyo - The Mainichi
TOKYO -- A one-month-old girl without underlying health conditions died after being infected with whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory dise
mainichi.jp
April 19, 2025 at 8:55 AM
#AMR pertussis is rare, but epidemics raise the risk. In Japan, 5 cases of antibiotic-resistant whooping cough have been reported in Tokyo, tragically claiming the life of a baby girl. A reminder of the stakes in AMR surveillance and vaccine coverage.
#InfectiousDisease
mainichi.jp/english/arti...
#InfectiousDisease
mainichi.jp/english/arti...
Job Opportunity - Senior Epidemiology Scientist at UKHSA
You'd get to work with some brilliant colleagues in the Evaluation and Epidemiological Sciences division, part of the Chief Scentific Officer's Group.
@ukhsa.bsky.social @iddjobs.org
www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cg...
You'd get to work with some brilliant colleagues in the Evaluation and Epidemiological Sciences division, part of the Chief Scentific Officer's Group.
@ukhsa.bsky.social @iddjobs.org
www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cg...
Quick Check NeededGOV.UK
www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk
April 17, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Job Opportunity - Senior Epidemiology Scientist at UKHSA
You'd get to work with some brilliant colleagues in the Evaluation and Epidemiological Sciences division, part of the Chief Scentific Officer's Group.
@ukhsa.bsky.social @iddjobs.org
www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cg...
You'd get to work with some brilliant colleagues in the Evaluation and Epidemiological Sciences division, part of the Chief Scentific Officer's Group.
@ukhsa.bsky.social @iddjobs.org
www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cg...