ciara

[Gwladwr @gwladwr]

SARS-CoV-2 Primary Care Surveillance in England

Data from the RCGP Sentinel Surveillance system of around two thousand GP Practices.

In Week 24, ending 14 June 2026, the RCGP national average COVID-19 incidence rate for England remained stable...

(RCGP data & chart)

[Professor Paul Dunlop @ProfPaulDunlop]

Scale of defective concrete crisis ‘profoundly underestimated’, Dáil hears https://t.co/VKT0jIleyO

[Denis - The COVID info guy - @BigBadDenis]

A new study finds the dementia drug Donepezil helps treat Long COVID fatigue and depression. The virus triggers a protein that drops brain acetylcholine; Donepezil restores it to clear brain inflammation and symptoms.

https://t.co/RKaTjOq2f0

[Harry Spoelstra @HarrySpoelstra]

Global prevalence of post-COVID-19 condition (Long COVID): a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

🚨The “mild COVID-19” myth is dead!

🚨We have a double ongoing Pandemic(C0vid-19/L0ngC0vid)!

➡️Shocking systematic review and meta-analysis UPDATE (27 prevalence estimates, >200,000 participants, up till Febr 2026) to estimate global prevalence of Long COVID.

➡️Overall pooled prevalence: 30.8% (95% CI 26.8–35.0%)

➡️Extreme heterogeneity: prediction interval 14.0–54.8%, indicating high variability across studies.

➡️Key subgroups:
- Hospitalized cohorts: 37.9% (95% CI 29.5–47.1)
- Non-hospitalized/community/mixed: 26.2% (95% CI 22.0–30.9)
- WHO-defined PCC: 22.8% (95% CI 14.3–34.4)
- Broader symptom-based definitions: 39.7% (95% CI 30.5–49.5)

➡️With a sensitivity (cohort-level) analysis yield at ~31.0%, confirms the main results are solid!

➡️Prevalence varied by region, follow-up duration, and ascertainment methods, studies spanned pre- and post-vaccination eras and variant waves.

➡️Conclusion of the paper:
Long COVID/PCC imposes a SUBSTANTIAL post-acute public health burden.
Due to extreme heterogeneity, the pooled estimate is a descriptive summary of diverse evidence rather than a precise global figure.
The authors call for standardized definitions, harmonized surveillance, transparent reporting (including key variables), rehabilitation pathways, and multidisciplinary care.

➡️Evaluation of vaccination/reinfection impact:
The article provides no data, subgroups, or quantitative evaluation of vaccination status, prior infection, reinfection, or hybrid immunity.
These factors are noted in the introduction and discussion as potentially influential sources of heterogeneity but were not constantly reported in the primary studies.

‼️OK, high heterogeneity but still……..nearly one in three people who contract SARS-CoV-2 develop Long COVID, a massive, enduring burden that neither vaccination campaigns nor natural reinfections have meaningfully curtailed according to the best available global evidence.
This is not a minor or rare sequela, and don’t forget …..many are still unaware of their lingering/silently developing “POST-COVID-19” pathology, with reinfections giving an extra push!
We have a widespread chronic public health failure demanding urgent, resource-intensive action beyond infection prevention, that remains a must! DAMM IT…..WAKE UP!
#AvoidSars2 #AvoidReinfections
https://t.co/rh9XZSpTOQ

[AJ Leonardi, MBBS, PhD, MPH @fitterhappierAJ]

I was a fellow at the National Cancer Institute for 4 years in immunotherapy of cancer

They paid for my PhD

I am happy to explain hypotheses for a potential SARS Cov 2 based increased risk of cancer:

1/4

[L Graves @LGSentinel]

@1goodtern

[Harry Spoelstra @HarrySpoelstra]

Beyond brain fog: viral proteins as convergent drivers of neuroinflammation and proteinopathy

🚨“COVID-19 never really leaves your brain.”

New science review proposes SARSCoV2 viral proteins stay behind as long-lived toxins, triggering chronic neuroinflammation and planting the seeds of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, even after mild infection.

This very interesting and eye-catching GERMAN review reframes post-viral neurological syndromes( L0ngC0vid) as driven by persistent viral proteins acting as long-term toxins ("protein-as-pathogen" model), not just the active infection!

➡️Core mechanisms:
- SARSCoV2 Spike and OTHER viral proteins activate glial TLR4/TLR2 receptors, triggering chronic neuroinflammatory cascades via NLRP3 inflammasome,
- They also disrupt autophagy, allowing toxic protein aggregates (tau, amyloid-beta, α-synuclein) to accumulate and seed neurodegeneration,

➡️SARSCoV2 specific evidence:
- Animal studies show Spike protein alone (without live virus) induces TLR4-mediated cognitive deficits, memory impairment, synaptic loss, and sustained neuroinflammation, recapitulating post-COVID syndrome,
- Spike binds α-synuclein, accelerating Parkinson-like clumps,

➡️Human data evidence:
- Millions experience "brain fog,"
- Post-COVID patients exhibit measurable brain damage: cortical thinning, hippocampal iron accumulation, and biomarkers of ongoing neuronal injury,

➡️Broader risks:
- Even mild infections leave lingering proteins that promote Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s-like pathology via shared pathways,
- Same pathways seen in influenza, dengue, West Nile etc,
- Mild infection = no protection,

‼️So, according to this review, the “protein-as-pathogen” model makes it crystal clear: every new SARSCoV2 infection (even mild or asymptomatic) deposits more of these long-lived toxic viral proteins into the brain. They don’t fully clear. They accumulate.

Each reinfection reloads the TLR4/TLR2 → NLRP3 inflammasome trigger and further collapses autophagy, speeding up the tau/amyloid/α-synuclein proteinopathy and neurodegeneration.

SARS-CoV-2 does not just infect.

It weaponizes its own proteins as long-lived intracellular saboteurs.

Millions are probably already carrying this hidden payload.

This is not brain fog.

This is a silent, population-scale reprogramming of human brains toward dementia-like decline.

The long-term neurological cost will probably dwarf the acute pandemic itself!
#AvoidSars2 #AvoidReinfections
https://t.co/x0oxacaNwl

[🍁KayElle N 95+ @KayElleTweets]

“🚨NORWEGIAN CONFIRMATION BOMBSHELL:
COVID infection leaves lasting, hidden scars on the heart muscle, even years later.”

A Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgeon is trying to warn you.

But you keep listening to politicians & billionaires.

[Jeff Gilchrist @jeffgilchrist]

Filtering the air may help prevent your own infection from becoming more severe

If everyone in a household becomes infected with the same virus, does it help to isolate from each other and can you be a danger to yourself? Read on to find out...🧵1/

#AirQuality #IAQ #Ventilation

[ciara @ciarasteele16]

@brownecfm Me too

[ciara @ciarasteele16]

Protect the forests

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

Researchers have identified powerful antiviral compounds in the leaves of Copaifera lucens Dwyer, a tree native to Brazil’s biodiverse Atlantic Forest. The study isolated galloylquinic acids (GQAs) and demonstrated their strong activity against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Laboratory tests showed that these compounds interfere with multiple stages of the virus’s life cycle. They block the spike protein used by the virus to enter human cells, inhibit papain-like protease (PLpro), an enzyme that helps the virus evade the immune system, and suppress RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which the virus needs to replicate. The compounds also reduced viral protein production and exhibited anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects.

One of the most significant aspects of the discovery is the compounds’ “multi-target” approach. Unlike many antiviral drugs that focus on a single viral protein, these natural molecules attack several critical viral mechanisms simultaneously. This broad action could make it more difficult for the virus to develop resistance through mutations.

The authors emphasize that the research is still in its early stages. All experiments were conducted in vitro (in cell cultures), and further studies, including animal and human clinical trials, are necessary before any potential therapeutic applications can be developed.

This finding underscores the vast medicinal potential still hidden in Earth’s tropical forests and the value of protecting highly biodiverse ecosystems like the Atlantic Forest.

[El-Morsi RM, et al. Bioactive galloylquinic acids from Copaifera lucens as dual inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Spike and RdRp proteins. Scientific Reports, 2026]

[Linsey Marr linseymarr.bsky.social @linseymarr]

Clean water. Clean food. Clean air.

I'm leading one of four Performer teams for the @ARPA_H BREATHE program. We're building a system that ensures clean air in buildings. We're demonstrating this in child care centers to improve health for kids and their families.

[ciara @ciarasteele16]

@julia_doubleday @DrFiliatrault I agree just reflecting on early pandemic when I knew Covid was airborne -April 2020 due to Linsey’s insights and education -history will be kind of- she’s a hero of mine too

[Linsey Marr linseymarr.bsky.social @linseymarr]

It's widely accepted that hantavirus transmits from rodent excreta to humans via inhalation of aerosolized virus, so I don't understand why we're so reluctant to acknowledge the inhalation route for human-to-human transmission.
https://t.co/aGFDKS94Qk

[Cheng-Yi Lee, PhD. @cylee_tw]

#Hantavirus Andes Virus Update: What We Can Learn from Chile’s Tracking Strategy! 🇨🇱🦠
At the recent emergency scientific meeting cohosted by @WHO and @UKHSA on 15 May, Dr. Claudia Campillo from Chile's Ministry of Health shared Chile’s incredible strategy for contact tracing the Andes virus in the Los Ríos Region. That is one of the highest incidences of Andes virus in the Southern Cone countries. Here are the key takeaways you need to know: 👇

👥 Not All Exposures Are the Same.
Health workers separate people into two groups: "Close Contacts" (family, housemates, sexual partners...) and "Exposed Individuals" (people sharing the same environment). Data shows that in the recent 5 years (2021-2025), only "Close Contacts" turned positive (about 5.7%), while environmental exposure alone didn't lead to new cases in this tracking group! 🏠.

📞 45 Days of Constant Watch
Anyone at risk receives a daily phone check-in for 45 days to monitor for symptoms! 🗓️ Close contacts are also tested 4 times (on Days 7, 14, 21, and 28) of RT-PCR to catch the virus as early as possible.

🤫 The "Silent" Infection Discovery
A major finding came from tracking a family cluster: a grandson tested positive on Day 14 but NEVER developed any symptoms! 👦🔬 This proves that asymptomatic infections happen with the Andes virus, highlighting exactly why mandatory testing is so crucial even if you feel fine.

🚑 Early Detection Saves Lives
Even in rural areas, Chile manages to get RT-PCR test results back within 24 hours. Catching the virus on day one of symptoms—or even before they start—dramatically improves a patient's chances of survival.

🌍 Therefore, while the WHO establishes its guidelines for contact management of the Andes virus, experts refer to Chile's field experience. Chile’s highly organized, standardized tracking system is now serving as a model for the rest of the world to manage potential outbreaks! 🤝💙.
Stay informed, stay safe! 🧼✨ #AndesVirus #GlobalHealth #MVHondius #Hantavirus

[ARPA-H @ARPA_H]

Would you knowingly drink a glass of water filled with dangerous pathogens, bacteria, and pollutants?

More than a century ago, water treatment and sewer systems transformed public health and saved countless lives. But we still have not done the same for the indoor air we breathe, where Americans spend roughly 90 percent of their time.

Whether it is a school, office, hospital, or home, we often have no idea if the air around us contains harmful invisible particles that could be affecting our health.

ARPA-H’s BREATHE program is working to change that by building technologies and systems that can monitor indoor air quality, detect potential health threats early, and help make indoor spaces healthier and safer.

On this Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month and beyond, ARPA-H is working to make cleaner indoor air a standard of modern public health.

Learn more about BREATHE: https://t.co/7zzCmlygQN

@MayoClinic @virginia_tech

[The Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation UK @CRFoundationUK]

Cognitive health is missing from air quality policy. University of Birmingham researchers say PM2.5 affects how we think and learn — but it's not reflected in current standards. That has to change. https://t.co/eXjY8iTpZ0 #CleanAir #PublicHealth

[ciara @ciarasteele16]

Yes

[The Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation UK @CRFoundationUK]

Should clean air be a human right in the UK? Parliament is considering exactly that. We think the answer is obvious. What do you think? #CleanAir #CleanAirUK #BreathingMatters https://t.co/7sZN8RftvC

[ciara @ciarasteele16]

Yes

[The Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation UK @CRFoundationUK]

Should clean air be a human right in the UK? Parliament is considering exactly that. We think the answer is obvious. What do you think? #CleanAir #CleanAirUK #BreathingMatters https://t.co/7sZN8RftvC

[ciara @ciarasteele16]

Yes

[The Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation UK @CRFoundationUK]

Should clean air be a human right in the UK? Parliament is considering exactly that. We think the answer is obvious. What do you think? #CleanAir #CleanAirUK #BreathingMatters https://t.co/7sZN8RftvC