The big science accounts are talking about immune dysregulation due to COVID-19 now. I. Told. You. So. Infection does confer antibodies and T cells against C19… but it also takes a wrecking ball to the immune system as a whole. Stop burning down your house. (Metaphorically.)

Recent research in New Zealand shows that Long Covid sufferers feel let down by the health system: "The picture painted by participants was bleak with a sense that the world had moved on from Covid-19 and left them behind." www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa... #longcovid

Exactly this. It takes a long time to establish the base line - and then it’s all about protecting it.

Beckie's fundraiser hit a hill for a while, but progress now looks most encouraging. If you can afford to pledge a little, it would make all the difference to the life of a very fine person. givealittle.co.nz/cause/beckie...

AAHHHHHHHHHHH

I totally get this. I have a baseline that I have reached an acceptance over. I am very protective of that baseline.

People often push the disabled to take risks with our health. They think if it’s already “that bad” who cares if it gets worse We care. Our baselines mean everything to us. Whatever limited function we have left is always worth protecting. You don’t get it until you get it.

Large Increase In Numbers Of People Diagnosed With Something That Totally Wasn’t Caused By That Thing

“You still wearing a mask? Bro, it’s 2025.” Me: “You still huffing a vasculopathic, neuroinvasive biohazard?”

When asked by Stephen Colbert why he was wearing a mask in public, Tom Hanks said.. “I’ve had Covid enough in my life I don’t need to do that again. I’m wearing this for health reasons” More celebrities need to speak out like this.

A school in Manchester is promoting “No Days Off November” to reward kids with perfect attendance. It’s devastating for public health, it discriminates against disabled and chronically ill kids. It shames them for needing time off & reinforces the ableist narrative of playing through the pain

What if we did tho, what if we didn’t means test disabled people on the SLP and just paid it like we do for NZ Super? Not related to your partner’s income, not related to your income, and just, well, supported people?! #nzpol open.substack.com/pub/drbex/p/...

I have been saying for years, due to the unique nature of the disabilities, a pension is more accurate and just allow those of us who can do intermittent part time work to not lose out on that either

If you, or someone you know has come into contact with Seymour, please isolate for 7 days. Read more here: yeehawtheboys.substack.com/p/the-other-...

We shouldn’t need a blood test to Stop the Stigma of chronic illness, but I’m grateful one has been discovered. Science is catching up to what those who’s suffer have long known: We can’t try harder. We aren’t faking. We aren’t gaming the system. ME/CFS & Long Covid are real & debilitating.

Well, this is some good news. Breakthrough blood test finally confirms Chronic Fatigue Syndrome www.sciencedaily.com/releases/202...

This is me today… I need this pin!

god, the fact the government response to a measles outbreak is "our priority is keeping kids in school" is so bleak

This govt has seen that nobody (not schools, not opposition parties, not enough parents or teachers) have put up strong/effective pushback about sending sick kids to school with Covid, influenza, RSV circulating. That widespread complacency has led New Zealand directly to this measles situation.

At some point wouldn’t it be great to talk about expert advice to treat mitigation of airborne diseases as a logical piece of obvious infrastructure that requires investment, like roads, as opposed to say, consistently communicating that kids must be at school with none of said mitigations in place.

Yes, please and thank you. This would seem entirely sensible, but we've gone for minimising and denialism instead. #nzpol

"A student was later found to have attended the event, as well as classes and a prize-giving rehearsal, while symptomatic.” “We have staff who have babies under one, people who have family members who are compromised, health wise." I’ve been making this argument with my kids’ school for YEARS.

I hate how the question of school attendance has been deliberately flattened by the right. YES, OBVIOUSLY breaks in attendance can affect learning, but guess what constant preventable illness and potentially deaths ripping through your community does to it?

NZ PSA: Did you know you can book your MMR shots just like your Covid ones? The Book My Vaccine app is super easy to use; I was worried about trying to get a measles vaccine before some upcoming travel and I just found and booked one for tomorrow, easy as 👇 app.bookmyvaccine.health.nz

Happy Halloween everyone. #WorldBollardAssociation 👻

We have progressed from data collection to data analysis.

So many people get angry and defensive at the idea of masking--even downright furious. I'm telling you: five years ago, I was normal, active, running around frazzled like everyone else. Now it takes a handful of pills and an army of doctors to keep me upright. This can happen to you. #LongCOVID

It is an absolute travesty and disgrace that a national hero who worked tirelessly in a worldwide crisis to save lives, enduring thankless conditions and (ongoing) vile misogyny while doing so, is $400,000 out of pocket. This is something that can be put to rights - I’ve donated, will you help? 🙏

Surprising (and refreshing!) to see this messaging from a University! Western University in London, Ontario is urging students to mask up if they’re unwell and show compassion to those who do mask. We need more of this. Covid is still here and a good respirator is an excellent preventative tool!

If I could go to a Halloween party, I would go as a doctor and repeatedly tell people "your labs are fine" "it's stress" "you're just deconditioned". I would whisper it in their ear. #ChronicIllness #MedicalGaslighting

Kia ora, Aotearoa BS, we've got a small request for help. A lot of Pōneke BS and Twitter folk know Beckie, and she's always been ridiculously generous with her time, knowledge, and support for others, so hopefully we can help with a bit of karmic balance givealittle.co.nz/cause/beckie...

This is the full quote. @medscape.com doesn’t mention ME/CFS once in the article. How this should read instead: Post-exertional malaise (PEM) is the hallmark of #MECFS, a condition found to affect at least 50% of those with #LongCovid. Why this matters🧵

If any teachers would like to share their thoughts on the draft social sciences curriculum through my newsletter send me a DM.

My wife has discovered origami cats and now they all want to be fed.

Paracetamol (Tylenol) is one of the most effective and safe painkillers ever discovered. Keep within the recommended dose. Take it in pregnancy if you need to. It has been shown in MANY studies not to cause autism. 🧪

We are holding our 9th annual holiday card drive! We’ll be sending holiday cards to hundreds of incarcerated people. We rely on the volunteer support from everyday people to get this important mahi done - if you can this year, please donate to our fundraiser: givealittle.co.nz/cause/send-p...

One of the reasons I’m excited to teach high school Social Sciences and History in Aotearoa New Zealand is the curriculum that integrates the value and lessons to be drawn from ALL of the country’s past. But this government ruins everything it touches and I’m too furious for words.

Don't see the new Aotearoa NZ histories curriculum online yet. But Act are already crowing about having gutted it. community.scoop.co.nz/2025/10/new-...

Donating to support Wikipedia gets more important every day that these fuckers have power. This reminds me to send them some more money.

I found a capybara pebble🤎

Great, someone who travels on on one of the Wellington College school buses has measles. Not the bus son no. 2 takes but some of his friends do 🙁

i'm sorry. i know there's so much bad news out there, and i hope this won't push you over the edge, but my 4 year old was just eating marshmallows she dipped in ketchup

Have you ever seen a wren have a bath? No? Nor had I till just now. Filmed through a rain-spotted window & on my phone, so not perfect, but hope it brings you a spot of delight nonetheless 🪶

Decided that rather than put in a whole bunch of effort finding out if I ever had a measles vaccine, I’d just get it done. Easy peasy at the pharmacy, and fully funded too! If you have any doubts about your immunity at all, this is a great time to get yourself sorted.

COVID-19 Brought About a Large Rise in POTS Cases The study found COVID caused a surge in POTS, confirming a strong infection link. Cases rose from 4.21 per month (Jan 2018–Mar 2020) to 22.66 per month (Mar 2020–Jun 2024) — a more than 5-fold increase in this once-rare condition. archive.li/pN2gb

I'm a bit late with the customary #MoleDay infographic this year, but better late than never! The mole makes it easier to describe the huge numbers of atoms, molecules, or ions that participate in chemical reactions. More in this graphic: www.compoundchem.com/2014/10/23/m... #ChemSky 🧪

Just a thought: How about we stop shaming the poor for buying things that may not be essential, and start shaming the rich for making a profit off things that are essential?

Nurse: Are you sick, or do you just like wearing the mask? Me: Well, COVID is still active Nurse: I know! I just got it, it was horrible. And I caught it here!

If you're in Dunedin, I'll happily show you how to upload photos of storm damage to Wikimedia Commons so they can be used on Wikipedia. Come to the Otago Uni central library 12.30-1.30 today for a demo or drop in on me in the library 9-12 weekdays. I'm a terrible photographer...we need you!