1. This is a thread on freedom, and how easy it is to lose. Over the past 2,000 years in Europe, there have been few periods and places of freedom. For much of the time we lived under highly oppressive tyrannies of various kinds, whether small or grand, local or imperial, secular or religious.🧵

The Australian Centre for Disease Control is happening! Burnet’s Chief Health Officer, Associate Professor Suman Majumdar, welcomes the new CDC, saying: “Health challenges transcend national borders. The CDC will bolster Australia’s readiness and contribute to global health security.”

T­he future of Austr­alian medical research is being held back, not by a lack of ideas, talent, or urgency, but by the failure to honour a long‐held funding promise, a situation all the more perplexing given that the promised funds are already available. Read more: www.burnet.edu.au/news/burnet-...

An important report by Australia’s science Academy.

Adding to the already strong case for vaccinating kids against COVID - both its acute and chronic (long COVID) effects www.9news.com.au/health/covid...

Just called (through gritted teeth).

Australia’s MRFF is sitting on billions of taxpayers’ dollars which was meant to be invested in world-leading, lifesaving health innovations.

The world learned a painful lesson during COVID; respiratory infections are airborne. This changes a great deal - especially the need for better indoor air quality and high quality masks. If there was a single most important person responsible it was Prof Morawska. www.abc.net.au/news/science...

Pretty much the best news I could imagine. www.abc.net.au/news/science...

Atomo Diagnostics and Burnet have partnered to develop a syphilis test that would not only be Australia’s first self-test for the disease but the first syphilis test in the world to be able to differentiate between ­active and past infections. www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...

Great work team at @burnetinstitute.bsky.social and partners. www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...

"We're seeing a shift, and GPs and medical professionals are accepting that long COVID is real. "But we still struggle with the belief there's nothing you can do about it. There is a lot you can do." 💯 #LongCovid #MEcfs ⚕️🧪

In awe of the team at Clinic Nineteen treating adults & children for long COVID & related diseases. COVID infection is commonplace in the community & repeat infections increase your chances of getting LC so do your best to avoid infection. Indoor air quality is key. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...

As our team and others have written about previously, metformin does appear to have some benefit. thesicktimes.org/2025/10/28/m...

Of course it’s the human thing to do but it’s also economically and societally smart to eliminate poverty. The pandemic showed us that it can be done, and that we all win from that investment. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Terrific explainer on a surprise benefit of mRNA vaccines - not of the antigen in the vaccine, but of the generic nanoparticle itself. More to do on this but very promising, deservingly published in @nature.com - mRNA vaccines offer a great deal for both infectious & non-infectious diseases.

A good summary of the big challenges ahead for global health. Great to see establishing a CDC at this time. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Bill Gates is deeply misguided on climate. My Newsweek commentary debunking his downplaying of the need for rapid decarbonization is nearly 5 years old, but it is evergreen: www.newsweek.com/right-path-f...

Looks like success to me. Interesting article. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Today on #WorldPolioDay, we reflect on progress made to eliminate polio — and the urgent work ahead. In PNG, only half of children are fully vaccinated, leaving many vulnerable. Dr Fredrick Charles spoke to the ABC about the need for strong immunisation efforts. 💉 www.abc.net.au/pacific/prog...

Big things are coming! The new Australian Institute for Infectious Disease (AIID) will bring together 1,000+ scientists and researchers in a world-class facility — boosting Australia’s ability to tackle future health challenges 💪🌏

“Whichever figure you use, the numbers are enormous, rivaling conditions like ADHD and autism as one of the most common chronic diseases in American youth today.” - we really have created an enormous problem, yet don’t seem ready to face it. 1/

Long Covid is having an enormous impact on society. This article suggests that 1 in 7 people now have #LongCovid theconversation.com/long-covid-i...

"It really can only take one traveller to start an outbreak like we've seen in WA," said Burnet Institute public health researcher Milena Dalton. She urged anyone born during or after 1966 to ensure they have two documented doses of the measles vaccine. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Humans causing climate to change 170 times faster than natural forces “The human magnitude of climate change looks more like a meteorite strike than a gradual change.” According to Professor Will Steffen who sadly is no longer with us but his worlds live on www.theguardian.com/environment/...

"Authors of 'Science Under Siege' warn of concerted effort to discredit science" | My #ScienceUnderSiege co-author @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social & I spoke with @wbrangham.bsky.social of the @pbs.org #Newshour: www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

"Policymakers should consider the consequences for workers, including the value of policies and actions that mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace." Indeed, they’re mad not to. Improving indoor air quality is key, with other benefits too.

Based on a recent @thelancet.com paper. theconversation.com/child-famine...

I so admire and am inspired by the @jewishcouncilau.bsky.social team, by their humanity and bravery - thankyou @sarahschwartz.bsky.social and colleagues. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Honoured to visit Port Moresby Gen Hospital. TB is the nation’s #1 killer & we’re proud to work with PNG on addressing it. Note the key to how TB spread has been mitigated in hospital settings for decades - airborne controls… lessons that should be applied more widely. @burnetinstitute.bsky.social

As an Australian, I’m especially proud to be in PNG today. 50 years ago, demonstrating how interdependent and close our countries are, Gough Whitlam said something like, “Australia can only be fully free when PNG is fully free”. This announcement is in that spirit. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

It's not just Pacific Islanders facing rising sea levels. Australian citizens are already experiencing the same threat in the Torres Strait. 🔊 ‘Alopi Latukefu, Director of the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice & Community Education #auspol

Burnet board member Dr Andrew Nash and former board member Professor Christina Mitchell have been elected as Fellows of The Australian Academy of Science – one of the highest honours in Australian science. Read more: www.burnet.edu.au/news/burnet-...

I never met Jane Goodall, but she loomed over much of my reporting over the years. With @emilyanthes.bsky.social I wrote a piece about her scientific legacy. Gift link: nyti.ms/46PGBtd

Such an important piece. The positive momentum behind clean indoor air is palpable. But we’re not there yet as my last post demonstrates. Please read and share and get behind this cause. theconversation.com/why-investme...

CO2 readings from my kids 6-hr holiday program activity today, in a room shared with 20-30 other kids. Clearly an increased risk of COVID & other airborne infections. Reducing kids chances of re-infection (therefore long COVID) means improving indoor air quality in classrooms. This is achievable.

And an excellent accompanying commentary. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

“These findings add to previous evidence linking paediatric long COVID to multisystem effects and highlight the need to promote vaccination in younger populations...” Time to reconsider our approach to kids and COVID/long COVID. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

As Papua New Guinea celebrated 50 years of independence, our future depends on the health of women and children. Through the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies program, we’ve seen that locally led, evidence-based solutions — from antenatal care to nutrition and disease prevention — can transform lives.

Great story focussing on Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies. I am proud to have led the establishment of this program with my board chair the late Alastair Lucas in 2012/13. Partnership and locally focussed, it marries science with community in a powerful way. devpolicy.org/women-and-ch...

“It’s time to remove the arbitrary funding cap on MRFF disbursements so it can deliver what is has been designed & legislated to do: support medical research & innovation" - says Academy President Prof. Chennupati Jagadish, AC commenting on a story in Nine Newspapers lnkd.in/geu3QVba

Great work Dr Megan Lim and colleagues - in many places menstrual health is one of the last taboo’s in public health, but it’s mainstream for us @burnetinstitute.bsky.social - as it should be everywhere. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Hard to know quite what more can be said. I watched the video by the two Australian doctors referred to in this piece, as powerful a testimony as you can get. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

The organizers of the UN event for healthy indoor air used a canary on all their materials and gave everyone canary pins. Why? Canaries detect dangerous substances in the air of coal mines. We all need to be like canaries and warn about the dangers of unhealthy indoor air due to COVID and climate.

The event was not about mask mandates nor did Violet advocate for them, it was about clean indoor air. Her comment “We can create clean air infrastructure that is so ubiquitous and so obviously necessary, tomorrow’s children don’t even know why we need it” is the main aim. Treat air as we do water.

On vaccine misinformation and lies. www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

“We are told by leaders that we are the future. But when it comes to the ongoing pandemic, our present is being stolen right in front of our eyes.” Incredible speech by Violet Affleck who warned about the ongoing dangers of COVID & Long Covid, & advocated for masks and clean air at the UN today!

Proud that @burnetinstitute.bsky.social and the @science.org.au came together to drive this. Lots of partners and support too. Bronwyn King and Anna Maria Arabia are very effective change-makers.

The Australian Institute for Infectious Disease (AIID) is one step closer to realisation. Leaders from the Uni of Melbourne, @thedohertyinst.bsky.social and Burnet Institute, joined Vic Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs Danny Pearson at the site today to inspect progress and latest designs.