Every summer I repost this article on how to spot drowning. Please read it and pass on. In the last few years I’ve had SIX messages from people who saved a kid’s life after clicking on the link from my feed. slate.com/technology/2...

The gap between medicine and science was cruelly exposed in the Covid-19 pandemic. The former is supposed to be based on the latter but infection prevention control were locked into a wrong interpretation of transmission that ultimately led to greater suffering and more deaths. Nice thread on this..

The Andes hantavirus has been detected in saliva which means that airborne transmission is feasible and indeed likely. The precautionary principle should be applied - treat as airborne unless proven otherwise. Use respirator masks, ventilation and air filters. www.bmj.com/content/393/...

Public health messaging we need to hear: "We acknowledge that we were wrong about COVID not being airborne. We've learned from that. We no longer assume the same with new outbreaks and we employ the precautionary principle until we have clear evidence that airborne mitigations are not required."

Great to see this initiative led by the Clean Air Advocacy group in Ireland 🙌 Delivering clean air in classrooms is critical for health and wellbeing, and also improves student performance.

Huge congratulations to students & staff in Scoil Naomh Bríd in Muff, Co. Donegal on being the first school in Ireland to pilot the introduction of air filters in every classroom. It is inspiring to see what is possible when community leaders work together to make this pioneering vision a reality.

This rare cloud-free image of Ireland, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites on 29 April 2026, provides an exceptional view of the island, revealing its surface in full spring detail. eu-space.europa.eu/components/e...

In the #TownAir project, we are currently investigating air pollution in Ennis, Co. Clare. Our low cost sensor network has identified pollution hotspots and provides the local authority with actionable information to drive improvements in air quality and public health. share.google/1NDhvHqJi1tR...

Street corner in Cork city

It was such a privilege and so refreshing to attend a conference and workshop dedicated to the topic of clean air in classrooms and to actually experience excellent air quality while doing so. Thanks to the organisers @ucc.ie for hosting the event.

Vaping introduces hundreds of chemicals directly into the mouth and lungs. Thesw chemicals also enter the bloodstream and are transported throughout the body. So it comes as no surprise that vaping is bad for you.

We held a public event in Ennis, County Clare to talk about our air monitoring project #TownAir. Results confirmed coal burning as the dominant source of PM2.5 and a sensor network identified older residential areas as pollution hotspots. Stop 🔥 for cleaner air. clareherald.com/news/energy-...

I’d rather live next to wind turbines and solar panels.

Good article highlighting research from colleagues in Ireland. Low smoke solid fuels intended to replace coal and wood may have a worse impact on health because they produce a higher number of more dangerous ultrafine particles.

Warning⚠️ Irish air quality to decline in next few days - caused by spreading agricultural fertilisers during stagnant weather conditions. and Increased concentration of tree pollen from birch and alder trees also play a part #airpollution #airquality www.rte.ie/news/europe/...

Happy St Patrick's Day 🇮🇪

Good to see this information board in the entrance to UCC Library raising awareness of indoor environmental quality. Fresh air and comfortable temperatures improve study performance, while controlled humidity looks after all those books & archives. @ucc.ie @ucclibrary.bsky.social

Great to see Loctite replace the plastic packaging with card. More of this please!

Just when you think you've seen the most brain-dead hysterical media reporting on nonsensical anti-renewables "fears" whipped up on deranged Facebook groups, along comes the epic nonsense below:

Tess Finch Lees: From the Winter Olympics to Nasa, wearing masks is back – except when it comes to our hospitals. Respirator masks (FFP2/N95) should be mandatory in hospitals and other healthcare settings when covid and flu are in the air. www.independent.ie/opinion/comm...

1. Outstanding article from Tess Finch Lees: 'Meanwhile, when asked why she’s masking during chemo, Meg now says, “I’m training for the Olympics” '. Please click on the paywalled link first, archived link in next post. Also consider sharing. m.independent.ie/opinion/comm...

Last day to submit to Ireland's Clean Air Strategy here: ziply.pk/o7hDzg Our submission to the Public Consultation on Ireland's Clean Air Strategy is available here: www.cleanairadvocacyireland.org/clean-air-bl... #CleanAir #IndoorAirQuality #PublicHealth #Speirgorm

Just been asked to moderate panels at a big event with a high ticket price. But "sorry, they cannot offer a fee" to the moderators who make it possible. I didn't say no because of the money for me, but because of the exploitative business model (similar to academic publishing). This needs to stop.

Did you know that Norovirus can be spread through the air? It occurs when infected people 🤮 There is a surge in noroviral infections in Ireland right now, so we've published this blog with tips on how to avoid #airborne transmission of Norovirus. www.cleanairadvocacyireland.org/clean-air-bl...

Good thread explaining a novel measurement based approach for assessing the risk of airborne transmission of infectious diseases.

Alpine areas are heating up faster than the rest of the planet: all the cities that staged the #WinterGames since 1950 have heated up in the years since by an average of 2.7C, according to scientists. That’s well above 1.4C, the warming average for the entire planet www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...

Air pollution particles don't just enter your lungs, they attach themselves to red blood cells and move around the whole body. We don't breathe them out, so pollution accumulates in the body causing organ damage, dementia and more. Reduce emissions and clear the air. www.bbc.com/news/article...

New research paper on transmission of respiratory viruses in schools. Results - extended periods spent in poorly ventilated classrooms are a stronger driver of within-school transmission than individual contact rates. Solution - monitor air quality and ensure classrooms are well ventilated.

What a wildly stupid idea. Mandatory helmets and high viz is a proven remedy to reduce the number of people cycling. It effectively kills off things like Dublin Bikes. That's why no other EU country does anything like this. Pure madness.

Air pollution joins Europe’s list of cancer risks. Limit your exposure by choosing public transport, walking or cycling instead of driving, opting for low-traffic routes when exercising outdoors, keeping homes free of smoke by avoiding the burning of coal or wood airqualitynews.com/headlines/ai...

Smoky coal is still being used in Cork despite the nationwide ban being introduced in 2022! It seems that local authorities need more resources from government for effective enforcement of the legislation. www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster...

Delighted to be part of this big and ambitious new project to improve air quality and protect public health across Ireland and Northern Ireland. PEACE-Air is the first ever all-island Partnership for Evidence and Action on Clean Air. www.ucc.ie/en/chemistry...

Flu is spreading earlier than last year, with children heavily impacted. We call on the Minister for Education and the HSE to update public health advice to schools to account for airborne transmission of flu. Press release is available here: www.cleanairadvocacyireland.org/clean-air-bl...

New research provides further evidence for the importance of clean air in classrooms. "Prolonged exposure in shared, poorly ventilated spaces, which potentially includes several infectious sources, drives respiratory virus transmission more than close contact" www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Cork needs more green spaces. Sign the petition to turn a derelict site into a park.

This all sounds too familiar...government agency stating bird flu is not airborne despite evidence to the contrary.

This is just miserable...

We thought it would be fun to run a campaign to share your air quality readings using #FridayAirday on Fridays! Help us create awareness of the importance of indoor/outdoor air quality by capturing an image of your CO2 monitor in whatever contexts you want to share. Some examples below. #CleanTheAir

What a great range of activities planned by @greenschoolsire.bsky.social for Clean Air Week! Specially designed challenges & activities for primary & secondary schools. I am pleased to contribute in a small way to the programme content. @antaisce.bsky.social greenschoolsireland.org/clean-air-we...

COVID-19 remains unrecognised as an occupational illness in Ireland. The argument is that it's too difficult to prove an infection source, as COVID-19 is so pervasive in our communities. This is an admission of failure and not a justifiable excuse. #cleantheair #cleanairforall

I've finally got around to curating a selection of films about the #climate crisis 🎥 There's lot of mediocre climate films out there, but for me these stand out head & shoulders above the rest 🎞️ They make excellent resources for classrooms, lecture halls, or community cinema's 🎬 Thread:🧵Plz RT

Great thread on societal questioning around science. Key message for me is that the burden of proof lies with the challengers and not with those in mainstream science where things like man-made climate change are proven and widely accepted by the experts.

Nice to see our TownAir project covered in the @independent.ie We installed a low cost sensor network in Enniscorthy, a town in Ireland with a history of wintertime air pollution. The network shows how pollution from solid fuel burning varies across the town www.independent.ie/regionals/we...

A home fire might look nice and feel cozy but wood burning costs lives and the economy. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Really looking forward to meeting old and new colleagues at the Aerosol Society Conference in York next week. I'll be talking about our air pollution research and how it informed the recent updates to the solid fuel regulations in Ireland. @uccresearch.bsky.social @epaireland.bsky.social @ucc.ie

From Wales...Even more evidence to show that... Lower speed limits for road vehicles in urban areas = less road injuries, less pollution and lower insurance costs. Reducing urban speed limits to 30 km/h is a no-brainer from a policy perspective. www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....

The lack of fresh air on airplanes increases the risk of infection from covid and other airborne diseases. Wear a decent respirator on flights and other forms of transport, e.g. long bus/train journeys, for protection.

Here I am in 2020 in the flimsiest, most pitful PPE - like so many other NHS staff, some of whom died from the Covid they caught in their hospitals. Tory peer Michelle Mone - who today lost her legal case & must repay the govt £122m - dares to claim she’s been ‘scapegoated’. What, Michelle? 🧵

We have a new PhD project to study ozone formation from fires. If interested in atmospheric chemistry, fires, living in Zurich, and studying at ETH, consider applying here: jobs.ethz.ch/job/view/JOP...

Here is the link to Tess' article. Plz click the paid link to show Indo we care. Free link in next tweet. “Immunity debt” is not a thing. Our children need protection from immune damage! Children are sicker now than pre-pandemic We must clean classroom air. www.independent.ie/opinion/comm...