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jjonesn.bsky.social @jjonesn.bsky.social · 5h

(Cont..) how many windows are open in your child’s school today? Do they have air purifiers? How many are off sick with “respiratory symptoms?” How many in school sick - inc teachers? How many with LC? We are in another Covid surge.
Have we learnt anything?

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jjonesn.bsky.social @jjonesn.bsky.social · 5h

The Children and Young People (Module 8) of the UK Covid Inquiry invited Gavin Williamson (Secretary of State for Education) to the stand yesterday. It was an abject performance for any parent or person in the education sector to watch. Go to @cvcev.bsky.social to see a thread.

Next - check (cont.)

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globalhlthtwit.bsky.social @globalhlthtwit.bsky.social · 1d

The next three posts on my free Substack about the first months of the Covid pandemic in the UK cover the culture and people behind the flawed strategy. Here is the first: open.substack.com/pub/thesocia...

7. The UK culture and strategy in January 2020

Plans for the wrong virus

open.substack.com

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Clinically Vulnerable Families 💙💜💗 @cvcev.bsky.social · 19h

🚨Gavin Williamson former Education Secretary

Sadly, there were no inquiry questions of CVF's children but we had 8 mins of questioning. However, Gavin did raise them - without prompting.

Do watch the highlights!

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Clinically Vulnerable Families 💙💜💗 @cvcev.bsky.social · 2d

IM "This shows us that keeping settings open, or even ... hybrid and online... is there a ... different model of engagement that allows it be for all children but flexing what the right kind of approach is."

CVF would agree with this.

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Clinically Vulnerable Families 💙💜💗 @cvcev.bsky.social · 2d

CTI "What was it telling you?"
"It seems the first 3 one might attribute to the virus, to fear and anxiety about Covid-19."

IM " I think there is also something about confidence."

NB/ Why is the focus "fear" & "anxiety" not the absence of protection for increased *risks*.
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Clinically Vulnerable Families 💙💜💗 @cvcev.bsky.social · 2d

89% of "vulnerable" children (not CV children) did not send children in because the parents thought their children would be exposed to the virus in school.

64% "The household is self-isolating"... is this 'shielding' / informal shielding?

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Clinically Vulnerable Families 💙💜💗 @cvcev.bsky.social · 2d

CTI "Was there separate monitoring of the non attendance attributable to clinical vulnerability?"

IM "I don't think so."

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Clinically Vulnerable Families 💙💜💗 @cvcev.bsky.social · 2d

Indra Morris, former Director General DfE

CTI "Do you think it is right to not have mandated anyone's attendance?"

IM "Schools and local authorities know their children. "
"Are there clinically vulnerable risks that actually mean you shouldn't be in?"

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Dr Ben King 🌍 @benking01.bsky.social · 2d

It's been 44 months since my Pulmonary Embolism. Luckily my GP arranged a d-dimer test 🙏

1 in 4 people Worldwide are dying from conditions caused by thrombosis

Prevent Blood Clots, Save Lives | October 13 - #WorldThrombosisDay share.google/pxqdbYk45LSv...

#WTD2025 #TeamClots #COVID19

Poster from World Thrombosis Day dot org with my face on it

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RedScharlach @redscharlach.bsky.social · 5d

Watching French Bake Off (Le Meilleur Pâtissier) and remembered I’m behind on my cakeposting.

Here’s Tuesday’s chocolate/praline/meringue delight from Yann Couvreur (it has a delicious nutty caramel layer inside, like a posh Snickers) and today’s sesame/matcha brutalist beauty from Sadaharu Aoki.

A chocolate cake with little foxes moulded into the chocolate mousse topping

A striped slice of mousse cake in white, black, grey and green. Really delicious if you like sesame as a flavour.

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jjonesn.bsky.social @jjonesn.bsky.social · 3d

To clarify - Micro clots study in paediatric population may be a preprint but it’s an area of research being pursued and thrombosis in adults as a result of Covid is Acknowledged.

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jjonesn.bsky.social @jjonesn.bsky.social · 3d

Covid is not a simple cold and evidence shows that viruses can have long term consequences. - eg: European heart organisations recognise heart injury due to Covid. There are measures - pharmaceutical and non pharma which can reduce likelihood of infections. Why are we so reluctant to use them?

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jjonesn.bsky.social @jjonesn.bsky.social · 3d

To refute this see @castltrastondrs.bsky.social post on micro clots in paediatric patients with Long Covid. In the US alone there are an estimated 6million kids with LC. The Chicken pox vax is not given to kids on the NHS setting millions up for shingles in later life. cont..

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jjonesn.bsky.social @jjonesn.bsky.social · 3d

@cvcev.bsky.social have been publicising the 13 million people who lost the free Covid vax on 1st October many of whom are still vulnerable and included in flu vax campaigns. They’ve also started a petition. Please help make grotty virus laden air and being constantly sick history by supporting !

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jjonesn.bsky.social @jjonesn.bsky.social · 3d

Behind a pay wall.

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Clinically Vulnerable Families 💙💜💗 @cvcev.bsky.social · 4d

Please read our blog and email your MP to #KeepCovidBoosters

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christinapagel.substack.com/p/england-is...

England is now experiencing a significant Covid wave, after 10 months of relative quiet

The latest Covid situation in England and a look at where NHS services are as we head into winter

christinapagel.substack.com

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Dr. Jen Gunter @drjengunter.bsky.social · 4d

This is frightening -> "The staff of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the journal that reports on health trends and emerging infectious threats, was also laid off. "

Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 4d

FULL STORY HERE: Emails began flooding CDC inboxes late Friday night announcing dozens of layoffs. HR people brought back from furlough to oversee the RIFs. Disease detectives, entire Washington office, global health, injury prevention, MMWR staff among those hit.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...

Trump Administration Lays Off Dozens of C.D.C. Officials

www.nytimes.com

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Maryn McKenna @marynmck.bsky.social · 4d

More on the CDC tonight: @jeremyfaust.bsky.social , who is impeccably sourced there (physician, Harvard faculty) has details on the divisions hit by the apparently illegal RIFS. insidemedicine.substack.com/p/breaking-n...

BREAKING NEWS: CDC employees terminated in apparent Friday night massacre.

The Trump administration is using the shutdown to further weaken the our national public health infrastructure.

insidemedicine.substack.com

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Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 4d

Last 2 days in Trump's America - mainly around suppressing dissent and attacking science.

All actions available on www.trumpactiontracker.info

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGuv...

Main authoritarian things Trump has done since Wednesday - as of Fri 10th October

YouTube video by Professor Christina Pagel

www.youtube.com

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Kit Yates @kityates.bsky.social · 5d

"Well it was nice while it lasted. We had an unprecedented 10 months of low and stable Covid levels in England - but this is now over. We are seeing a definite, significant wave of Covid infections across England."

England is now experiencing a significant Covid wave, after 10 months of relative quiet

The latest Covid situation in England and a look at where NHS services are as we head into winter

christinapagel.substack.com

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UK Health Security Agency @ukhsa.bsky.social · 5d

#UKHSAVirusWatch is back, a summary of our weekly winter surveillance report .🦠🧵
This week's data shows an increase in COVID-19 activity, which is circulating at medium levels. Flu activity has also increased, particularly in those aged 15 to 24, but remains at baseline levels.

Graph showing COVID-19 positive tests rising steadily from spring 2025 after a low in early 2025. Data from October 2024 to October 2025, England only.

Graph showing flu-positive tests peaking sharply in winter 2024–25 before declining and then beginning to rise again in autumn 2025. Data from October 2024 to October 2025, England only.

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Clinically Vulnerable Families 💙💜💗 @cvcev.bsky.social · 5d

"...if we... are comfortable with that... from the children's health perspective... that could mean tolerating a high rate of prevalence within children, does that mean there is a stronger argument for masks ... to afford... protection to adults they may be interacting with?"

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The other part of that is of course that if we are saying that we are comfortable with that approach from the children's health perspective, given that could mean tolerating a high rate of prevalence within children, does that mean there is a stronger argument for masks in order to afford a greater degree of protection to adults they may be interacting with?

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Clinically Vulnerable Families 💙💜💗 @cvcev.bsky.social · 5d

"...we seem to be taking decisions based on a view that Covid is not a serious risk to children... and given that we no longer ask those at highest risk to completely shield ... FM queried whether this risks a counterproductive message i.e. that less care is necessary..."

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Hi Orlando,

Thanks for the paper. However, FM is concerned that we seem to be taking decisions based on a view that Covid is not a serious risk to children, when there still seems to be a lot of scientific disagreement on risks of e.g. long Covid, and possibly especially from Delta. Additionally, and given that we no longer ask those at highest risk to completely shield and so consequences are less severe, FM queried whether this risks a counterproductive message i.e. that less care is necessary, that might outweighs the benefits?

Grateful for official's view on the above points.

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Clinically Vulnerable Families 💙💜💗 @cvcev.bsky.social · 5d

Now, for the eagle-eyed Clinically Vulnerable community...

Let's look at what was said in more detail, about us:

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Hi NR

I think the point FM was making was more about the package for under 12s in the round, in that we are not really proposing much in the way of protection for this cohort

they won't be vaccinated (as things currently stand)

when they go back to school they won't be required to self-isolate

There's no physical distance requirements

- they aren't counted as part of the gathering rules

It's not necessarily about whether they should wear face masks, it's about whether there should be something retained for children, and if so what that should be

If nothing, we are saying that we will let the virus run unchecked amongst children. So the questions is - are we confident about the health risks of that approach? It could be that the answer is yes, that the harm 3 impacts of the measures is greater than the Harm 1 risks, we may just need to "show our working".

Are we saying there is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on long covid for children so far, but early indications is that only a small number are affected? If we don't have the evidence would there be benefit to taking a cautious approach? This of course ties back to weighing the harm 1 risks against the broader developmental harms of protective measures

The other part of that is of course that if we are saying that we are comfortable with that approach from the children's health perspective, given that could mean tolerating a high rate of prevalence within children, does that mean there is a stronger argument for masks in order to afford a greater degree of protection to adults they may be interacting with?

I think FM is just looking for reassurance that we have thought all this through.

I've added NR for a DCAF perspective - I'd welcome your input here

Copying Andy and Sam for awareness

Mandy

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