Lesley Hawes MPH PhD

I’m from the generation that remembers when these diseases ran rampant. Perhaps we need to be reminded with a dose of repeated history

YouTube video by Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute The global expansion of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza - Prof Thijs Kuiken

If you are interested in more detailed background information about the emergence and worldwide spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1, here is an open access video of a lecture I gave for the University of Sydney. m.youtube.com/watch?v=ImFD...

jamanetwork.com/jour...

"In this cohort study including 22.7 million vaccinated individuals and 5.9 million unvaccinated individuals, vaccinated individuals had a 74% lower risk of death from severe COVID-19 and no increased risk of all-cause mortality over a median follow-up of 45 months."
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COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination and 4-Year All-Cause Mortality Among Adults in France This cohort study uses the data from all adults aged 18 to 59 years living in France on November 1, 2021, to evaluate whether there is an association of receipt of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine with long-t...

"this national cohort study of 28 million individuals, the results found no increased risk of 4-year all-cause mortality in individuals aged 18 to 59 years vaccinated against COVID-19, further supporting the safety of the mRNA vaccines that are widely used worldwide."
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

2025 Cervical Cancer Elimination Progress Report | C4 Australia’s progress towards the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem

Vaccines save lives: "There were no cervical cancer cases diagnosed in women aged <25 years in 2021 – the first time that this has occurred in data going back to 1982. This remarkable achievement is almost certainly due to the impact of HPV vaccination" Australia
report.cervicalcancercontrol.org.au

A page from the Victorian Respiratory Surveillance Report dated 28 November 2025 titled “Laboratory surveillance.” It explains that COVID-19, influenza, and RSV cases confirmed through lab testing are only part of the total infections in the community, and results may be influenced by testing changes. A summary states: In the past week, COVID-19 notifications increased by 9%, influenza notifications increased by 26%, and RSV notifications decreased by 11%. Three info boxes follow: COVID-19: 9% increase with an orange upward trend arrow Influenza: 26% increase with a purple upward arrow RSV: 11% decrease with a blue downward arrow

A page from the Victorian Respiratory Surveillance Report dated 28 November 2025, focusing on COVID-19. A bar chart titled “COVID-19 notified cases by week, Victoria, 24 November 2024 to 22 November 2025” shows weekly case counts. Cases were high around December 2024 and peaked again mid-2025, then declined into spring before slightly rising again in November. Below the chart are three information boxes: 472 notified COVID-19 cases two weeks ago (9–15 Nov 2025) 515 notified COVID-19 cases last week (16–22 Nov 2025) 9% increase with an upward orange trend arrow

A page from the Victorian Respiratory Surveillance Report dated 28 November 2025, focused on Influenza. A bar chart titled “Influenza notified cases by week, Victoria, 24 November 2024 to 22 November 2025” shows weekly infections separated by Influenza A, Influenza B, and combined categories. Cases are low over summer, peak strongly around mid-2025 near 5,000 weekly cases, then decline but rise again in November. Below the chart are data panels: Influenza A: • 1,808 cases two weeks ago (9–15 Nov 2025) • 2,283 cases last week (16–22 Nov 2025) • 26% increase with a purple arrow trending up Influenza B: • 33 cases two weeks ago • 41 cases last week • 24% increase with a purple upward arrow

A page from the Victorian Respiratory Surveillance Report dated 28 November 2025 focusing on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). A weekly bar chart titled “RSV notified cases by week, Victoria, 24 November 2024 to 22 November 2025” shows low case levels through summer, followed by a steep increase in winter peaking around July 2025 at roughly 2,000 cases per week, then falling toward late 2025. Below the chart are three data boxes: 193 notified RSV cases two weeks ago (9–15 Nov 2025) 171 notified RSV cases last week (16–22 Nov 2025) 11% decrease with a blue downward arrow

Victorian Weekly Respiratory Surveillance Report: 28 Nov 2025

From 16 Nov – 22 Nov 2025

🔸COVID positivity rate: 3.2% (+0.8%)

🔹COVID: 515 (+9%)
🔹Influenza A: 2,283 (+26%)
🔹Influenza B: 41 (+24%)
🔹RSV: 171 (-11%)

Source: health.vic.gov.au/infectious-d...

A dark-themed table titled “AUSTRALIA Weekly COVID Update – 28 November 2025.” It lists States and Territories with icons indicating trend direction, percentage change, and reporting notes. VIC: UP +9% — Fortnightly reporting / Weekly update, positivity 3.2% NSW: UP +5.3% — Weekly update, positivity 2.7% (Line break separating NSW from WA) WA: DOWN -34.0% — Weekly update, average 17 per day in hospital, positivity 1.8% QLD: DOWN -11.3% — Weekly update, 34 in hospital, hospitalisations +17.2% SA: DOWN -5.5% — Weekly update TAS: No current trend data — Monthly reporting, next update 12 Dec ACT: No current data — Reporting paused until autumn/winter 2026 NT: No current data — NT COVID reporting discontinued on health website Aged care: DOWN -20.9% — Weekly update, no resident deaths reported The table headers read: State/Territory, Trend, % Change, Reporting Notes. Blue arrow icons point up or down to show changes.

AUSTRALIA Weekly COVID Update: 28 November 2025

VIC: Up (+9.0%)
NSW: Up (+5.3%)

WA: Down (-34.0%) Avg 17/day in hospital
QLD: Down (-11.3%) 34 in hospital (+17.2%)
SA: Down (-5.5%)

TAS: Next update: 12 Dec
ACT: Paused reporting for 2025

Aged-care: Down (-20.9%) No deaths reported

Fascinating article! Thanks for sharing @catanita.bsky.social
Phew - 88% of Australians know that antibiotics don't work against viruses.

A disease suppression strategy in action: The impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions in the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark When a new respiratory virus emerges, the only control options are non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) until a vaccine or an effective treatment becomes available. An early analysis of NPIs conclu...

“On February 1, 2022, while facing the Omicron variant and with the older adult newly boosted, Denmark became the first country to drop all NPIs. A few months later, 70% of the population had been infected with the Omicron variant, showing the SARS-CoV-2 transmission potential when unmitigated.”

Image taken from NSW respiratory report. Two graphs. Small increase in both influenza and COVID 19 from a low baseline.

Oooo

That tiny uptick in flu I saw a few weeks ago… it hasn’t gone down.

It’s grown.

This is Australia. We aren’t expecting our next flu wave for months.

Cause?

because bluesky is not well served by news or govt agencies - here is a map of just some of the 150 plus bushfires and other incidents in NSW right now

last update: 550pm

For the first time in my career, I can’t tell people to trust what the CDC website says. And that is an incredibly sad and devastating place for this country to be.

Why Are People Wearing Masks in 2025? A Mental Health Professional’s Perspective

"Maybe they know that, despite the strong case for upgrading air filtration & establishing indoor air quality requirements, this has not been done, & masks are an easy-to-implement, effective layer of protection against pathogens":

Via @bcschoolcovid.bsky.social

open.substack.com/pub/misfitme...

What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and how can you help combat it? We introduce the new campaign to Keep Antibiotics Working, fronted by our mascot Andi Biotic, and look at why we all need to be more aware of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

Read our blog post on what antimicrobial resistance is and how you can help combat it. 💊👍
ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2025/04/07/w...

Graph showing life expectancy trends in 23 higher income countries between 1980 and 2024. Life expectancy increased over time in all countries. In 1980, the US is in the middle of the pack, but their life expectancy gains were slower than that of other countries, and by around 2002, the US had the lowest life expectancy of all countries. Over the next 20 years, US life expectancy increasingly tracks away from the trajectories of other countries, as their life expectancy stalls while other countries life expectancy continues to climb

This graph never fails to be shocking: "The US has experienced the earliest and greatest slowdown in life expectancy improvements among higher-income countries, reported Eileen Crimmins. “We have horrible life expectancy—and it’s getting worse and worse”"

www.prb.org/resources/se...

Must read for all teams consulting infectious diseases #idsky #idmeded #meded #stewardship #voicesofID @cidjournal.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/cid/advance-...

Fever's going up up up... 🎶
Remember to take cultures before starting antibiotics.

Stay tuned for more NCAS Halloween posters over the coming weeks.

@NCASHalloween2025 #antimicrobialoween

Researchers: Live H5N1 avian flu can survive in raw-milk cheese for up to 6 months Infectious virus persisted throughout the cheese-making process and aging in cheeses made with raw milk at pH levels above 5.0.

www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influe...

Screenshot of the map of cumulative Measles cases in the US. Jan 2025 to now counts 1,491 cases.

Here's a link to the US Measles Tracker tool by John Hopkins's School of Public Health:
publichealth.jhu.edu/ivac/resourc...

We finally launched our cryptic lineage dashboard.

It isn’t perfect, but ya gotta start somewhere.

Here’s a brief tutorial.
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lungfish-science.github.io/wastewater-d...

As the next meeting of the now-pointless US vax advisory panel is due this week, today felt like a good time to highlight some fact-based, accessible reports that we at
@independentsage.bsky.social released this year.

independentsage.org/wp-content/u...

independentsage.org/wp-content/u...

What effect did vaccination status have?
Were older people more likely to be vaccinated before infection?
This was an observational study so shows association only.

Cardiovascular disease prevention and management in COVID-19: a clinical consensus statement of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology, the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging, t... Abstract. The coronavirus-associated disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed significant challenges due to the complex interplay between SARS-CoV-2 infe

A new report published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Published: 18 September 2025

academic.oup.com/eurjpc/advan...

Epidemiologist Caitlin Rivers shares advice for interpreting COVID-19 and other infectious disease data - The Sick Times To offer guidance on finding and interpreting infectious disease data during these confusing times, managing editor Betsy Ladyzhets talked to Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Univers...

Epidemiologist Caitlin Rivers: "I wear a mask when incidence is high, when there’s a lot going around. I always, always, always wear a mask when traveling, regardless [of disease levels], because [when traveling] you come in contact with so many people from all over the world."

In 2023, deaths in car accidents=1290, prostate cancer=3109, melanoma/skin cancer=1382. (ABS data www.abs.gov.au/statistics/h...)
We have initiatives and research to reduce these deaths, but 1359 COVID deaths in aged care? (And >5000 in total)
Apparently, nobody cares? 😭

7,589 aged care COVID deaths since beginning of pandemic

🔸686 reported deaths in 2020
🔸226 reported deaths in 2021
🔸3,855 reported deaths in 2022
🔸1,359 reported deaths in 2023
🔸1,078 reported deaths in 2024
🔸385 reported deaths in 2025

@Mark_Butler_MP @SamRaeMP

It is also industry designed and funded "URSAPHARM Arzneimittel GmbH (Saarbruecken, Germany) is the sponsor of the clinical trial and designed the trial in cooperation with academic partner"

This is an industry funded project "URSAPHARM Arzneimittel GmbH (Saarbruecken, Germany) is the sponsor of the clinical trial and designed the trial in cooperation with academic partner", so I await further research.

Australia approves first vaccine to save koalas from chlamydia A vaccine to protect Australia's koalas against chlamydia has been approved for the first time, a development that scientists believe could stop the spread of the deadly disease that has ravaged populations of the beloved endangered animal.

Would you like some good news? A new vaccine has just been approved for protecting koalas from chlamydia, which is one of their leading causes of death.

A tenet of Fascism is keep repeating lies and people will become so confused about what is the truth that they’ll start to believe them. We all have a responsibility to keep repeating the truth in the face of politically-motivated lying. Don’t just roll your eyes, speak up.