fourlights

Quacks: such a great romp about in a fascinating bit of history

Screenshot of a news article from The Post titled “Repeatedly getting Covid doesn’t build immunity, ‘it’s more like accumulating damage’,” written by Melanie Earley of RNZ and dated March 10, 2026. Below the headline is a portrait of leading vaccinologist and associate professor Dr Helen Petousis-Harris, shown facing the camera against a dark background. The article discusses how repeated COVID-19 infections may cause cumulative harm rather than building lasting immunity.

"Leading vaccinologist Helen Petousis-Harris says there's not enough awareness of the impact of COVID-19 on overall health."

"What many people don't realise is that getting COVID repeatedly is not like building immunity, it's more like accumulating damage," she says.

Source: archive.md/Qsv13

BBC Radio 4 - Toxic! Mark Miodownik explores the far-reaching and unsettling world of 'forever chemicals'.

If you want a beginners guide to toxic chemicals you can avoid in your home, have a listen to this. If you are not satisfied I will give you something equally free but funnier to listen to: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Some absolute bangers in this one.

Oh look, sample sizes, interlocking quotas, representativity etc matter shocker.

Most research agencies at least try to do this stuff well, but the ones who mostly work with newspapers will very much flex the questions with the story in mind: I've been pitched it (and said no thanks) first hand

What a creep

Jesse Morse, MD: "Huge new study finding from COVID. 20 months after infection “In cardiovascular disease patients, T lymphocytes remained 72.9% below baseline for 20 months post-infection.” That’s absolutely insane. A 73% persistent drop in the body’s ability to fight infections. This includes your ability to fight cancer…"

A friend sent me this, posted on the other site.

Link to the paper:

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

@fitterhappieraj.bsky.social

I value empathy & I’m finding it challenging currently…with all the research we now have access to, thinking ahead 15 or 20yrs, what are science-literate people planning to tell their kids…sorry about your lifetime of illness, but people made fun so we went maskless?! Sorry for the snark.

6 years on from Covid, BBC Look North highlights the ongoing impact of #LongCovid. Reporter Cathy Minton says it’s personal, her husband Tom hasn’t improved in a year. He still can’t care for his toddler or go for walks. @franhaddock.bsky.social says new people continue to get long Covid.

Occupations that employ women are hit harder by illness and the long-term effects of communicable disease. Covid is a women's issue.

“Women are more likely to be employed in sectors such as healthcare, personal care, education, and retail than men. These are sectors where remote work is not possible and that involve the types of social interactions, including close physical proximity, that facilitate the spread of communicable diseases.” Robson, J., Tedds, L., et al. Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Women in Canada. Royal Society of Canada. 2022

You can't be a feminist and ignore Covid. You can't care about workers' rights and ignore Covid.

Occupations that employ women are hit harder by illness and the long-term effects of communicable disease.

#InternationalWomensDay #CovidIsAWomensIssue

Sadly the covid inquiry isn’t making an interim statement as requested by CATA. So far there has been no lessons learnt. We still have a vascular airborne virus circulating with handwashing only guidance in place!

@ashleydaltonmp.bsky.social
The latest BMJ report talks about COVID ‘“a vascular virus masquerading as a respiratory one’. The European Society of Cardiologist has also said we need vaccines because heart damage ‘becoming more common’.

#VascularAndAirborne

🚨 New study: “Over 42% of active-duty military personnel who contracted COVID-19 developed long-lasting post-COVID syndrome—dominated by pulmonary, neurological, & fatigue issues… The cohort was predominantly male (74.1%), young (mean age 31.3 years)…”

Long COVID stemmed from mild cases of COVID-19 in most people, according to a new multicountry study While there are still far more questions than answers about long COVID-19, researchers are beginning to get a clearer picture of the health and economic consequences of the condition.

1/
Just a reminder that -

"We found that a staggering 90% of people living with #LongCOVID initially experienced only mild illness with #COVID-19":

theconversation.com/long-covid-s...

I remember a journalist saying something around the start of COVID about how they were surprised that it seemed like people tried to memory-hole the 1918 flu epidemic after it happened, and wondering how they could do that.
I wonder if they feel differently now, the same thing has happened again.

"Yesterday, I am told also, that Sir J. Lenthall, in Southwarke, did apprehend about one hundred Quakers, and other such people, and hath sent some of them to the gaole at Kingston, it being now the time of the Assizes."
- Diary of Samuel Pepys

In a world of lies, we need the BBC more than ever. This week could be our last chance to save it | Polly Toynbee As the public consultation on the BBC nears its end, the right will be out in force to undermine it. But its supporters can do their bit – with this guidance, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

"The public consultation on the BBC Charter renewal closes next week.
All those who care about the BBC’s future should hurry and send in their response before 10 March.
Battalions of enemies driven by the right will be out in force to undermine it"
#DefendTheBBC
link below
www.gov.uk/government/c...

The HIMYM guy's mawkish face-crinkling also gets wearing

Fish doorbell
Fish doorbell
Weirdsluis gates are nothing to be scared of

Shrinking is fine and some of the cast are ace, but it's got Richard Curtis-level unconvincing swearing in it plus some unrealistic cool-girl female characters. I'd give it a C

Ace

"Your money's not here. Your money's in Joe's datacenter, and in Frank's micro cap fund, and in Tim's AI startup"

@teamlabouruk.bsky.social @libdems.org.uk @greenparty.org.uk @greensagainstcovid.bsky.social @plaidcymru.bsky.social @snp.org @nasuwt-official.bsky.social @nasuwtscotland.bsky.social

Learning new things about Iranian and UK history today

Why covid-19 is “a vascular disease masquerading as a respiratory one” Covid-19 is not just a respiratory infection. Cardiovascular symptoms are seen in both acute and long covid. Katharine Lang reports on what we’ve learnt since the onset of the pandemic Cardiovascular...

6. We know it’s vascular. This isnt mentioned. www.bmj.com/content/392/...

"This is a life and death story for the UK – so why is it being brushed under the carpet?"

Healthy Life Expectancy at Birth Plummeting. 📉

It is a hideous scandal that they can publish a chart as obvious as this and not even mention the words 'covid infections'.

Inequality and austerity are absolutely contributing. But repeated COVID infections are too, and should he included in the discussion:
bsky.app/profile/elho...

Well well well, if it isn’t the people who suck doing some more shit that sucks

Amazing title/author combo.
Also feels like the answer has to be no to avoid the paradox of "If we are a stupid people, I am too stupid to tell"?

Yes please