Dr Lesley Russell

Australian Influenza update:

It became clear during November that a unusual second wave of influenza is underway in Australia, driven by the new "clade K" (H3N2 clade 2a.3a.1, subclade K).

Tasmania, New South Wales and South Australia are currently the hardest-hit.

#Influenza #Australia
🧵

Hepatitis B vaccine guidance set to be rolled back for US babies: what the science says A panel of US vaccine advisers voted to rescind a recommendation that all newborns should receive a hepatitis B vaccine at birth.

This is an excellent read. The more you know. #Science 🧪

“… we were advancing toward elimination of hepatitis B in the United States,” says Ward “I am deeply concerned that if the ACIP rescinds this policy, they’re going to contribute to the spread of hepatitis B rather than its elimination.”

NEW article: Reporting from the World Indigenous Peoples’s Conference on Education, by Bronwyn Fredericks, Allanah Hunt & Levon Blue - www.croakey.org/reporting-fr..., Croakey - Informed, engaged communities for health, 05 Dec 2025.
#WIPCE25 #WIPCE2025 #IndigenousEducation #EducationMatters

Former CEO speaks out: keep VicHealth strong and independent Introduction by Croakey: As the health community in Australia and around the world rallies behind VicHealth to fight plans by

Former CEO speaks out: keep VicHealth strong and independent – Croakey Health Media

www.croakey.org/former-ceo-s...

By Dr Sandro Demaio

Flying into Queenstown NZ and an afternoon walk around Lake Wakatipu. Tomorrow we head to Te Anau for some #NZtramping along Milford Sound Track.

Lessons from Wales, for improving Australians’ health and wellbeing A workshop hosted in Sydney this week by the UNSW International Centre for Future Health Systems and UNSW Cities Institute

Lessons from Wales for improving Australians’ health and wellbeing - and the value of government spends - by institutionalising Health Impact Assessments.

www.croakey.org/lessons-from...

The Health Wrap: from Antarctica to Tehran, and from bird flu to climate crises and health-promoting notes *** If you've enjoyed The Health Wrap this year, please join us for a celebration online of Associate Professor Lesley

Latest THW is out with w/e reading:
- H5N1 toll on elephant seals
- did COP30 deliver progress?
- climate change and water shortages
- we are not ready for next pandemic
- US health chaos
- wins and losses in prevention
- CSIRO research jobs go

And an invite ….

www.croakey.org/the-health-w...

The Health Wrap: from Antarctica to Tehran, and from bird flu to climate crises and health-promoting notes *** If you've enjoyed The Health Wrap this year, please join us for a celebration online of Associate Professor Lesley

The latest edition of The Health Wrap is out!
And there’s an invite to join me to celebrate a big birthday - there’s bound to be lots of talk about hiking, policy and politics.
www.croakey.org/the-health-w...

Ping @croakeynews.bsky.social @melissasweetdr.bsky.social

High-stakes battle over skyrocketing doctors’ fees

In 2019 Jennifer Doggett and I offered roadmap for addressing OOP costs including specialist fees. It still has currency

apo.org.au/sites/defaul...

www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...

An important question: Will the Victorian Government now shy away from supporting public health research and advocacy that shines a light on some of its own shortcomings??

www.croakey.org/shock-and-al...

‘Problematic precedent’: expert says Australia could be next as UK agrees to pay 25% more for new US medicines US has said it hopes other countries will follow as health policy experts say the agreement signals a shift away from value-for-money assessment

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Teens may have come up with a new way to detect, treat Lyme disease using CRISPR gene editing To compete at iGEM, a sort of science Olympics, teens at a Georgia high school set their sights on finding a better way to detect and treat Lyme disease. Their approach uses CRISPR gene editing.

Remarkable story of a Georgia high school team who used CRISPR to make a rapid diagnostic test strip for Lyme disease, speeding dx from 2 weeks to days
www.cbsnews.com/news/teens-m...

Massi, L, Smith, D, Ahmed, S M, Weatherall, L, Friday, R, Dorey, E, Wheeler, K, Fredericks, B, Toombs, M & Rae, K M. 2025. The Indigenous Health Research Priorities Study Report for #Rockhampton 2025. Brisbane, Australia: UQ: doi.org/10.14264/506..., espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:5068...

There's a history of HIAs (often quite small scale) delivering positive benefits in Wales -> cadre of strategic advocates = lobbyists to embed HIA in law
#LessonsFromWales

What are legal duties for public bodies in Wales wrt HIA?
HIA process is applied to strategic decision making and budgets - it's proportionate, flexible -> timely. Must have required actions and these must be measured (and published)
#LessonsFromWales

Drivers in Wales for health, wellbeing, equality ..
Requires focus on long term thinking, integration and working with other sectors, public involvement #LessonsFromWales

Australia was an early leader in HUA but efforts now fragmented and dependent in champions to drive it. Hoping to kearn #LessonsFromWales from Prof Liz Green.

HIA definition has matured from Gothenberg Consensus Paper, WHO 1999. It is about looking forward, a decision-making tool before action starts.

Almost time for #LessonsFromWales with Prof Liz Green, Public Health Wales Consultant in Public Health, Policy and International Health and Program Director for Health Impact Assessment

Wales showcases health leadership on global stage - Herald.Wales WALES' innovative public health approach received international recognition at a major World Health Organisation meeting this week. The Minister for

WALES’ innovative public health approach received international recognition at a major World Health Organisation meeting this week.

#LessonsFromWales

herald.wales/national-new...

You can get a head start on #LessonsFromWales - here’s the Future Generations Wales website

futuregenerations.wales/discover/abo...

Wellbeing for Future Generations: Lessons from Wales and Building HIA Capacity in Australia | UNSW Sydney Join us for this exciting event co-organised by UNSW International Centre for Future Health Systems (Medicine & Health) and UNSW Cities Institute (ADA) at the Health Translation Hub building. As citie...

Looking forward to this event tomorrow: I’ll be attending and reporting for Croakey Conference News Service @croakeynews.bsky.social

Follow #LessonsFromWales

Wellbeing for Future Generations: Lessons from Wales and Building HIA Capacity in Australia
UNSW Sydney
share.google/1UwVKCVXURvw...

Balmain Butcher bird family saga contd:
The squawking for food is incessant - it seems fledlings' hunger is never satisfied.
Here parent presents a juicy grub having first "butchered" it on the tree branch.
(Fledgling is approx same size as adult)

The 13 best popular science books of 2025 Women's hidden extra work, positive tipping points and new thinking on autism – there's much to chew on in this year's best reads, says Liz Else

Women's hidden extra work, positive tipping points and new thinking on autism – there's much to chew on in this year's best reads, says Liz Else

Ping @melissasweetdr.bsky.social

Undersea ‘storms’ are melting the ‘doomsday’ glacier’s ice shelf Spinning vortices of water trapped under the Thwaites glacier ice shelf account for 20 per cent of the ice melt. They’re expected to get worse as the world warms

Spinning vortices of water trapped under the Thwaites glacier ice shelf account for 20 per cent of the ice melt. They’re expected to get worse as the world warms

In inner city Balmain we are daily delighted and sometimes irritated by the demands of two fledgling Butcher Birds in their poor besieged parent (are there any worms left in my garden?).
It’s a bad photo - but evokes the ongoing dramas.

Book lovers. Life lovers! Forthwith I shall post a book a day, books I’ve read this year. Books I’ve loved & have intrigued me, changed me, occasionally books I’ve wondered if I could marry. Maybe books YOU might love. And remember, dearests of the world, how GREAT books make for Christmas presents

Oh joy! A friend came bearing gifts.