Ruairidh Milne
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ruairidhm.bsky.social
Ruairidh Milne
@ruairidhm.bsky.social
1.4K followers 100 following 110 posts

Long Covid since March 2020.
“Nothing about me without me” - doesn't seem unreasonable.
Previously: health research, public health, technology assessment and appraisal
Also some Shetland!

Videos
Economics 37%
Public Health 23%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

erictopol.bsky.social
Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 21h
New data that supports metformin as a potential intervention to reduce #LongCovid www.authorea.com/users/100423...
Metformin at the time of Covid-19 infection and risk of Long Covid: A Target Trial Emulation Study
Background: Our objective was to evaluate metformin prescribed at the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the risk of developing Long Covid (LC) in electronic health record data. Methods: We conducted a n...
www.authorea.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

nikki-s.bsky.social
Nikki Smith @nikki-s.bsky.social · 1d
📣 Shout out to Mike Ormerod from Long Covid Support who is giving evidence to the @ukcovid-19inquiry.bsky.social today. Thank you Mike for all your incredible hard work, despite your own battle with #LongCovid.

Link for #CovidInquiry livestream below. ⬇️
Agenda for Wednesday 26th November 2025 for the UK Covid Inquiry. Text reads Start time 10:00 am Morning The Rt Hon. Baroness Thérèse Coffey DBE PC (former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) Afternoon The Rt Hon. Baroness Therese Coffey DBE PC (former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) Continued Mike Ormerod Attending remotely (on behalf of Long Covid Support) End time 4:00 pm

Reposted by John Drury, Ruairidh Milne

trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social
Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 4d
Let’s never forget rationing ventilators and Zoom funerals. Boris Johnson and his cronies partied while our loved ones lay dying alone. COVID-19 was the worst public health crisis in a century. We should have locked down earlier. To some of us, PPE was not a get-rich-quick commodity.
Tweet announcing death of Trish’s mother from covid on 28 Dec 2020 Trish and her mum

Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Alastair H. Leyland, Elizabeth Stokoe , and 3 more

martinmckee.bsky.social
Martin McKee @martinmckee.bsky.social · 4d
Powerful piece by @drrachelclarke.com on the COVID inquiry. Those who say it’s easy to be wise in hindsight are being utterly disingenuous. Many of us spoke out at the time, and it’s in the public record.
@independentsage.bsky.social

observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
I’ll never forget the horror of the Covid wards | The Observer
observer.co.uk

ruairidhm.bsky.social
Ruairidh Milne @ruairidhm.bsky.social · 5d
"Increasing NHS drug costs would cause thousands of preventable deaths, widen health inequalities and harm the British economy – whilst doing nothing to encourage genuine life sciences investment"

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

felly500.bsky.social
Greg Fell @felly500.bsky.social · 5d
www.doctors.net.uk/news/caving-...

just saying..........
nobody really cares about detail thesedays, or experts. But Karl really IS an expert who has done the detail.
The UK caving to pressure to pay more for drugs will cost lives
Increasing NHS drug costs would cause thousands of preventable deaths, widen health inequalities and harm the British economy – whilst doing nothing to encourage genuine life sciences investment, argu...
www.doctors.net.uk

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

longcovidkids.bsky.social
Long Covid Kids @longcovidkids.bsky.social · 6d
“TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE”, VALIDATION FOR PEOPLE WITH LONG COVID
The Covid-19 Inquiry has found that the UK Government should have acknowledged Long Covid and made the risks clear to the public. It has found that by Oct 2020 the UK Government knew #LongCovid was a significant health and policy issue.

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

longcovidsupport.bsky.social
Long Covid Support @longcovidsupport.bsky.social · 6d
1/ The Covid Inquiry's Module 2 report confirms critical failures at the highest levels of government, failures that have left millions with Long Covid and inadequate support.

We've drafted a press release in response:

www.longcovid.org/impact/news/...
Long Covid Support
To learn more visit LongCovid.org
www.longcovid.org

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

rossmackenzie.bsky.social
Ross Mackenzie @rossmackenzie.bsky.social · 6d
Afternoon low tide on Quendale Beach #Shetland
Low tide, low sun Low tide, low sun Low tide, low sun Low tide, low sun

Reposted by Brigitte Nerlich, John Drury, Nicola J. Cooper , and 5 more

martinmckee.bsky.social
Martin McKee @martinmckee.bsky.social · 7d
1/ How does the COVID Inquiry's Module 2 report align with what we said in @independentsage.bsky.social at the time? A 🧵on Transparency, Early & Decisive Action, Scientific Advice, Integration of Social & Economic Harms, Communication and Behavioural Science, Governance, Data and Preparedness

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

rossmackenzie.bsky.social
Ross Mackenzie @rossmackenzie.bsky.social · 8d
Snow on Quendale Beach #Shetland #SnowDay
High tide on Quendale beach High tide on Quendale Beach Early morning high tide on a snowy day Snow-covered Fitful Head in the snow

Reposted by Gordon Hodson, Ruairidh Milne

erictopol.bsky.social
Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 8d
3 papers @thelancet.com today on the health dangers of ultraprocessed foods and a call for action
The health risks
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

cgatist.bsky.social
Chris Ponting @cgatist.bsky.social · 11d
Available to buy now: One Red Leaf at a Time Greetings Cards.

All proceeds go to our #MEcfs research @uoe-igc.bsky.social.

Thank you @drjogreer.bsky.social & Dr Clare Raynor!

theredtreeandme.substack.com/p/one-red-le...
#oneredleafatatime
One Red Leaf at a Time Greetings Cards - Raising funds for research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Since so many of you have asked, greetings cards featuring images from the Red Leaf Creative Collaborative are now available to purchase.
theredtreeandme.substack.com

ruairidhm.bsky.social
Ruairidh Milne @ruairidhm.bsky.social · 12d
And Fair Isle visible to greet you too - made it!

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

jimmcmanusph.bsky.social
Prof Jim McManus, OCDS, D.Sc,FFPH,FBPsS, @jimmcmanusph.bsky.social · 16d
In the BMJ a new umbrella review of systematic reviews found no clear evidence of any link between maternal acetaminophen (Paracetamol/Tylenol) use and autism or ADHD in children @bmj.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

erictopol.bsky.social
Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 16d
2 #LongCovid randomized trials published today
—Online cognitive training, negative
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
—Resistance training, modest benefit
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

felly500.bsky.social
Greg Fell @felly500.bsky.social · 18d
2025 Lancet Countdown on health & climate change
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

plenty of countries that spend significantly more on fossil fuel subsidies than their healthcare budget

Esp see heat related mortality indicator (new)

& air quality related mortality from burning fossil fuel
The 2025 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change
Driven by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, climate change is increasingly claiming lives and harming people's health worldwide. Mean annual temperatures exceeded 1·5°C above those of pre-industr...
www.thelancet.com

ruairidhm.bsky.social
Ruairidh Milne @ruairidhm.bsky.social · 19d
"The path we must choose, and be faithful to, is to think first of the world we’re bequeathing to our children and future generations."

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

dalupton.bsky.social
Prof Deborah Lupton, MPH PhD @dalupton.bsky.social · 19d
Here’s the direct link to my introduction chapter to ‘Long COVID and Society’, open access and free to read for all, either directly online or downloaded as a PDF

link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
The Social Aspects and Impacts of Long COVID
This chapter provides a substantial introduction to the book, giving an overview of the social, cultural and political aspects and impacts of Long COVID. Drawing on perspectives and theories from heal...
link.springer.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

drlfarrell.bsky.social
Liam Farrell @drlfarrell.bsky.social · 19d
The climate choice we all face: are we traitors or faithful? www.bmj.com/content/391/...
The climate choice we all face: are we traitors or faithful?
The climate crisis—remember that? I appreciate that our attention is being distracted elsewhere, but our greatest existential threat, other than Donald Trump’s ego, is ever spiralling rapidly out of c...
www.bmj.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

hildabast.bsky.social
Hilda Bastian @hildabast.bsky.social · 20d
My latest update on nextgen Covid vaccines is a whopper, in part thanks to catching up with a new vax tracker:

- Trial results for 2 vaxes
- 3 new clinical trials
- 26 preclinical reports

Highlights follow....1/2

Now @plos.org: absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/11/06/a...
#Covid #Covid19 #Vaccines
A Bumper Update on Next Generation Covid Vaccines (No 34) - Absolutely Maybe
This was always going to be a big month, with results from clinical trials of 2 vaccines, as well as 3 new…
absolutelymaybe.plos.org

Reposted by John Drury, Elizabeth Stokoe, Ruairidh Milne

chrischirp.bsky.social
Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 20d
The early flu season in England continues to build, while the latest Covid wave continues to recede.

Latest UKHSA hospital admission data up to 27 Oct.

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

skeuomorphology.bsky.social
Dan O'Hara @skeuomorphology.bsky.social · 20d
The PCR positivity map is out, and you might notice something a bit different this week.

From now onwards the map includes Scotland, using the same metric: PCR test positivity.

jamestindall.info/skeuomorphol...

1/10

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne, David D. Buck

actuarybyday.bsky.social
Stuart McDonald @actuarybyday.bsky.social · 20d
Flu is spiking up unusually early this year. The chart below shows hospital admissions, compared to six recent flu seasons.

Other indicators like flu test positivity paint the same picture.

From today's @ukhsa.bsky.social surveillance update:
www.gov.uk/government/s...

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

longcovidsos.bsky.social
Long Covid SOS @longcovidsos.bsky.social · 21d
We are proud to share a deeply meaningful publication: the final paper co-authored by our late co-founder, Ondine Sherwood.

The paper identifies the nine top priorities for Long Covid research. This work honours her legacy and the power of patient-led science. 🧵
ALT text for cover image: An image that says 'frontiers ORIGINAL RESEARCH article Front. Public Health, 06 November 2025 Sec. Public Health Education and Promotion Volume 13 2025 https:/.b/./g/0 Co-creating a social science research agenda for Long Covid. Oonagh Cousins, Maaret Jokela-Pansini, Ella Barnard, Jo Dainow, Nisreen Alwan, Mark A Faghy, Caroline Dalton, Eileen Gilmour, Gail Davies, Ondine Sherwood, lan Patel, Lotus Westerhof, Beth Greenhough. There is a Long Covid SOS logo at the bottom of the image.

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

sheencr.bsky.social
Prof Sheena Cruickshank @sheencr.bsky.social · 22d
Many cost analysis for vaccines focus on risks of mortality or serious disease resulting in hospitalisation, not risks of post infection sequelae. Should we be doing this though instead? If so, how will cost analysis calculations work to justify larger initial cost of vax vs longer cost poor health?

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

sheencr.bsky.social
Prof Sheena Cruickshank @sheencr.bsky.social · 22d
That Covid infection in non-immune people is linked to enhanced risk of cardiovascular disease is known. Whilst reports have shown risks linked to other respiratory infections, A new systematic review adds weight to this showing a range of respiratory infections are risks 🧪🧵#HealthPolicy
Some common viruses may steeply raise risk of cardiovascular disease
www.cidrap.umn.edu

ruairidhm.bsky.social
Ruairidh Milne @ruairidhm.bsky.social · 26d
brilliant!

Reposted by Michael Wagner, Joanne Spetz, Ruairidh Milne

erictopol.bsky.social
Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 26d
Bottom line of systematic assessment of studies on Covid vaccinations/boosters:
~50% reduction of hospitalization, across all adults (not just older) who are not immunocompromised
Real data on vaccine-induced myocarditis: occurred in 1-3 per 100,000 male adolescents
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

catherinemmunro.bsky.social
Catherine Munro @catherinemmunro.bsky.social · 26d
Neeps or pumpkins for #Halloween?
I usually carve both. Although neeps are a pain to carve I love the rather unsettling results #Shetland
Two turnip lanterns with sea and sky behind