Deirdre Ratcliffe

Having a collection of fancy (professional & pretty) mask covers has truly been a game changer in my travels and speaking career. My favorites come from this Etsy creator. They are super breathable mesh designs. No COI etsy.com/listing/438106…

Ireland will demand that Israeli authorities repay the cost of a school that was demolished by settlers in the occupied West Bank. The Irish Aid-backed facility, which served around 60 children, was among the structures destroyed in a Bedouin community.

@Baumann_Mac Your regiment?

Lessons to live by, thanks @dieworkwear

This is absolutely correct. Regardless of whether the virus becomes endemic or not doesn't change the facts that (a) the virus is dangerous, and (b) we should be mitigating the risk of infection. Endemicity doesn't alter the virus in any way.

“Just do it, and stop the crap.” 💥🔥 You can see why gas giants are worried. When the guy who wrote the book on Australian tax reform calls for a 25% gas export tax this bluntly, it would be gross negligence for the government to ignore it. Thank you, Ken Henry. #auspol

Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was found dead after hours of searching under rubble. She was killed in an Israeli strike, after the Israeli army fired at ambulances trying to reach her, delaying her rescue. She is the fourth journalist killed by Israel while in the field since 2 March. She was a professional, kind and dedicated journalist, and always a pleasure to run into in the field.

Most of Australia right now, with one of our two oil refineries damaged, at the bottom of a global supply chain, with the war in Iran about to escalate.

@AndrewHewat @YouAreLobbyLud What are we doing so wrong?

Vic CHO alert for HCWs: diphtheria "There is a current outbreak of diphtheria in northern and central Australia, predominantly among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. No cases have been identified in Victoria to date." More details: comms.health.vic.gov.au/v/47492/217723…

@DrNeilStone "To 14 April 2026, 84 diphtheria cases have been notified nationally" health.vic.gov.au/health-alerts/…

@DrNeilStone Timely post @DrNeilStone Diphtheria is on the rise in parts of Australia "The number of diphtheria cases reported in Australia in 2026 to date substantially exceeds the total annual number of cases recorded in any previous year since national surveillance began."

Researchers at Stanford have modelled the impact of losing vaccines A million people could die from diphtheria alone projects.propublica.org/childhood-vacc…

The liver's best friend is the muscle. Your liver listens to your muscles. Every type of movement has a different dose and a different benefit, all backed by trials. Here's the playbook, for you to include in your routine, whichever helps you maintain consistency. Brisk walking The most accessible liver medicine there is. 150 min/week cuts liver fat by ≥30% on MRI, and every extra 1,000 daily steps lowers your risk of developing fatty liver by ~12% (UK Biobank Study, 91,000 people). Moderate-intensity cardio (MICT) Steady jogging, cycling, or swimming at a "can talk, can't sing" pace. 30–45 min, 3–5 days a week for 12 weeks reduces liver fat by 2–4% (absolute) and drops liver inflammation (enzyme levels) significantly - even without weight loss. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) Short hard bursts - e.g., 4 minutes at 85–95% max heart rate, 3 min easy, repeated 4 times. In 12 weeks it cuts liver fat by 16–37%, improves heart function, and matches steady cardio in half the time. Sprint interval training (SIT) Even shorter, even harder - sessions under 15 minutes. 6 weeks reduces intrahepatic triglycerides by 12% and visceral fat by 17% in men with fatty liver (MASLD). Biggest liver benefit for the smallest time spent. Resistance / strength training Weights or bodyweight - squats, presses, rows, pulldowns. 3 sets, 3 times a week, 40–45 min. Reduces liver fat independent of weight loss, uniquely lowers liver enzyme, and is the single most important exercise for cirrhosis patients to prevent muscle loss (sarcopenia). Combined aerobic + resistance The gold standard. Network meta-analyses rank this combination as #1 for improving triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol in patients with fatty liver (MASLD) - better than either alone. If you only pick one strategy, pick this one. Yoga (Hatha / Surya Namaskar) - these are not classical Yoga, but modernized versions. For example: Surya Namaskar was developed into its current 12-posture sequence in the early 20th century, largely by the Raja of Aundh and later popularized by T. Krishnamacharya. T. Krishnamacharya also modernized classical Hatha Yoga into its globally known "dynamic" form. Classical Yoga is not useful for liver health as it is not aerobic. Plus classical Yoga is pseudoscientific in its principles of practice. That said, 8-12 weeks of Asanas like Surya Namaskar, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Paschimottanasana, Naukasana - 3 sessions/week improves liver tests, insulin resistance, and fatty liver grade - especially in patients with type 2 diabetes plus fatty liver disease. Pilates and core work 8 weeks of Pilates reduces body weight, body fat, liver enzymes, and liver fat on ultrasound. A joint-friendly option for people who can't run or lift heavy. Tai Chi / Qigong Low-impact mind-body movement, 30–60 min, 3 times a week. Improves glucose control, insulin sensitivity, and balance/ stability, muscle tone. Gentle enough for older patients, those with early decompensated cirrhosis, or people with poor cardiorespiratory fitness. Exercise in cirrhosis Even advanced liver disease responds well to exercise treatment! Combined aerobic + resistance training cuts serious events (death, major complications) from 12.3% to 5.6% in randomized trials, and prevents the muscle wasting that drives death events in cirrhosis patients. So make physical activity your number one preference to maintain liver health and reduce liver disease.

They should change the name to "Strait of Schrödinger". It's both open and closed at the same time.

@BigBadDenis @DrPops3 18-65 age group : not surprising given the federal government recommendations for COVID-19 boosters; image shows info for those without severe risk factors. health.gov.au/our-work/covid…

Australia: COVID-19 vaccine rollout update – 10 April 2026 COVID-19 vaccination uptake in the past 6 months: 🔹Only 13.4% aged 75+ 🔹Only 5.2% aged 65–74 🔹Only 0.7% aged 18–64 Source: health.gov.au/resources/publ…

Just to be very clear here The NSW Premier @ChrisMinnsMP knew, absolutely knew, that this law was unconstitutional He was told that by expert lawyers & members of his own govt He cost NSW & Aust taxpayers hundreds of thousands of $$ with his arrogance & deliberate provocation

@dieworkwear Let he who has not mistaken a movie script by Quentin Tarantino for the Bible throw the first stone!! #Kegsbreath theguardian.com/us-news/2026/a…

Inspired by an online conversation and the hard work of others, I set off to examine age groupings among Australians confirmed as COVID-19 cases from 2020 to April 2026. The findings revealed interesting patterns, especially in the very young. virologydownunder.com/age-and-covid-…

@1goodtern There are many ‘face palm’ gifs, but never enough to account for this article. Geez Tern, I hope you’ve been able to go somewhere and smell the roses after this post. 🌹 🌹 🌹

Trigger warning. It takes a while for this disgusting article to reach its point, but when it does, it does it with so much callousness and wanton cruelty. "Long Covid – the disease that started as a hashtag" No, you hideous ghouls, it starts as covid infection.

The world watched as Israel razed Gaza to the ground. Now, the world is watching as Israel razes Lebanon to the ground. War crimes beget war crimes — and the failure to bring Israel to justice for genocide has emboldened it to destroy human life with total impunity.

If not POTUS, his PR team is ruthlessly ingenious: flooding the world with absurdities triggers cognitive overload, and people stop seeing the real story. While we debate the spectacle (e.g. Gaza Riviera), reality moves on (Gaza is emptied, one death, one evacuation at a time).