Thread by @DarylTractor

Polarising paediatrician Fiona Russell is addressing the Communicable Diseases and Immunisation Conference in Sydney today.

If you didn’t manage to grab a $1045 ticket, don’t despair.

Here are some shining examples of her thought leadership:

#CDIC2022 @_PHAA_

When she forgot kids under 5 exist and proposed an interesting exercise in ethics

#CDIC2022 @_PHAA_

On vaccination:

#CDIC2022 @_PHAA_

On priorities:

#CDIC2022 @_PHAA_

Nice little juxtaposition between schools and strip clubs:

#CDIC2022 @_PHAA_

Yay for personal responsibility in lieu of public health

#CDIC2022 @_PHAA_

Schools don’t drive transmission!

#CDIC2022 @_PHAA_

Here’s her workplace addressing ‘fearmongering’ on long Covid. Research released this week will tell you how well this prediction turned out.

#CDIC2022 @_PHAA_

Here’s Prof Russell lending her support to some of the most widely-discredited voices of the pandemic:

#CDIC2022 @_PHAA_

Let’s not forget when she questioned the mental health of people concerned about the long-term effects of Covid in kids:

#CDIC2022 @_PHAA_

Feel free to add your own favourites as there are only so many hours in the day.

In other great news Prof Russell’s workplace, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, just got another big government funding windfall. This time for a mental health program in schools 🙃.

https://twitter.com/mcri_for_kids/status/1539046387496910848

Remiss of me not to mention her sudden interest in Australia appointing a chief paediatrician (ahem):

And also important to point out re the article she shares above:

UsForThem is a lobby group with Conservative Party, Brexit and Pro-Trump connections - disguised as a group of concerned parents.

bylinetimes.com/2021/01/21/par…

And some further reading on the small yet vocal groups who have pushed the same particular storyline as Prof Russell: that schools must remain open at all costs.

They all call out the very specific concern that children may face obesity if they’re not at school.

https://twitter.com/WalkerBragman/status/1538535423131238402

Important not to forget this one.

Masks: good or bad?

Depends which day of the week you ask.

#CDIC2022

It appears I’ve missed some real pearlers. Thanks to those who jogged my memory.

Here’s Prof Russell - the architect of Vic’s return to school plan - sharing Brownstone Institute content.

Brownstone has been described as the Great Barrington Declaration’s right-wing think-tank

Here’s a helpful thread on the Great Barrington Declaration:

https://twitter.com/jmcrookston/status/1538067730678657024

The completely unexplained 180-degree about-face on vaccination. These tweets are just months apart:

And then there’s this fine display of empathy:

And here we have the infectious disease professor stigmatising one of the world’s most stigmatised infectious diseases:

Oh this one is fun.

We reviewed - or maybe wrote (?!) - Victoria’s return to school plan but I’m not convinced by the measures it contains.

Incredible.
Inspiring.
Authentic leadership at its finest.

https://twitter.com/WarblerGrey/status/1539526610314940416

“The majority of kids have had Covid now.”

Firstly, can I get a source for that?

Secondly: does that not alarm you?