Education Shrinkflation
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In the normal, sane world of my childhood, this wouldn’t have been extraordinary. But this was November, 2022, and the world was just beginning to recover from... Read more.
Germophobia Doesn’t Pay, But It Does Sell
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A 2011 study of nursing homes showed preferential use of hand sanitizer among the staff was associated with a significantly higher rates of norovirus infection,... Read more.
What Makes a Germophobe?
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Germophobia isn’t generally considered a condition all by itself. Not all people with OCD are germophobes, but it’s much safer to say that most, if not all,... Read more.
Tuberculosis: Romance and Vampires
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As long as societies maintain a system of ordered liberty, and encourage economic growth and unlimited human potential, TB will remain kept at bay, much as M. tuberculosis... Read more.
Justice Is Served: Jay Bhattacharya Chosen to Be NIH Director
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Jay’s nomination, after years on the “fringe” of public health and health policy, restores a sense that there is in fact justice in the world. Now he moves... Read more.
“Fear”: One Year Later
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I set out to understand why people were behaving in a way that would’ve been seen as unhinged just weeks before. I could see everyone becoming germophobes, and... Read more.
Florida Still Stands Alone
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Florida might be the only state investigating the truth about the U.S. Covid response, but it’s still important that these efforts continue. The actions of the... Read more.
Explaining the Nocebo Effect, Emotional Contagion, and Mass Hysteria
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Even if the disease itself is not mild, a pandemic wave through a population tends to reduce local stress and anxiety and focuses people on a singular goal. This... Read more.
Germophobia Therapy: Reality Check Edition
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We all know people who are obsessed with the idea of keeping their food “clean.” Throwing any food away that sits out on a table longer than the time it takes... Read more.
A Booming Market for Medical Credentials
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The insistence of bureaucratic uniformity to cut costs and catering to students wants at the expense of their needs will result in an ever-increasing number of young... Read more.
Ten Examples Where Experts Were Wrong
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Unfortunately, many of these examples are not becoming outdated. Mask mandates have returned in some places, including schools, despite no high-quality supporting... Read more.
A Fungal Non-Apocalypse
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Bottom line—there’s not going to be a fungal apocalypse. I say this as a fungal immunologist that would certainly benefit from making the case for a fungal apocalypse,... Read more.