Category Archives: Public Health

It’s Become Even Worse for PRoMED

Posted on August 4, 2023 by mikethemadbiologist

A few weeks ago, I noted that PRoMED, an infectious disease alert system, was in trouble. Well, it seems it was far worse than anyone knew. Apparently, that letter from July 20 was sent out without any of the PRoMED … Continue reading →

Posted in Public Health, We're Really Fucked | 1 Comment

Scientific Infrastructure Is Still Not Well-Supported: The ProMED Edition

Posted on July 20, 2023 by mikethemadbiologist

One point I’ve made on this crappy blog is that, despite popular culture depictions to the contrary, scientific infrastructure isn’t well supported. No gleaming labs that look like something out of an architectural design magazine. Most labs (#NotAll) have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, Public Health | 2 Comments

Feeling a Bit Gaslit Right Now

Posted on June 9, 2023 by mikethemadbiologist

With the Smoke Cloud of Doom parked over the nation’s capital, we are now getting advice from officials to wear N95 masks–outside. Needless to say, given the non-trivial risk of long COVID, even for the fully vaccinated*, one should be … Continue reading →

Posted in COVID-19, Public Health, We're Really Fucked | Comments Off on Feeling a Bit Gaslit Right Now

The Snowzzies Are Here!

Posted on December 14, 2022 by mikethemadbiologist

No, that’s not a cutesy name for cold-weather meteorological phenomena. The Snowzzies are awards for people who engaged in disservice in public health, as selected by Peste Magazine’s experts. While not as prestigious as the Mad Biologist’s Award for Unintentional … Continue reading →

Posted in COVID-19, Humor, Public Health | Comments Off on The Snowzzies Are Here!

Centrists Misunderstand the Moment: The Sick Leave Edition

Posted on November 30, 2022 by mikethemadbiologist

Between the Washington Post editorial board calling for sending federal workers back to the office so D.C. (not Wor-Shing-Tun) can have more tax revenue* and the Biden Administration choosing to side with capital over labor because railroad workers want seven … Continue reading →

Posted in Democrats, Fucking Morons, Public Health, Transportation, Unions | 1 Comment

Kavanaugh and a Missed Opportunity to Protect Public Health Workers

Posted on July 13, 2022 by mikethemadbiologist

One thing about the uproar about the denial of the unenumerated right to eat at Morton’s Steakhouse (for Supreme Court Justices anyway) that doesn’t sit well with me was the comparative lack of chatter when public health officials were receiving … Continue reading →

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We Have Learned Nothing from the COVID Pandemic

Posted on June 29, 2022 by mikethemadbiologist

A few weeks ago, some asshole with a blog asked, “Will we learn anything from COVID testing: The monkeypox edition?” Tragically, the answer appears to be nope (boldface mine): But in the U.S., the official case count is misleading, Makofane … Continue reading →

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The Texas GOP’s War on Public Health

Posted on June 22, 2022 by mikethemadbiologist

The Texas Republican Party–and Texas is the largest Republican-controlled state (and the world’s ninth largest economy)–has been working hard to come up with a platform, and, Boy Howdy, it’s a terrifying exercise in lunacy. Here’s the draft section on vaccination, … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservatives, Fucking Morons, Public Health | 5 Comments

Managing Feelings

Posted on June 1, 2022 by mikethemadbiologist

And, no, this isn’t a post about Yascha Mounk! This is a very good point (boldface mine): Panic is never a good public health strategy, but in attempting to preemptively tamp down public fear, I think experts are failing to … Continue reading →

Posted in Public Health, Viruses | Comments Off on Managing Feelings

Will We Learn Anything from COVID Testing: The Monkeypox Edition

Posted on May 30, 2022 by mikethemadbiologist

Will we prepare now, so we don’t panic later? Hopefully, not (boldface mine): Testing for monkeypox in the United States remains cumbersome. Currently, if a person is suspected to have monkeypox, their physician must contact a state or local public … Continue reading →

Posted in Public Health, Viruses | 1 Comment