Who Woulda Thunk It?

Tuberculosis used to be a big problem in America.  I can still remember very earnest and sober health class films about TB in 8th grade. (The film was already pretty dated; i suspect the public health problem was close to being dated.)

3/29/26 Fox News warns that there is a problem again with TB:

A potentially deadly disease known as "the white plague" has been rising in the U.S. since the pandemic, health officials have warned.

Tuberculosis (TB) gets its nickname from the pale appearance of those affected with the disease in 18th- and 19th-century Europe, according to historical medical literature.

After a dip in 2020 with the onset of COVID – likely due to underdiagnosis and reduced screenings, according to health experts – cases of TB have increased every year since.

Of course the doctors interviewed emphasize COVID-19 screwed up everything (because we panicked over a disease that was really only a serious risk to a small part of the population who needed extraordinary protection). They do finally acknowledge the elephant in the room:

Another factor is a return to international travel and increased migration from countries where TB is more prevalent, according to Vivekanandan.

Gee, do you think admitting millions of people from the Third World without even a pretense of medical screening might increase exposure to a population that has not been immunized could be dangerous. Not as dangerous as losing control of Congress!