All the (Un)usual Suspects: COVID-19 and Typhoid Larry?!

       'All the usual suspects' is a phrase associated with forensic science, which of course attempts to solve crimes through the systematic gathering of evidence. With 'crimes of passion', there is a fairly high degree of probability that you could be harmed by someone you know (perhaps even trust), as it is within these relationships that passion is more often generated. In contrast, as crime becomes more 'random' in various communities, it becomes more challenging to predict your assailant, and people therefore tend to experience more apprehension and insecurity. Now consider how these respective conditions play out in coping with various health conditions, diseases, and even pandemics. In an analogous manner to forensic science, practitioners in epidemiology and infectious disease seek to identify patterns of diseases and their modes of transmission, ultimately to identify methods of eradication and prevention. When HIV/AIDS became an area of global concern, a commercial sponsored by a public health organization presented a sobering reality: "If you are sexually active with John or Jane Doe you have also been sexually active with everyone he/she has been sexually active with for the last seven years" (i.e., 'contact tracing'). The implication, of course, is that if you end up with an STD there may be a multitude of suspects. In a not too different fashion, given the current state of knowledge regarding COVID-19, if you become symptomatic, your attempt to identify the true source includes a consideration of where you have been, what you have touched, and with whom you have had close proximity (including those who were not apparently symptomatic themselves). So many suspects! Early last century, Mary Mallon (aka Typhoid Mary), while working as a cook, managed to infect over 50 people with typhoid fever before being diagnosed herself and isolated for over three decades. And as recently as this morning, BBC aired an interview with an epidemiologist who reminded us "...just a few people are managing to infect a multitude...". So just who are these few people? In my experience, the temptation to rush to judgement and hastily accuse others is becoming a source of interpersonal tension between and even within families (e.g. "I'm sure all those out there may be a carrier except for me and thee and I'm becoming increasingly suspicious of thee!"). Rather than being quick to accuse others, our energy would be better reserved for modeling good 'pandemic hygiene' and continuing physical distancing (especially from those who are being reckless), while also finding new and creative ways to remind each other how deeply we care for one another. Lest we become a house divided.