Hantavirus Pandemic's Shadow
FILE - Nebraska Medicine's Davis Global Center is seen on Sunday, May 10,2026 in Omaha, Neb. where American passengers from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship will quarantine.
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The coronavirus pandemic's impact lingers, influencing our lives in both obvious and subtle ways. Work-from-home jobs, mask-wearing and hand sanitizers are now common. Some effects are less visible, like grief, chronic health conditions and interrupted lives. Recently, a rare hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship sparked fears of another pandemic. Despite reassurances of low risk, the fear highlights a deeper issue: There's been an erosion of trust. It raises questions about who people now rely on for guidance and understanding. Arizona State University research professor and sociologist Elisa Jayne Bienenstock says COVID-19 undermined confidence in science for people who don’t understand how science works.