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Gunnar_Zarncke comments on Open thread, Mar. 9 - Mar. 15, 2015 - Less Wrong Discussion

5 Post author: MrMind 09 March 2015 07:48AM

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Comment author: Gunnar_Zarncke 12 March 2015 04:08:29PM 1 point [-]

I tend to think so too, but

  • there are people with very varying strengths of immune systems

  • the strength of the immune system changes over time (I notice that older people both tend to be ill less often and also to be more cautions regarding infections)

  • handshakes are a strong social protocol that not everybody can evade easily.

  • you could still intentionally expose yourself to microorganisms

Comment author: CellBioGuy 13 March 2015 05:03:28PM 2 points [-]

There's also a difference between exposing yourself to microorganisms and exposing yourself to high levels of one particular one that is shedding from someone that has already caused them illness.