January 31, 2026
Plague, praise, and panic
Scientist who helped eradicate smallpox dies at age 89
Internet mourns a legend while arguing if humans could be dumb enough to bring smallpox back
TLDR: Smallpox-slayer William Foege has died at 89, prompting tributes and a heated debate over whether humans could ever bring smallpox back. The comments swung from awe to alarm, mixing real research links, dark jokes, and fierce arguments about public health, risk, and honoring his legacy.
The world said goodbye to William Foege, the CDC leader who helped kill off smallpox, and the internet immediately split between heartfelt tributes and a full-on panic about whether we could “undo” his life’s work. Fans praised the man who saved hundreds of millions, while a top comment erupted: if smallpox could be reintroduced, are humans reckless enough to try? Cue gasps, jokes, and flame wars. One user pointed to a real study about building a cousin virus in a lab, dropping a link to the horsepox paper like a bombshell: PLOS One. Another shared a paywall-free link, because of course this thread needed receipts.
It got spicy fast. Some called out “idiots” who’d bring back ancient plagues; others said calm down, science isn’t a supervillain, and Foege’s legacy is proof public health wins. A dark quip—“Just in time to roll over in his grave”—hit hard, especially after reminders that Foege publicly opposed recent health policies he felt undermined the CDC. Meanwhile, the gallows humor brigade showed up with meme-ready one-liners (“Hold my heroin spoon”) as the crowd debated bio-risk vs. respect for a legend. Through the chaos, one mood rose above the noise: awe at a life that beat a killer disease—and fear that human folly might try to reboot it.
Key Points
- •William Foege, co-founder of the Task Force for Global Health and leader in smallpox eradication, died at age 89.
- •Foege headed the CDC’s Smallpox Eradication Program in the 1970s; smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980, with no new cases since 1977 per the CDC.
- •Former CDC director Tom Frieden told the Associated Press that smallpox eradication prevented hundreds of millions of deaths.
- •Foege later led the CDC, advised the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012 from Barack Obama.
- •He advocated for vaccines, co-wrote a 2013 Scientific American article on polio eradication, and in 2025 co-authored a New York Times op-ed criticizing HHS policies under Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.