I'd bet there are tens or hundreds of thousands of foot fungus infections, as well as other infections, that can be blamed on the shoes-off policy. I would suggest that 50% of TSO's working the screening area be selected to work in socks for a month to see the effect on the rate of such infections. Of course, since the TSA's raison d'etre is the perception of safety, not actual safety, such a study would be counterproductive.

Of course it's probably a violation of workplace safety rules to require TSA employees to work in socks. The implied message is a nice #@*& you; we don't give a rodent's hind quarter about public health or passenger safety from the TSA to to the traveling public.