Quote Originally Posted by foxtrot View Post
General preparedness and awareness is good. That said,

Do I think there will be a pandemic? No. Largely, I think this is overrated.

We're not africa and this isn't whooping cough. It's very, very scary, yes, because of its mortality and hemorrhagic side. But such so and well publicized that you don't need the CDC to do anything, people will do it themselves. Sick person in your city? Schools are going to close, grocery stores bare, people will self quarantine themselves away out of fear of just a handful of individuals. The economic loss would be crazy.

But is it going to spread to african levels? No.

Africa itself it isn't even truly a pandemic. Malaria still kills far, far, far more. If they didn't have such superstitious beliefs, hoo-doo and poor hygiene, it would probably already be over.

The only real problem I see is once it has a foothold here you will possibly see "flair ups" from time to time. Less than a dozen in each instance. Millions infected? No, ebola is too deadly to spread effectively enough stateside in its present form. I'd be surprised if we have more than 20 infections total due to all this.

The new Y2K. Looming disaster is always around the corner. Or it's not. Seems to me that its spread is slowing.

It is to a limited extent airborne (aerosol) but people are so scared of it here. Our biggest risk is a small foothold.... the damage would be worse than 9/11, and not from fatalities. If you don't live in a slum and eat with the same hand you use as TP, and your local doctor isn't a "witch" that tells you to drink saltwater to prevent ebolas, you'll probably be fine.

Again, not saying preparedness or awareness is bad. It's not. It's great. But the sky isn't falling.
Hope you're right, but I don't share the optimism...