Americans should be more concerned about Influenza than Ebola.

[Avalux]

It's interesting to me, how people can be so easily swayed by the media into obsessing over 'events' that, if considered through a rational, logical lens, are completely blown out of proportion. Yesterday at my place of employment, a co-worker was running around like Chicken Little, telling everyone that a deputy sheriff in Dallas had contracted Ebola and no one knew how. By the time she was done spreading misinformation, a lot of people were scared that Ebola was lurking around every corner. Someone even commented that they were going to start staying home all the time.

I am not saying that Ebola isn't a serious concern; the CDC is estimating that if not contained, the number of cases in Africa could swell to 1.4 million by Janaury 2015, and then there are possibilities of mutation the longer this current outbreak continues. Other countries will be impacted by this (already are with isolated cases), but no one is expecting the epidemic to spread and become a pandemic that is out of control worldwide. Nigeria has successfully contained it and is Ebola free as of today. Americans should not be cancelling travel plans to Dallas, or freaking out that they might become infected somehow. They need to be more worried about Influenza, or the flu.

The flu is a yearly fact of life. Every fall, flu shots are offered; some Americans get them, others don't. I have the impression that most people don't think the flu is a big deal, their attitude is 'meh'. The reality is that it is a big deal - thousands of Americans die from the flu or secondary infections, mostly kids and the elderly, and those who aren't in the best health.

"It is estimated that in the United States, each year on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from seasonal flu-related complications. Flu seasons are unpredictable and can be severe. Over a period of 30 years, between 1976 and 2006, estimates of flu-associated deaths in the United States range from a low of about 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people."

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/disease.htm

So if you haven't had your yearly flu shot yet, go get one. And when people around you are talking about how scared they are of Ebola, ask them if they've had their flu shot. It's not 100% effective but it helps. Influenza is a nasty little bugger than puts on a different costume every October and it should be taken seriously.

[Auggie]

1. Last few times I got the flu ...

I thought I was going to die.

Seriously.

Since then I've been getting flu shots regularly.

[WinkyDink]

2. Exactly who is claiming we are not, Mr. Straw Man? Indeed, I fear MRSA more than either.

[Avalux]

3. I am, from experience in infectious diseases research.

MRSA is certainly nasty, and worthy of concern too. We need to step up novel antibiotic development so it doesn't become a community acquired nightmare in the near future. Tax dollars should be invested in it, IMHO, because big pharma doesn't care. Protecting public health is just as important as protecting us from terrorists.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

4. there are literally a thousand things more likely to kill me than ebola

[etherealtruth]

5. I am at great risk of contracting the flu

... however, I would much prefer my chances if I contracted the flu than if I contracted ebola.

I will get my flu shot ... and I really won't worry about my personal risk of catching ebola.