Is it time to panic?

Is it time to panic? I think that’s a question we’ve all been asking ourselves. The latest virus out of China is a nasty bug and it’s spreading across the globe. Some media outlets and politicians with an agenda are doing their best to instill fear into the population. The reality is this isn’t the time to panic. Save that energy if there becomes a need.

In the United States, less than 100 cases have been identified. Most of them were people who were evacuated from areas where the virus was prevalent. There’s been a couple in recent days who they’re unsure how they were infected, and that’s the emergent problem. The CDC is working to identify potential sources of those infections.

I can’t tell you how you should react. That is a choice you’ll have to make. But, I can tell you how I’m reacting.

First of all, I’m only listening to the professionals. The CDC and the WHO are the leaders in infectious diseases. You may think they’re not being proactive and at the beginning I thought that, too. But, those organizations will always take a measured approach not to alarm people unnecessarily. They have experience with these things. Remember SARS and Ebola?

At the onset, the U.S. Government restricted travel to and from China. Some politicians called that move racist. They’re not saying that today. In the past few days, travel restrictions have increased. This is our best effort at controlling the outbreak. In addition to the restrictions a high-level task force has been established to centralize government response and dissemination of information. I’d expect nothing less.

Secondly, I’m taking the precautions we should all be taking during the flu season. Staying out of large crowds, washing my hands frequently, getting rest and eating right. I’ve also stocked up my food supplies a bit, just in case I need to stay home for a week or two.

Lastly, I’m closely monitoring the situation. If things change, my outlook will likely change with it.