Why Ebola Scares Us More Than Everyday Killers |
Ebola poses near-zero U.S. risk, yet it triggers high anxiety and political pressure.
Public outrage can fund outbreak control but can also fuel stigma and bad policy.
Americans' fear of Ebola can serve as a cue to learn about and support practical public health protections.
A reporter recently wrote about how they returned from a trip to Uganda, where there is an ongoing Ebola virus disease outbreak, and immigration officials failed to ask about their travel history. Another recent news headline wondered how the U.S. will “stop Ebola at the World Cup.”
Media report these stories because Ebola elicits a unique kind of fear, and the possibility that someone infected might enter the country undetected sparks criticism and debate. We know that there is close to zero risk of dying from Ebola if you live in the U.S. In contrast, Americans are much more likely to die from heart attacks, strokes, and car accidents, and yet there is far less breathy news coverage of these topics.
We need to consider what it is about Ebola that takes up so much space in our minds, and why it matters.
What Makes a Disease Like Ebola Frightening?
After two decades of working on infectious disease outbreaks, I learned that some diseases trigger an immediate, visceral reaction that is greatly disproportionate to the risk they pose to the public. Others kill people every day and do not generate any worry.
How the public reacts to a disease, particularly an infectious disease outbreak, shapes our ability to control it: how much money and personnel the government will allocate to it, whether people seek care, whether they cooperate with case interviews, contact tracing, and........