Just the very word “Ebola” strikes fear into the average American’s heart. Since the first case of Ebola in the United States, it seems that the entire nation has been in a panic about the spread, The mass hysteria surrounding this disease is extremely apparent, as exemplified by the 24/7 news coverage on the topic.

The biggest threat of this specific virus is that symptoms are not shown for the first 21 days after receiving it. The lateness of the symptoms draws the attention to the fact that in those 21 days, the disease can spread to many others.

 Though this is not an airborne virus, it can be easily transmitted through sweat, making it highly infectious. Sweat is the most common form of transmission, rendering warmer climates more susceptible to the spread of Ebola.

But the Ebola Virus has existed for a long time and tends to break out annually at the same time of year. The difference between the past and today is that the breakout was significantly worse this year. Some people have been aware of the virus for a long time, as was the case with Alicia Coto, ‘14, who claims “the only reason Ebola has been getting so much media attention this year is because Americans got the disease.”

In recent days, new regulations have been passed where all passengers must be subjected to temperature checks on returning to the United States from areas heavily infected with the deadly virus. Though some new regulations are being put into place, many people believe that the CDC is not taking appropriate measures to prevent the devastations, as exhibited by Jack Hansen, ’18: “I was watching the news and heard that the Texas Presbyterian hospital let out a man who had Ebola into the world, and that their protection suits have a cut in the neck, making those treating patients with the disease easily susceptible. I believe that the hospital and CDC did not do enough to prevent the outbreak of a worldwide pandemic here, one which has the potential of wiping out entire countries.”

A concerning question for the people of the United States is: “Should we be worried?” And the answer is no, US citizens should not be. It is always a good idea to be self-aware, and monitor the disease closely making sure that it does not pose a threat to you. However, Ebola is not the biggest concern for US citizens, despite the frenzy around it.