Like anything as complex as a pandemic the answer is, it depends. Are we overreacting? That depends on what your definition is on how to react to a pandemic. O

Like anything as complex as a pandemic the answer is, it depends. Are we overreacting? That depends on what your definition is on how to react to a pandemic. On one hand we don't freak out over influenza in the same way. Let's look at it this way: Influenza('19-'20) has a projected hospitalization:death ratio between 3.2% and 15%[1]. hospitalizations: 370,000 – 670,000 deaths: 22,000 – 55,000 COVID-19: - As of March 16, a total of 4,226 COVID-19 cases had been reported in the United States - 508 (12%) patients known to have been hospitalized[2] - 108 (21%) deaths from COVID have occurred in the US[3] This means about 21% of those who are hospitalized in the US have died from COVID. It's not only significant, but significantly higher than influenza. We should be reacting to this: social distancing, monitoring symptoms and avoiding the ER and visiting doctors unless we have an emergency. Those are things everyone can work to do although there are some folks who can't distance themselves socially(doctors, firefighters, restaurant workers, etc) and it's important the rest of us do our best to support them. Just like some folks are allergic to vaccines, it's critical those of us that are able to get vaccines to protect those with compromised immune systems or that are unable to get the vaccine. In short: We're not overreacting, if anything the data shows we're underreacting. [1] - https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-estimates.htm https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-e... [2] - https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6912e2.htm https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6912e2.htm [3] - https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-latest-news-2020-03-17/ https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/coronavirus-disease-cov...