I work in an ER. I've been getting almost HOURLY emal updates from the CDC, the California Health Dept and the hospital infectious disease committee. For the life of me I can't understand the panic.

The incidence is lower than the regular flu. The case fatality rate is low. The disease, if you get it, is relatively mild. There's no specific treatment unless you are really sick, and then you get treated the same as any other respiratory illness. WHAT IS THE ISSUE? You'd think that smallpox had resurfaced or that Ebola was rampant if you listen to the news.

My county had not had any positive cases as of yesterday. But now there are a few in Reno, less than an hour from here. I go in to work in a few hours. I bet I spend the entire shift counselling the worried well. What a waste of resources.