1. Media picks up on unusual disease ravaging rural/poor/3rd world country. 2. Disease sort of comes to US. 3. Medical organization says something quotable and easily taken out of context about disease. Media runs with it. 4. Relentless media coverage creates panic. Surgical mask sales spike. 5. Panic spurs politicians and bureaucrats into saying and doing silly things that further feed panic. 6. Media reports on panic, wondering why everyone is panicky. Media questions if panic is really necessary. 7. Media reports that disease wasn’t as bad as hoped, advises people to stop panicking. 8. More >