Ross: Why coronavirus scares us more than the flu

In just a few weeks, we’ve gone from dismissing the new coronavirus as no big deal, to seeing it as the monster under every bed.

It’s amazing to me that Americans, without protest, have so completely retreated from public life, that in cities like Seattle, you could race go-karts on the freeways.

And why? Because this is some doomsday virus?

No. We’ve seen that most people get through it with only mild symptoms; we all understand the ordinary flu kills many more. The reason we’re frightened is because there’s no vaccine.

That got me thinking about the anti-vaccination movement – members of which have been on social media throughout this crisis warning that it’s a hoax to get us ready for forced vaccinations.

But Americans are already reluctant to get vaccinations — about 41% of us skip flu vaccinations. That’s because we’re just not that afraid of the flu, even though the CDC says the death toll from ordinary flu could hit 55,000 this season.

So, why are we not afraid of the ordinary flu? I think it’s because whether we choose to get the vaccine or not, we know there is one. And if we do feel afraid, we can get it. Any time.

It’s that little bit of reassurance that makes the difference between a country that’s open for business, and a country that’s closed for the season.

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