In recent weeks, anxieties over the West African-borne Ebola virus have dominated American news coverage. The coverage increased after a Texas healthcare worker, who cared for a deceased Liberian Ebola victim, tested positive for Ebola this past weekend.
This hysteria has led lawmakers to propose a policy banning travel to West Africa, and even the manufacture of Ebola-inspired novelty Christmas presents. Public health experts keep assuring us time and time again that we are not to worry because the chances of contracting the virus in the United States are slim to none. They’ve even warned that travel bans would not only be ineffective, but counterproductive.
In response to lawmakers, including Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who called upon the Obama administration to place a ban on travel from Ebola-stricken countries, Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that doing so could worsen the outbreak and cause it to spread to surrounding nations.
Despite these informed recommendations, polls are still showing that the majority Americans are in favor of a travel ban. A poll done by NBC News revealed that 58 percent of Americans support a ban on incoming flights from Ebola-stricken West Africa.
The epidemic in America is not Ebola, it’s fear. America loves being scared. From apocalyptic movies at the box office to viral Internet conspiracy theories, we can’t seem to get enough. Sensationalism attracts viewers. Media outlets know this and they’ve transformed coverage of the virus into a combination of reality TV and “The Day After Tomorrow.”
Fox News has been particularly successful in stoking fear and spreading ignorance. Fox News host Andrea Tantaros stated that the real danger of Ebola was that people in West Africa “don’t believe in traditional medical care,” warning that “someone could get off a flight and seek treatment from a witch doctor.” What better way to scare people than to bring up witchcraft? Her comments are not only wrong, but highly offensive, as she insinuates that African Ebola victims are not to be trusted. And of course, Obama is also used as a scapegoat. Fox News psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow said on Ebola in America: “The psychological toll is already far outpacing the physical one.” He went on to say, “…to help contain this psychological virus there should be a reliable flow of information and bold policy from the Obama administration and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention. But, already, their response lacks the necessary element of steady stewardship. And that’s because of Obama’s continuing reticence to put America first.” According to Fox News, Obama didn’t cause Ebola, but apparently, he is the reason you’re scared of it.
Americans shouldn’t stop caring about Ebola, but we should stop being afraid of Ebola. Americans should care about Ebola, not because our country will be directly affected, but out of compassion for humans suffering. According to the CDC, malaria caused an estimated 207 million clinical episodes and 627,000 deaths in 2012. But malaria coverage wasn’t on the news every day then, simply because Americans were not fearful of catching it. When fear is absent, media outlets cannot capitalize on disease coverage. America is capitalizing on Ebola. The news networks are reeling in viewers, politicians like Jindal are taking drastic positions and opportunists are selling off-color Ebola-themed T-shirts. Let’s focus on the facts and show compassion for the victims of this very real disease, by not allowing anyone to further profit off of this disaster.