The panic over Ebola might tell Americans that freaking out does more harm than the virus itself.

As Ebola has made its way into the United States, people feel that they need to panic and worry. Once officials in Akron learned of Amber Vinson’s travels, the news spread via television, Twitter and simply by word of mouth in hours. Schools even shut down for the day in fear of the virus, as teachers were on the same airplane as Vinson.

Individuals throughout the city seem to be panicking over the spread of Ebola. Carrying around hand sanitizer might seem like a good precaution to prevent any virus; however, is the panic over something so insignificant to us even worth it?

Panic causes everyone to be aware of the virus, which further aids the efforts to help in Africa. This allows people to distinguish the differences between Ebola and the flu, as it makes individuals aware of all the symptoms.

However, as President Obama hugs former Ebola victim, Nina Pham, people should realize the lack of danger here in America. As of now, Ebola is not killing nearly as many people as the flu. 1,836 New Yorkers died from influenza and pneumonia in the 2012-2013 flu seasons; one person in the United States has died from Ebola.

Although Ebola is a deadly virus, the panic in the United States is something we should leave to medical professionals; let us worry about getting our flu shots first.