You need to factor in the fear-factor and as fear spreads much more effectively than any virus known to man, then the net effect I'd bet will be bigger.

Remember - there are still people who believe the earth is flat - when you're up against that basic ilk of intellect, the World becomes a strange place very easily when you push a few variables.

Even sadder is, most people will think of this CV as the flu of the year and with that, many statistics will become entwined.