One thing I don't understand is why we shouldn't all have a healthy dose of anxiety about the outbreak. Most of the stuff in life people go around worrying about is meaningless -- what will people think of me? What happens if I lose my job?

But if anxiety leads more people to self-quarantine and wash their hands over and over again, it will save lives. Potentially a lot of them.

Anxiety doesn't normally have a place in society because it's so overwhelmingly safe most of the time, but we're facing a legitimate threat that people can do something about.

Obviously, there's no place for panic and stockpiling, but most of the people I see don't seem too worried -- they don't seem worried enough. People should be more cautious.