Public Health officials, politicians, researchers, scientists, doctors, bureaucrats, journalists and an army of self-styled experts will always want to magnify the potential risks and downsides of an epidemic.
This is what they are paid to do, and they love being the center of attention.
It inflates their sense of importance, and guarantees them their 15 minutes of Fame.
Everyone looks upto them for protection and advice , and the media clamours for a sound bite.
This goes to their head very quickly!
And they know that even if their prediction is completely wrong, the public has a short memory and will forget all about their errors!