It seems that Ebola news segments are on a loop these days: football then Ebola, World Series then Ebola, the weather report and then of course, don’t forget Ebola.

The threat of Ebola is being blown way out of proportion. With the way that people are reacting over social media, the news and even just day to day chit chat, it seems that Ebola is the biggest fear for today’s doomsday prepper.

Yes, it is true. Ebola is a messy, terrible and ugly way to die, but there is no need for its recent appearance in the US to consume our lives.

Each time a new case of Ebola pops up, people are dropping what they are doing to key in on a single patient (who may, in fact, be on the other side of the country).

A mere sneeze from a passerby can cause irrational panic to those surrounding that innocent individual. Why is this such a big deal?

People may be freaking out because Ebola has wiped out over 5,000 people in West Africa. However, these areas that were affected by the outbreak were areas of extreme poverty and limited access to the soap and clean water needed to prevent the spread of the virus.

The US is definitely not experiencing the same epidemic as Africa. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported there are only three confirmed cases of Ebola since its appearance in Dallas, Texas in September. Yes, only three. And of course with all the media tracking these three patients minute by minute, they have been given the extra attention and care they need.

Unlike the infected areas of West Africa, we have the hospitals, doctors and nurses to help contain such a disease. We also have the running water and soap needed to help prevent the spread of it, hence only having three cases. Yet there are still people trembling in their seats fearing Ebola will come knocking on their door.

At the end of the day, there is no vaccine to prevent it. So in all seriousness, there really is nothing any of us can do if Ebola grabs us with its hemmorhagic hands. Yet the same people who are fearing the virus don’t take preventative measures to protect themselves from other (more likely) sicknesses.

In the US, more people are likely to catch the flu this season than become infected with Ebola, but people refrain from getting a flu shot.

People are more likely to get infected by a sexually transmitted disease than get infected by Ebola, but they still make the choice to have unprotected sex.

A person is more likely to be diagnosed with Diabetes in the US than be diagnosed with Ebola, but bad eating habits and obesity is still reigning over the country.

Finally, people are more likely to die from smoking and drinking than they are from the Ebola virus, but people continue to puff and chug freely and frequently.

Come on, America. Wake up and consider the facts.

If you really are fearing for your life, focus on what is actually threatening you because it isn’t Ebola.