Why is there panic over the latest brand of flu?

Coronavirus is roughly similar to the flu that recurs annually, like the seasons. 

Why the panic? 

Part of it is driven by a press that thrives and makes money out of scaring us.  But there's another reason.

A lot of the fear comes directly from the loss of trust in institutions. The press, WHO, the official authorities are no longer implicitly believed by everyone. This is the cost of deceit. When you finally tell the truth your cred is gone.

— wretchardthecat (@wretchardthecat) February 27, 2020

The institutions that once had credibility have squandered it by lying to us for too long.   Our Ruling Class is the worst in history.