Ebola: the Financial Fear..

[grip]

I've been wondering why the governments of the world have been so insistent on keeping the public from being overly fearful of an Ebola epidemic. At first, it appeared to be another issue that the infernal party politics could take sides over, and it has been that also. And anything as devastating as a virus with a 50%+ mortality rate is going to be scary, regardless of how little they say it's going to spread. Especially since most of the early predictions are already starting to be proven incorrect.

But after a little research online, I began to find out the economic devastation that panicking over a pandemic in today's atmosphere of global connectivity would cause. And frankly, I think I fear the financial doom, more than the chances of actually catching the disease, so far. Though most sites are only estimating the economic effect on W. Africa, it's not hard to imagine what it could reap worldwide.

The outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003 is estimated to have caused over $50 billion-worth of damage to the global economy, despite infecting only about 8,000 people and causing fewer than 800 deaths.

The economic impact of Ebola: Panicking only makes it worse | The Economist

From other News sources it seems that GSK, a major pharma, and several other companies that there will be millions of doses of an effective vaccine by end of 2015. And though that will probably put this current strain in remission, that's a long way off if this disease picks up speed and starts to spread.

Do you think Ebola will cause serious financial disruptions, especially if it spreads to many countries (Europe & Asia) and US States? If the Market takes a significant beating for a few days (1000's of points lost), I believe the gov't will make the major Media outlets stop reporting it?

Calculating the Grim Economic Costs of Ebola Outbreak

 

[Northern Light]

Sorry to break this to you, but with the way the financial markets are going, economic devastation is already coming down the pipeline. The only thing determining when is if at the next prelude to a collapse the government decides to pro-long the inevitable with more bailouts or not.

But as you can see... the government is busy creating enemies like ebola and ISIS so that people can blame something else on the nation's financial woes. It's the "Look over there!" strategy, and people never cease to fall for it no matter which era of history you look at.

 

[grip]

Sorry to break this to you, but with the way the financial markets are going, economic devastation is already coming down the pipeline. The only thing determining when is if at the next prelude to a collapse the government decides to pro-long the inevitable with more bailouts or not.

But as you can see... the government is busy creating enemies like ebola and ISIS so that people can blame something else on the nation's financial woes. It's the "Look over there!" strategy, and people never cease to fall for it no matter which era of history you look at.

The Market is unarguably in a QE inflated asset bubble. I'm aware that most of the experts expect a correction of some sorts eventually, few months to a couple years. And the when News came about about that Duncan, the first American on US soil to come down with Ebola, saw nearly a 1000pt loss that week.

I think the Media is blowing up the ISIS and Ebola predicaments more than the gov't. They probably would love for the News to not cover these events, though I don't put it past the White House...PR department to come up with some sort of News worthy distraction, if a financial catastrophe starts to occur.

Ultimately, the gov't will have no choice but to bail out another market collapse, or let the world economies slide in the toilet. The global financial system is so intertwined, especially with the US and it's market share and dominance. The only problem with these endless bailouts is that they're relying on other countries and investors to accept their debt and IOU's, which they may eventually NOT. That's when you'll see the defecation hit the rotary oscillator.

 

[lizzie]

If it doesn't get any worse than it is now, I think we'll be okay, from that perspective. I just don't have much faith that our government will use discretion in dealing with it, and wouldn't be surprised if they get really stupid, and increase our risk here.

 

[humbolt]

If it doesn't get any worse than it is now, I think we'll be okay, from that perspective. I just don't have much faith that our government will use discretion in dealing with it, and wouldn't be surprised if they get really stupid, and increase our risk here.

Based on what has occurred so far, prepare to be unsurprised.

 

[DA60]

Sorry to break this to you, but with the way the financial markets are going, economic devastation is already coming down the pipeline. The only thing determining when is if at the next prelude to a collapse the government decides to pro-long the inevitable with more bailouts or not.

But as you can see... the government is busy creating enemies like ebola and ISIS so that people can blame something else on the nation's financial woes. It's the "Look over there!" strategy, and people never cease to fall for it no matter which era of history you look at.

I agree completely.

 

[DA60]

I will say it again, it's ridiculous how the American public is overblowing Ebola's effect on America itself.

A few people get it and almost everyone freaks out.

Yet thousands die every year in America from the flu and no almost no one bats an eye.

Ebola victims are not contagious until they show symptoms. And the only reason it spread in Africa is lack of information and basic medical facilities.

Unless it turns airborne or something unforeseen develops, I see virtually zero chance that it will end up killing more then a handful of Americans....which again is a minute fraction of those Americans that will die of the flu this winter.


Terrorism, Ebola, ISIS, the boogie man...all you have to do is say 'Boo' to most Americans these days and they panic.

Grow a spine America.

 

[mak2]

That is what I have been sying over and over, it would make more sense to quarantine flu patients than ebola patients. 3,000 to 50,000 die per year of influenza.

I will say it again, it's ridiculous how the American public is overblowing Ebola's effect on America itself.

A few people get it and almost everyone freaks out.

Yet thousands die every year in America from the flu and no almost no one bats an eye.

Ebola victims are not contagious until they show symptoms. And the only reason it spread in Africa is lack of information and basic medical facilities.

Unless it turns airborne or something unforeseen develops, I see virtually zero chance that it will end up killing more then a handful of Americans....which again is a minute fraction of those Americans that will die of the flu this winter.


Terrorism, Ebola, ISIS, the boogie man...all you have to do is say 'Boo' to most Americans these days and they panic.

Grow a spine America.

 

[DA60]

That is what I have been sying over and over, it would make more sense to quarantine flu patients than ebola patients. 3,000 to 50,000 die per year of influenza.

I actually was talking about this with my doctor yesterday and he said the same thing you did...how overblown the Ebola fear is and how under blown the number of flu deaths are.

 

[Jetboogieman]

Economically so far Ebola will have minimum effect on the World Economy, but for the economies involved, absolutely shattered and destroyed and politically could end the same as well as is already happening, commerce has virtually ceased, cross border trade between the three nations has ground to a halt, farmers either are dead or can't move their goods so a hunger crisis is looming.

Really terrible stuff.

But again their economies were so small to begin with, it's crass to say but besides aid costs after we can curtail this crisis, it's a blip on the world economic radar.

The real economic consequences will be if it reaches Asia or India in any significant way, if you affect travel, commerce and tourism out of those places, that's when we'll start to see a significant global economic problem.

Oh and the swiftest global medical response in human history... because money.

 

[grip]

Economically so far Ebola will have minimum effect on the World Economy, but for the economies involved, absolutely shattered and destroyed and politically could end the same as well as is already happening, commerce has virtually ceased, cross border trade between the three nations has ground to a halt, farmers either are dead or can't move their goods so a hunger crisis is looming.

Really terrible stuff.

But again their economies were so small to begin with, it's crass to say but besides aid costs after we can curtail this crisis, it's a blip on the world economic radar.

The real economic consequences will be if it reaches Asia or India in any significant way, if you affect travel, commerce and tourism out of those places, that's when we'll start to see a significant global economic problem.

Oh and the swiftest global medical response in human history... because money.

You're right about one thing, let this hit countries hard with big GDP's like the US, Asia and India and you'll see a massive response with resources, funds and medical teams.