[twotoner]

Realize that we are at the early stages of this. A few months out once the virus has had a chance to mix with other flu strains that are resistant to the tamiflu and relenza, this thing could turn quite ugly. Or it might just go away.

Read this on a site, to some degree I think it applies.
"Mental Distancing" is at work
There is a pretty well studied apsect that with a new emerging disease, especially where it has frightening potential, many people will perform the equivalent of unconscious "mental distancing" from the disease. They will look at all the available aspects of the disease, how it is transfered, what types of people have it, what type of conduct makes you vulnerable, where it "starts", whether it is supposedly not as severe in locations more like their own - and they will fasten on those apsects that allow them to distinguish themselves from that defined category of people that they see or hear are being infected and dying.
They cannot reconcile the facts with their view of reality, so they fasten selectively on those facts (or non-facts) that allow them to retain their reality.
Until folks see someone (or a group of someones) contract this virus, get treatment by a Dr like theirs, be admitted to a hospital like theirs, and recieve drugs like they imagine they would, many people will continue to believe this is a disease that will not, can not, affect them in a serious way.