Reply #1: Because influenza epidemics are so feared by public health officials, when they see a flu

[HereSince1628]

that is new and that seems to manifest virulence, and high transmissibility, they go rapidly go into defensive posture.

Because of the issue of timeliness in fighting a influenza outbreak, they often enter into mitigation efforts before they have all the data they want. To protect the population that is probably the way it should be.

Unfortunately, the media knows it can improve its ratings by sizzling up the story. So they sizzle it up.