In the last few weeks the United States has been hit with a rash of anthrax attacks.

Companies ranging from media corporations to Microsoft, as well as several congressmen have received the infamous white powder in the mail. The FBI has received 2,300 anthrax reports, a great majority of which have turned out to be false hoaxes. And still, people are blowing this out of proportion.

So far, Robert Stevens, photo editor at a tabloid newspaper in Florida, is the only person who has died from the recent mailing of the bacteria.

As tragic as it must be for the family and friends of Stevens, it is not the epidemic many are making it out to be.

The fact is, out of the 2,300 reports, only six people have been diagnosed with the infection.

Sure, this is a new type of threat to the country, and it should be taken serious. But taking it seriously does not mean living in fear.

It is just not necessary to be afraid. Only .26 percent of people have turned out to actually have the infection.

Whoever is behind the anthrax envelopes clearly wants to scare us all. Acting the way many Americans have, such as going out and buying gas masks, is giving the enemy exactly what it wants.

People are going as far as trying to get anthrax vaccines and medication for the infection. This is panicking, and it’s just not worth it.

At this point, panic will do nothing but make things worse, increasing the epidemic of fear that now plagues the nation.

Americans need to stay calm and use logic when it comes to this situation.

editorialboard: Andrea Hauser, Tim Paluch, Michelle Kann, Zach Calef, Omar Tesdell