Viewing at-risk people as special or different can encourage a ‘them and us’ attitude, leading to segregation and stigma. In turn, this can make epidemics harder to control. From hiv/aids to Ebola, blame – and fear of blame – has pushed many outbreaks out of view. Suspicion around disease can result in many patients and their families being shunned by the local community.[74] This makes people reluctant to report the disease, which in turn amplifies transmission, by making the most important individuals harder to reach.
