General Discussion

The fear and panic are based on reality, for the most part. If anything, many people are underestimating the threat. It seems to me that complacency is a much bigger danger than any fear mongering that might be going on.

You ask: "Are the authorities at your front door to arrest you right now?" That is remarkably insensitive, at best. The authorities are at the doors of many people right now, with the promise of much more to come. You may personally feel immune. but that does not justify trivializing or dismissing the very real fear others are experiencing, and for good reason.

You trivializing or dismissing the fear others are experiencing here:

"It's certainly possible that that person is frightened, but that doesn't mean you need to be frightened, too. Perhaps, as often happens, that person is misunderstanding something and panicking."

"Trust the people who have earned your trust" goes without saying, There is no need to be scolding people about that. There are plenty of unreliable posts urging caution and moderation, that are underestimating the dangers. But you leave that out of your admonishments.

By that omission, you are saying be suspicious of those raising the alarm, and not suspicious of those urging business as usual. That is a political agenda disguised as community service.