Unfortunately there was one hidden side effect of secretly infecting entire families with the condition. As the country grew more and more sick people had been getting to know their neighbors more. For the most part everyone sought to genuinely help their fellow country men but the hidden agenda of many of us was to keep a watchful eye on people with sick members in their families. Half of us were scared of what the sickies might do while the rest of us were genuinely interested in the progression of the disease and wanted to know what to expect for when the effects when it inevitably took hold of our bodies.
When families started disappearing we took it as a sign that the disease had evolved and was now contagious. After four plus years of living in harmony amid the rapid decline and forced isolation of the country America finally began to turn on itself. The government held the key to diffusing the situation but they elected to stay mum on the topic after doing the "extremely difficult" math. Apparently it was better for the little people to be fearful and suspicious of each other and to look to the government for guidance rather than have the little people overthrow the controlling forces and think for themselves.
