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As Senate Republicans roll out their new health-care plan, there's a lot of chatter about the secrecy that has surrounded it. But those concerns might be missing the more important point. 聽

The relationship between the press and the White House might seem unprecedented, but it reflects a change long under way in how Americans perceive their institutions.

How do you change car drivers' behavior? It's a question that's been debated from Los Angeles to London for decades. But here's a Nordic twist: What if a city could reengineer itself to make cars a bad investment? Helsinki, Finland, is trying to do just that. 聽聽

When can France veto the First Amendment? When the internet brings the free-speech values of American tech companies聽into Europe's backyard, perhaps. In that way, the internet is fueling a larger clash over countries' different visions of fundamental rights.聽

In the Muslim world, this year's Ramadan is showing how technology can significantly change a core religious observance.聽

Three years after the Ebola epidemic, and two years since the Zika outbreak, experts are more active than ever in pulling together lessons in hopes of not repeating past mistakes during another health crisis. A Senate panel in Washington plans a hearing soon on 鈥減andemic protection.鈥� In May, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a new strategy for pandemic influenza. And the World Health Organization has a new leader promising better preparation and response.

One big lesson learned is the need to prevent panic during a public health emergency. The new phrase is to 鈥渇ear-guard鈥� a country. During many disease outbreaks, say experts, a 鈥減andemic of fear鈥� can be more devastating to a society and an economy than the disease itself. Business and travel stop. Trust in a government鈥檚 ability to handle a crisis evaporates. People stigmatize each other. Most of all, panic can disrupt care and comfort to the sick.

A 鈥渃ontagion of fear鈥� often causes enormous economic disruption. The three countries worst hit by Ebola, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea, lost 10 percent of their gross domestic product. Gambia, which had no reported cases of Ebola, saw a 50 percent drop in flights in early 2015.

Two new studies help point to solutions.

One, sponsored by the World Bank and the Wellcome Trust, calls for an end to the cycle of 鈥減anic and neglect鈥� to disease outbreaks. The report states; 鈥淧andemics attract a lot of attention when they are at their height; but once the worst is over, the sense of urgency disappears, both at the global and country level, and we start all over again.鈥�

One global problem is that only one-third of countries have the ability to detect and respond to public health emergencies. But for all countries, which are more connected and interdependent than ever, fear can spread 鈥渆xtraordinarily rapidly,鈥� the report adds.

The other report, titled 鈥淧andemonium鈥� and published by Global Governance Futures, says improved institutions and better financing are not enough to deal with the effects of fear in an outbreak. It suggests non-health sectors, such as religious institutions and other community influencers, should help. News media, for example, can agree beforehand on how to deal with rumors and avoid sensationalism and gross generalizations. Social media giants such as Facebook could have guidelines on how to deal with misinformation during a crisis.

鈥淩esponding to fear and misinformation will be one of the most critical challenges in handling future pandemics,鈥� the report states.

Or as Florence Nightingale, a pioneer in health care, advised nurses in the 19th century: 鈥淗ow very little can be done under the spirit of fear.鈥�