Vivian Khalaf, partner in the law firm of Horn, Khalaf, Abuzir & Mitchell LLC, said how businesses react to the potential pandemic could open a "Pandora's Box" of legal problems and complex ethical issues.

Khalaf said many responses are driven by fear not reason, from people refusing to eat in certain restaurants where employees appear to be Hispanic to Vice President Joseph Biden cautioning to avoid public transportation.

"Pandemics and epidemics often have two victims. Those who catch the virus and face serious challenging health-related issues, and those who are victimized by stereotyping caused by runaway fear," Khalaf said.

"The virus does not have a passport, an ethnic origin, a religious identity, a skin color nor a clear link to a specific food product or animal. But it does have the potential to cause serious damage beyond the health risks."

The fear is being driven by widespread stereotyping associating the virus with Mexicans and pork products. Chicago's cancelling of the Cinco de Mayo festival at Navy Pier this past weekend reinforced the stereotype and may not have been a wise move without compelling evidence of a virus threat in that circumstance.

"This might cause businesses to act imprudently to pre-empt the virus by mishandling employees who fall into the stereotype of being virus carriers, such as Mexican Americans or immigrants," Khalaf said.

Khalaf said the public fears might force the unwarranted dismissal of employees based on ethnicity.

"Public and private leaders must carefully manage their responses to the potential pandemic crisis not only to avoid legal entanglements but also to preserve ethical and moral integrity," Khalaf said.

Hand washing and the use of sanitizers are being used as a remedy when they should become a routine with or without the threat of virus pandemic.

"How businesses react to those circumstances can define exposure to potentially damaging litigation," Khalaf said.

"This isn't just a health crisis. It is an ethical crisis that can seriously impact victims as well as the economics of our business community."