[snip]
I would think that a real virus threat would be accompanied
by links to reputable web sites like http://www.symantec.com
not just a lot of "The-sky-is-falling-it's-the-end-of-the-world-forward-
this-message-to-ALL-your-friends" dribble.
The lab downstairs had a computer that fell victim to the
Chernobyl virus. I called Dell, they give me a list of
commands to use with the debug command. Reformatted,
repartitioned, and restored all data from a previous backup.
If the threat of a computer virus is a big concern,
it might be a good idea to invest in an anti virus program. Some
schools have a site license so it's free. Academic versions are usually
inexpensive anyway.
Make backups weekly or daily if possible
Buy computers from a company with good tech support like Dell
if you need help restoring or swapping out a hard drive.
They'll talk you through it for free.