Each character will start into the storyline as they finally recover from the virus, which is a painful, messy, trying experience.
Treatment and care for patients is very costly: most survivors come through the experience to find themselves having to start over completely. Stigma attached to survivors doesn't assist this process.
The game is set in normal modern times. Science and technology are at the same level as they are in the real world.
For the sake of simplicity, we're assuming for now that characters have been treated at the hospital in Chapman.