how long after an event for things to die down

[Skvez]

The point is not that a plague would only kill 1/3 of the population.
The point is that with a plague killing 1/3 of the population the infrastructure would collapse. Shop keepers and truck drivers wouldn't go to work.. The water and Electricity may fail. Then in addition to the 1/3 that would die of plague many more would go cold, hungry and thirsty.
With the present 'entitlement' mindset they would think they *deserved* to take (by force) what they felt they needed from those who had.
The ensuing riots/slaughter in built up areas would kill many many more people.