I like squirrells, they are cute animals. And their antics are hillarious.
BUT, like anything in large numbers that has been huminized, they are destructive, mean, and can indeed carry deisese. Plus they ca be VERY large flea carriers, and ticks.
THat said, we hunt them, fry them and eat them. LOVE them.
My Aunt had hubby go out in her yard and woods behind her house one year, For weeks and weeks, he bagged his limit a day. 10 in the morning 10 in the evening. And somedays he brought friends. They bagged their limit too.
The squirrells were so over populated (and she wasnt feeding them) that they were destroying everything in site.
THey got in her car, and ate all the wires, ate through hoses, etc. she had thousands of dollars worth of damage.
They have been known to get in an attic or crawlspace, and eat through wires, resulting in housefires.
Of course, if today my kids brought me a baby squirrel, I would raise it. same as I do the rabbits they bring me. Then I release them.
Its a full circle. I try to be a good stewerd to the land that feeds me. But, I am not in danger from them here on my hill. Yet.