Keep calm and please "social distance" if at all possible.
It is not clear whether the spread of the coronavirus has been blunted in the USA and we should all be prepared "to hunker down significantly more than we as a country are doing," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on NBC's "Meet The Press" Sunday.
Not off the table:
a 14-day national shutdown. "You know, I would prefer as much as we possibly could. I think we should really be overly aggressive and get criticized for overreacting," Fauci told NBC.
It's Sunday, March 15, and this edition of Coronavirus Watch is written from self-quarantine in New York City, where some people seem to be taking things very seriously and others seem to be enjoying a walk in the park. By reading this newsletter, you're already taking one step toward being in the first group, and for that we thank you.
If you know someone who should be getting this newsletter for national updates, please forward this email so they can sign up here. We also know that as the story progresses, you'll want updates about your local communities. We are working on starting up some newsletters to help with that, so stand by for information tomorrow.
The news is changing rapidly, but here's where we are as of 12:45 p.m. ET:
• Almost 3,000 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the U.S., with a death toll of more than 50. Globally, more than 150,000 cases and almost 6,000 deaths have been reported.
• U.S. travelers flying back from Europe late Saturday were greeted with snaking lines and hours-long waits at major airports as expanded coronavirus screenings required by the government's new European travel restrictions took effect.
• Check before you go: Retailers across the nation are cutting store hours to focus on deep cleanings and to restock store shelves, and some are closing entirely. Apple is closing all retail stores. Walmart will start trimming hours at 24-hour stores. Nike is closing all of its U.S. stores for 12 days. We'll be updating this list with retail news as it comes.
• On grocery stores specifically: Grocery store chains including Florida-based Publix, New York-based Wegmans and H-E-B are among retailers closing earlier to clean and restock.
• On schools: At least 20 states have closed or made plans to close all schools, keeping more than a quarter of U.S. schoolchildren out of the classroom.
Some crucial information on the virus and how to prevent it:
• You asked us tons of questions about the coronavirus. We're answering them. See all of our questions from readers answered here. And, our question box is still open. What do you want to know?
• Here is our graphic on what coronavirus does to the body.
• A coronavirus pandemic is sweeping the world, but what exactly is a virus? Is it alive?
• These cleaners kill coronavirus: Lysol, Clorox, Purell products make EPA's disinfectants list.
• Coronavirus is spreading in the US. Here's everything to know, from symptoms to how to protect yourself.
Stuck inside? Here's a list of 10 happy, joyful, funny TV shows to watch while socially distancing, from "Queer Eye" to "Gilmore Girls."
Finally, thank you all for subscribing. We appreciate you trusting the USA TODAY Network with this important information.
Scroll down for today's coronavirus need-to-knows.
- Lindsay Deutsch, newsletter strategist, @lindsdee
