RAB91 said:
This panic is going to be the mother of all self-inflicted wounds. If you're middle aged or younger (and relatively healthy), it will almost be a non-event. Maybe a I'll go buy some more TP.
Like any virus, though, it isn't a non-event when one is sensitive or at least aware of the risk to the greater community as a host/carrier. Think about the complaints on this forum by folks who have witnessed someone whose child is sick and sent home from school then taking that child to get a haircut or around on errands since they "wasted a work day". And then the next customer and the hair stylist unknowingly give the virus to someone in the at-risk category before they realize they are sick or contagious.
It seems that there are still unknown issues with this particular virus, so while panic is pretty useless, practicing the advice of Dr. Fauci seems reasonable and self-segregating from vulnerable populations to allow the medical community to do what they need to to address the virus also seems reasonable.