The three Oregon professors who more than anyone else are responsible for kicking the state into social distancing gear also penned an open letter with four calls-to-action: if sick, stay home; if not, keep your distance; demand closures; wash your hands.

If you asked Italians three weeks ago about the risk of coronavirus, they would have laughed and mentioned China. If you asked Italians two weeks ago about coronavirus, they would have sent you a dark joke on WhatsApp. And if you ask someone about coronavirus now, they are scared.