Although there should not be panic, many people cannot understand statistics. Based on the fact that the average person with flu infects 6-9 other people and with this disease the average person infects 45 it is a lot more contagious. With the current death rate many will die unless it is contained. So hunkering down so the health system is not overwhelmed is important. I manage a Division of nearly 200 people of all ages. Based on current data, if my work population were hit, five of my people wont make it. I have elderly parents and in-laws. If any of them get it, none of them will probably make it. So while bravado sounds good on the internet, understanding the data and doing the right things is a better approach. If me staying home for a couple of weeks saves any of them, then I'm OK with that. The panic buying comes from people not understanding our supply chain and being able to reasonably draw conclusions ahead of time, then the tough guys and the unprepared are oh shit at the end. The way our supply chain is now, we are always only 2 weeks away from hungry (yes I know people on this board are better than that because they hunt). Most of us have not lived through times of shortage and don't know how to act. Before the 1900's that was a way of life. If you are a father and provider your job is to protect your family and ensure they are taken care of. If you want to demean that with the title of "Prepper", so be it. I won't be seeing you in the TP line anyway.
