Within hours of the first reported coronavirus deaths in the United States, grocery stores in California completely sold out of Clorox wipes and toilet paper. Hand sanitizer and face masks are now nearly impossible to find nationwide, so some have discovered ways to make their own sanitizer from aloe vera gel and rubbing alcohol and face masks from articles of clothing or plastic bags.

The public is preparing for a pandemic, which is exactly what the coronavirus has become, according to the World Health Organization. Yet, many of our government and health officials continue to insist that the virus is no more dangerous than the seasonal flu, which killed more than 37,000 Americans this winter, as President Trump so aptly reminded us.