No, not worried. To me it's 50/50 (im about 1.5hr drive from bergamo)chance that can be tilted in my favor by cleanliness, but more luck… but airborne is airbone. I was out again today - people are a bit 'aware'… but i went to 2 different stores - both fine, asked the cashiers how they are... they're fine. I got the impression shoppers are buying what they need. A middle-aged lady coughed without covering her mouth, that was annoying. Today looks like all kids are 100% at home, not even being out with their friends - that might last two days max, but it's no worse than having measles.

I am. My wife is a MD, not in Bergamo, though, but the news are quite worrying :-(

I am sorry about hijacking this, but I don't know what's happening in Bergamo. Particularly hard flare of the virus, or something else? Tried searching for news, didn't get far.

You can read this report from a doctor there (translated in English on reddit): https://www.reddit.com/r/medicine/comments/ff8hns/testimony_...

(the original links in Italian are at the bottom of the post if you prefer that)

And long comments full of vivid imagery lile this are EXACTLY why people are dissuaded from making social media posts, exemplified by the poster:

"Sorry, but to me, as a doctor, it's not reassuring that the most serious are mainly elderly people with other pathologies."

This could not be less helpful or more harmful. There is no useful information (that i got to, couldnt get all the way through). This is not an letter to the who or CDC trying to affect policy. This is a goddamn reddit post to scare people, vaguely, with the feelings of hospital staff. Im glad this doctor cares about comorbid patients, but this emotional non-rational prose is what drives mass hysteria and panics. We need data and recommendations.

What's so unhelpful about an honest, informed opinion from someone who is actually directly involved, working in a hospital?

Seemed quite helpful to me. Much more so than the pure speculation I'm hearing from other sources.

I got the impression the poster wanted to get their truth out, not fear monger.

Did you read his post? He has recommendations: social distancing, especially for older people. Don't get into crowds. And really: stop complaining that you can't do this or that fun thing, this shit is getting real, and it's coming to a town near you. That last message is really important when lots of people don't seem to take this seriously.

This doctor is simply trying to warn people of what is to come. Anecdotal evidence is never ideal, but in some situations it’s the best we can have. I don’t see any motive for this doctor to create undue panic or hysteria.