"'The disease is not complicated, the biology is not complicated, the treatment is not that complicated; our behavior patterns and our understanding of what it is truly like to be in a pandemic is the complicated bit' ... 'Yeah, this is not a drill'": the firm message in this piece is clear, use the internet and stop your face to face departmental meetings now.

More broadly we ask; how are things going in North Carolina, Louisville and London? Has elective surgery been cancelled yet? How are people facing the issue of personal protective equipment (PPE)? London practitioners are assuming they themselves have the virus, is this the case everywhere else? How are staff roles being changed in anticipation of the problem?

There's also a very frank conversation about the personal risks practitioners are being asked and deciding to take. Should they acknowledge and talk about their safety for both themselves and their loved ones? We wrap on a conversation about the reported interest in smoking cessation that has grown in the last few days.

Presented by Desiree Chappell and Monty Mythen with TopMedTalk regular and occasional co-host, Sol Aronson, tenured Professor at Duke University.

Thank you to our sponsor Edwards Lifesciences.

Edwards clinical education (ECE): https://www.edwards.com/clinicaleducation