It’s another bad day on Wall Street as the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 1,700 points this morning after the opening bell, halting trading for 15 minutes. This comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s live television declaration last night halting nearly all flights from Europe (with some exceptions) for 30 days in an effort to contain the COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic. The news didn’t sit well with investors, many of whom are in panic mode right now. Gold dropped more than $50 this morning, falling to $1,585 around 10 AM Eastern. Gold prices continue falling as of this writing.
Many doctors are concerned that the worst is still yet to come for the United States, which reports more than 1,277 cases of Coronavirus and 38 deaths as of this morning. Meanwhile, the National Basketball Association is canceling all games until further notice while the college professional basketball games associated with March Madness will be played without fans in the stands.
Meanwhile, some live television shows are taping without audiences, and the upcoming televised Democratic presidential debate will also be aired without any audience. Music artists are canceling concerts, and the Catholic Church is withholding the distribution of wine, emptying holy water fonts, and prohibiting the holding of hands during Masses. The Vatican, the head of the Catholic Church, is in Italy — a nation of nearly 60 million people that is on complete lockdown and has seen the highest rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths outside of China.
Are you trying to avoid getting Coronavirus? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention offer tips on how to avoid contracting COVID-19:
- Wash your hands frequently
- Keep your hands off your face
- Avoid close contact with others
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces
