That was the message from the State Department, which announced that U.S. citizens abroad should either return home or stay where they are as the coronavirus pandemic grows. Above, Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday. The department raised its global travel advisory to Level 4, the top warning level, which is usually reserved for nations with war zones or beset by serious disruptions. The announcement is a recommendation, not a requirement, and many of the millions of Americans overseas may opt to stay put. Across the U.S., doctors, nurses and other front-line medical workers are confronting a dire shortage of masks, surgical gowns and eye gear to protect them from the virus.

Source: International New York Times March 19, 2020 21:45 UTC