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Good morning.

I'm James Holman from the Washington Post and this is the Daily 202 for Monday, March 16.

In today's news, the Federal Reserve announces its most dramatic moves since the 2008 financial crisis to keep the economy solvent

amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The CDC issues new guidance as governors impose more restrictions from coast to coast, and essential details of the White House's testing plan remain murky.

But first, the big idea. In the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus

pandemic, doctors made life or death decisions last month when a thousand people needed ventilators

to support their breathing, but only 600 were available.

In Iran, where numerous high-level officials have been infected, doctors sought unsuccessfully

to get the international community to lift sanctions so they could purchase more of the life-saving

machines.

And in northern Italy, doctors took the painful step last week

of issuing guidelines for rationing ventilators

and other essential medical equipment,

prioritizing treatment for the young and others with the best

chance of survival. Such tough choices could well be ahead for the United States, a nation

with limited hospital capacity.

There are now 3,244 confirmed cases as of last night,

jumping by about a third in 24 hours.

...