Starbucks has closed all its shops in Italy and warned it may take similar measures in the US due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The coffee giant followed a number of chains in closing shops in Italy in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.
After an initial lockdown in the north failed to be effective, the government on Monday banned all non-essential travel and public gatherings throughout Italy until April 3, halted all sports events and extended a shutdown of schools.
Starbucks said on its Italian website it was shutting its coffee shops across the country until April 3, while fast food chain Burger King said its stores would remain closed until the end of the health emergency.
Confirmed cases in the country, where the outbreak first emerged in the last week of February, rose to 12,462 on Wednesday, from a previous 10,149, with the death toll jumping by 196 in 24 hours to 827.
Today, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson published a letter to all employees in the United States outlining the company's response to the virus.
He said the company "may adapt the store experience by limiting seating to improve social distancing, enable mobile order-only scenarios for pickup via the Starbucks App or delivery via Uber Eats, or in some cases only the Drive Thru will be open."
As a last resort, Starbucks could shut down stores completely "if we feel it is in the best interest of our customers and partners."
These are precautionary steps in addition to increased cleaning and sanitising procedures for its thousands of stores.
Starbucks has nearly 1,000 stores in the UK and employs around 14,000 people.
Earlier this evening, Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the coronavirus outbreak as the 'worst public health crisis in a generation', but said measures such as closing schools and businesses would not yet be imposed.
At a press conference following the latest meeting of the emergency COBRA planning committee, he said that from tomorrow anyone displaying basic symptoms of coronavirus - a new and persistent cough or a high temperature - should stay at home for seven days.
He also said older people must not go on cruises and international school trips must be scrapped.
But he did not announce school closures or a ban on mass public gatherings, insisting the government would be led by the science.
Measures so far have ‘bought us valuable time’, he said, but added: “The number of cases will rise sharply and indeed the true number of cases is higher - perhaps much higher - than the number of cases we have so far confirmed with tests.
“I’ve got to be clear, we’ve all got to be clear, that this is the worst public health crisis for a generation.
“Some people compare it to seasonal flu. Alas, that is not right. Owing to the lack of immunity, this disease is more dangerous.
“And it’s going to spread further and I must level with you, level with the British public, many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.”
Flanked by Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Valance, he outlined the latest measures to be introduced.
“From tomorrow, if you have coronavirus symptoms, however mild -- either a new continuous cough or a high temperature -- then you should stay at home for at least 7 days to protect others and help slow the spread of the disease,” he said.
“We advise all those over 70 and those with serious medical conditions against going on cruises and we advise against international school trips.
“At some point in the next few weeks, we are likely to go further and if someone in a household has those symptoms, we will be asking everyone in the household to stay at home.”
In the next few weeks, it is likely elderly people will be asked to self-isolate, but those measures had to be taken ‘at the right time’, he said. That would be done to coincide with the peak of the epidemic, partly because doing so would be very difficult for those concerned.
It would also ensure the elderly are protected from the most severe phase of the outbreak, which is likely to be in 10 to 14 weeks' time, said Sir Patrick.
Meanwhile schools will not close for at least the timebeing, apart from those told to do so individually.
