It must be hard to avoid big crowds in a city of 11 million people.

Yes, it’s almost impossible to avoid crowds in a modern Chinese city. But Wuhan is trying to push people to take more precautions. When you get in a cab now, there are reminders about opening the window and wearing a mask. Some of the famous street markets are now totally empty, surrounded by signs warning about the virus.

Are you hearing any common sentiments in your interviews?

Several people told me about their memories of the SARS crisis of 2003, which killed hundreds of people in China. They’re worried this could erupt into a full-blown epidemic. Of course, others say they’re not very concerned and have faith that China can beat this. One common theme is people say they want the Chinese government to speak honestly about the severity of the outbreak — something that didn’t happen during SARS.

Are you taking any specific precautions, like wearing a mask?

Yes, at the advice of experts, my colleague Elsie Chen and I are washing our hands regularly and avoiding meat markets and hospital wards. We are wearing masks all the time. It’s a bit odd having that kind of barrier when you’re interviewing people on the street. But we’ve found that it is quickly becoming the norm in Wuhan. There are even videos now circulating of people giving New Year’s toasts with their masks on!

That’s it for this briefing. See you next time. — Mike and Sofia

Thank you

To Mark Josephson and Eleanor Stanford for the break from the news. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com.

P.S.

• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode is about changes to the rules of President Trump’s impeachment trial.

• Here’s today’s Mini Crossword puzzle, and a clue: Jumping the gun (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here.

• The Times will premiere two documentaries at the Sundance Film Festival this month.