This week, the government’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty told Radio 4’s Today programme that it is much more likely than not that we are going to deal with a significant coronavirus epidemic. “How big it is I think is currently still pretty uncertain, but that there will be an epidemic is now highly likely,” he said.

As the number of confirmed cases enters triple figures, a variety of businesses, including Twitter, have issued a global mandate to staff to work from home to minimise the spread of infection, while HSBC evacuated its research department in London’s Canary Wharf this week after a member of staff tested positive.

Against such a backdrop, what measures is the retail industry taking to mitigate the impact of a mass outbreak among staff and shoppers? And how prepared are retailers to weather the storm?