The idea of limiting contact with others prior to a major outbreak is not new. Epidemiologists use data from the 1918 flu pandemic to help better plan for and avoid crises today. Here's one article that shows how two communities approached the 1918 flu,
https://qz.com/1816060/a-chart-of-th...tancing-works/.
Public health officials are caught between a rock and a hard place. If they do nothing and the crises grows, people complain. If they take drastic action and a crises is minimized, people say the measures were not necessary.
Right now Italy is being overwhelmed by the COVID-19 outbreak. We are a couple weeks behind them in terms of the outbreak. It certainly seems wise to take careful, thoughtful, even dramatic actions to limit the spread. Do we need to panic and make decisions based on fears? Of course not. But, thoughtful, science based decisions are prudent.