[grey_whiskers]

I've been following this virus since late January myself.

I was one of the first to go ballistic over it.

Measured steps, are the best.

(Sabotage like the FDA and CDC did, should result in lifelong trips to Club Fed if not execution.)

South Korea and Hong Kong have it under control as does Japan.

Is that because of testing and contact tracing, and quarantine, with suspension of mass gatherings?

How much is due to two different strains of the virus with differing R0 values floating around?

Is it too late for strong measures in the US to prevent a meltdown and swamping of the hospital system as in Italy? I don't know. I suspect blue states and strongholds will meltdown, and smaller red states will only get hit when politicians of blue states requisition /confiscate their equipment and draft their MDs and nurses.

But PANIC panic won't help anyone.

[nerdgirl]

hilarious pic! Good observations - only bad thing is it appears we lost our ability to be like the Asian countries a long time ago, and I worry our culture makes it impossible. They are more reverent, more respectful of others, and more disciplined. I have friends/family in hot zones who are busy having beers with neighbors they have no CLUE have been isolating or not - going out to bars in KIRKLAND I kid you not - and another brother determined that this won’t ruin is 5 star vacation plans next weekend.

How to get Americans to take anything seriously...