And because it was implemented on an apparent whim, without advance planning or consulting any of the major participants, the result at many US airports was chaotic at best and almost certainly contributed greatly to the spread of the disease. This is not encouraging.
Meanwhile, countries are closing borders right and left, while local governments (the State of Washington in my case) are forcibly closing schools, restaurants, entertainment venues, libraries, and (gasp!) drinking establishments. Seriously: all of them, all at once. I've been wondering whether there is any precedent for this--certainly not in my lifetime. My understanding of epidemiology is rudimentary, but I'm not seeing any real surprises on that front. I've always thought my understanding of American political, commercial, and interpersonal trends was reasonably sophisticated, but it's in those realms where I've been taken totally by surprise.
(This post was immediately edited to strip out the disparaging political commentary which I should have known better than to include.)
Mark
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