[magnus]

It's way too early to write history, but my sense is that, through the end of January, most of the nations and leaders of the world relied primarily on reports and information from China that turned out to be wildly inaccurate.

Perhaps this is true.  But if so, this is what I would point to as a fatal flaw by the western world leaders.  Why were they relying on China's reports when China's neighbors were reacting so aggressively.  Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore were already in full fight mode.  At the end of Jan, I canceled my flight to Taiwan and Singapore while witnessing the continual spread in both countries.   I feared I would get stuck in one of those countries unable to come back.   (In hindsight,  maybe that wouldn't have been so bad, heh).  I figured if I was that aware of the situation, then our government must also be and would act accordingly.   Especially with the Wuhan lockdown and all the crazy unofficial reports coming out.  It was very disappointing as February unraveled to witness so little actual activity from the government.   Disappointment in our testing ability (everything had to be shipped to Atlanta) turned to horror that we weren't already making protective gear for, well, everyone. 

In hindsight,  sole blame can't be laid on the administration.  It's the system we have in place now.  I'm not sure a Dem (or alternate GOP) president would have reacted much faster. Unless the horror hit our doorstep...or at least our closest allies' doorstep,  it's hard to motivate.  Especially when,  as Genuine said,  US doctors weren't taking this seriously.  I asked 2 ID docs before my trip what to do and they both said I should go.  Not to mention the WHO's reaction. 

I'm guessing history will probably tell us that the western world got too complacent.

[magnus]

It's way too early to write history, but my sense is that, through the end of January, most of the nations and leaders of the world relied primarily on reports and information from China that turned out to be wildly inaccurate.

Perhaps this is true.  But if so, this is what I would point to as a fatal flaw by the western world leaders.  Why were they relying on China's reports when China's neighbors were reacting so aggressively.  Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore were already in full fight mode.  At the end of Jan, I canceled my flight to Taiwan and Singapore while witnessing the continual spread in both countries.   I feared I would get stuck in one of those countries unable to come back.   (In hindsight,  maybe that wouldn't have been so bad, heh).  I figured if I was that aware of the situation, then our government must also be and would act accordingly.   Especially with the Wuhan lockdown and all the crazy unofficial reports coming out.  It was very disappointing as February unraveled to witness so little actual activity from the government.   Disappointment in our testing ability (everything had to be shipped to Atlanta) turned to horror that we weren't already making protective gear for, well, everyone. 

In hindsight,  sole blame can't be laid on the administration.  It's the system we have in place now.  I'm not sure a Dem (or alternate GOP) president would have reacted much faster. Unless the horror hit our doorstep...or at least our closest allies' doorstep,  it's hard to motivate.  Especially when,  as Genuine said,  US doctors weren't taking this seriously.  I asked 2 ID docs before my trip what to do and they both said I should go.  Not to mention the WHO's reaction. 

I'm guessing history will probably tell us that the western world got too complacent.