[teejers1]

This is what I suspect:

1.  That the virus was loose in the US prior to the generally accepted arrival date of late January/early February 2020.  Don't know if we'll ever know for sure on that, but it would be interesting to find out.  [This belief informed by that one study potentially showing 2019 presence in Italy, as well as anecdotes from friends who reported folks having "the worst flu of their lives" in late 2019].



Lastly, the US has a LOT of work to do at all levels of government to be in better position to respond to the next pandemic when (not if) it happens.  Goose has generally covered the terrain very well, so I'll just say +1 to his commentary.

Those anecdotes have proven to be likely just that - anecdotes. When California researchers went back and checked antibodies to Covid (IgG) in people who had those symptoms in late December and in January, and had not been sick after that, none of them had had Covid. That testing was done as soon as the antibody test was available in April. There is still no evidence that Covid came to the USA prior to the new year.

Could very well be - like I said, just a suspicion.

BTW, also agree with OF on the failure to use tracking capabilities of phones as being a big demerit on dealing with virus.

[teejers1]

This is what I suspect:

1.  That the virus was loose in the US prior to the generally accepted arrival date of late January/early February 2020.  Don't know if we'll ever know for sure on that, but it would be interesting to find out.  [This belief informed by that one study potentially showing 2019 presence in Italy, as well as anecdotes from friends who reported folks having "the worst flu of their lives" in late 2019].



Lastly, the US has a LOT of work to do at all levels of government to be in better position to respond to the next pandemic when (not if) it happens.  Goose has generally covered the terrain very well, so I'll just say +1 to his commentary.

Those anecdotes have proven to be likely just that - anecdotes. When California researchers went back and checked antibodies to Covid (IgG) in people who had those symptoms in late December and in January, and had not been sick after that, none of them had had Covid. That testing was done as soon as the antibody test was available in April. There is still no evidence that Covid came to the USA prior to the new year.

Could very well be - like I said, just a suspicion.

BTW, also agree with OF on the failure to use tracking capabilities of phones as being a big demerit on dealing with virus.