Has our response been "can't see the forest for the trees"?

[CountValentine]

Lets try and not turn this into the blame game or politics. We have enough threads for that. If you don't have the will power probably best you don't post.

One of the first major things that was done was to stop most flights from China.
This was the logical and common sense thing to do.
What we didn't know at the time is that it already spread to Europe. Stopping those flights would have had a much bigger impact.

Next came social distancing and lockdowns.
Again common sense and logical things to do.
Are missing something that would have helped us more?

[aygart]

One of the first major things that was done was to stop most flights from China.
This was the logical and common sense thing to do.
What we didn't know at the time is that it already spread to Europe. Stopping those flights would have had a much bigger impact.

Not sure it would have been bigger since it could have possibly been much worse had it also been coming in from China.

[S209]

Lets try and not turn this into the blame game or politics. We have enough threads for that. If you don't have the will power probably best you don't post.

One of the first major things that was done was to stop most flights from China.
This was the logical and common sense thing to do.
What we didn't know at the time is that it already spread to Europe. Stopping those flights would have had a much bigger impact.

Next came social distancing and lockdowns.
Again common sense and logical things to do.
Are missing something that would have helped us more?

How do you know Europe had a bigger impact than China would have had?

[Afrages6]

Lets try and not turn this into the blame game or politics. We have enough threads for that. If you don't have the will power probably best you don't post.

One of the first major things that was done was to stop most flights from China.
This was the logical and common sense thing to do.
What we didn't know at the time is that it already spread to Europe. Stopping those flights would have had a much bigger impact.

Next came social distancing and lockdowns.
Again common sense and logical things to do.
Are missing something that would have helped us more?

The only thing that would’ve changed anything would’ve been closing borders and a complete lockdown enforced at the end of February. When the infection rate was still low enough to be able to institute a strict contact tracing program. After that the cat was out of the bag and our only choice was mitigation.

Though anyone calling for that in February would’ve been called crazy so therefore obviously you can’t really blame anyone 

[S209]

Lets try and not turn this into the blame game or politics. We have enough threads for that. If you don't have the will power probably best you don't post.

One of the first major things that was done was to stop most flights from China.
This was the logical and common sense thing to do.
What we didn't know at the time is that it already spread to Europe. Stopping those flights would have had a much bigger impact.

Next came social distancing and lockdowns.
Again common sense and logical things to do.
Are missing something that would have helped us more?

Masks?

[aygart]

The only thing that would’ve changed anything would’ve been closing borders and a complete lockdown enforced at the end of February. When the infection rate was still low enough to be able to institute a strict contact tracing program. After that the cat was out of the bag and our only choice was mitigation.

Though anyone calling for that in February would’ve been called crazy so therefore obviously you can’t really blame anyone 

It could have been done the same way it was done in Israel. That would have required influencing the public opinion and educating them about the risks.

[Mordyk]

Hindsight is 2020.

if drastic actions were taken right away and the death toll would be very low, people would say we overreacted.

[aygart]

Hindsight is 2020.

Which is why it is a great tool to use in order to know what can be improved for the future.

[Afrages6]

It could have been done the same way it was done in Israel. That would have required influencing the public opinion and educating them about the risks.

Israel has the huge advantage of being one centralized government as well as only having one real entry point.

[aygart]

Israel has the huge advantage of being one centralized government as well as only having one real entry point.

Yes, but ports of entry are federally controlled.

[CountValentine]

Not sure it would have been bigger since it could have possibly been much worse had it also been coming in from China.

How do you know Europe had a bigger impact than China would have had?

I am not sure. Reports are now leaning that NYC was infected with the European strain.
The point is we need to open ours eyes to this just as we must open are eyes to shutdown was not the correct course. 

[mme]

Yes, but ports of entry are federally controlled.

Israel was doing contact tracing very strongly that helped a lot

[CountValentine]

The only thing that would’ve changed anything would’ve been closing borders and a complete lockdown enforced at the end of February. When the infection rate was still low enough to be able to institute a strict contact tracing program. After that the cat was out of the bag and our only choice was mitigation.

Though anyone calling for that in February would’ve been called crazy so therefore obviously you can’t really blame anyone

Lets leave blame out of this. 
Locking down ALL borders is an idea but would that have worked when the virus was already here?

[aygart]

I am not sure. Reports are now leaning that NYC was infected with the European strain.
The point is we need to open ours eyes to this just as we must open are eyes to shutdown was not the correct course. 

How does that change anything? What would have been had we been infected from BOTH?

Also, I have seen one or two places which discussed there being a different strain coming in from Europe, but the vast majority of research seems to be pointing to there being only one strain.

[CountValentine]

Also, I have seen one or two places which discussed there being a different strain coming in from Europe, but the vast majority of research seems to be pointing to there being only one strain.

That is because what I/we call a different strain. I guess a better word is a mutation. They seem to agree on that. That is how they can tell if it came from Europe or China (NYC infections).

[aygart]

That is because what I/we call a different strain. I guess a better word is a mutation. They seem to agree on that. That is how they can tell if it came from Europe or China (NYC infections).

What I have seen shows otherwise. Can you point me to the information you are basing this on?

[username]

Masks?

Gloves?

[CountValentine]

What I have seen shows otherwise. Can you point me to the information you are basing this on?

GIYF
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/study-finds-most-cases-of-covid-19-in-nyc-came-from-europe-other-places-in-us/2368010/

[skyguy918]

What I have seen shows otherwise. Can you point me to the information you are basing this on?

They absolutely have ways of differentiating by looking sequencing the genes of the virus:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-24/how-did-covid-19-spread-viral-genetics-leave-trail-of-clues

Whether the different mutations have yielded substantially unique strains is a separate question, and the answer appears to be no thus far.

[aygart]

GIYF
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/study-finds-most-cases-of-covid-19-in-nyc-came-from-europe-other-places-in-us/2368010/

This looks to all be coming from one source and that source seems to be conflicting with other sources.
ETA this is explained by this

They absolutely have ways of differentiating by looking sequencing the genes of the virus:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-24/how-did-covid-19-spread-viral-genetics-leave-trail-of-clues

Whether the different mutations have yielded substantially unique strains is a separate question, and the answer appears to be no thus far.