Trump DID allow the flow of Chinese into the USA unimpeded from early December,
Without any assurance that the virus will eventually spread here, with people showing no signs or symptoms of virus, what were you expecting him to have? X-ray vision?
Oh cool. 10 cases diagnosed in Wuhan, let's ban all travel to and from China based on that.
Or do we not wait for facts to assert themselves anymore?
Well the rest of the world start preparing tests, and testing everyone returning from China, or other trouble spots, and slowed the attack of the virus. They started preparing hospitals for the onslaught of cases, and got busy acquiring the supplies and equipment they needed to fight the virus. Last week, our province extended March break (which started last Friday), by two additional weeks. Alberta Schools are closed until further notice.
Today, Justin Trudeau told all Canadians to come home while they still can, and closed the borders to all non-residents. He also for a self-quarantine period of 2 weeks for all those arriving here, to discourage vacationers or those without pressing business in Canada.
Canada is trying to mitigate the spread of infection for the same reason as the USA: To keep our health care system up and functioning. We're in better shape than the USA at this point because we shut the country down before the virus really got loose, and we properly shut down transmission from those early returnees from abroad, which bought us an additional month to prepare. Now as we prepare for the mitigation phase, our schools are already closed, even our rural hospitals have test facilities. Hospitals are postponing elective surgeries to free up beds, and I would not be surprised to see the army setting up field hospitals in hot zones.
Locally, the county nursing homes have cancelled all non-essential visitors, but country life is going on as before. Spring break started Friday, and with everyone's travel plans and spring break camps pretty much cancelled, people are staying home. There were shortages of bottled water, toilet paper and hand sanitizer in local stores by the end of the weekend, but the stores were restocked today. Today someone asked on our town's FaceBook page if anyone had tested positive in town and someone who works at the hospital said "No, not one". But then people expressed fears that summer cottagers having nothing better to do, would come from the city to open their cottages early, and bring the virus with them.
Canada has tested over 30,000 people, and the USA 33,000, total. Your population is ten times what ours is. Furthermore, our local hospital is putting out reasurring press releases, saying they have the testing capability and the resources. Hunker down and stay safe.
