The US can't restrict its own citizens from returning (although it could certainly impose a quarantine), and I didn't claim or imply that they should. The poin

The US can't restrict its own citizens from returning (although it could certainly impose a quarantine), and I didn't claim or imply that they should. The point is that the action is farce. Those flights to and from Wuhan were always full of primarily Americans, and continued unabated. Just as Americans can still fly to and from Europe, though obviously carriers are going to drastically cut the flight counts. Regardless, it is without an ounce of doubt that COVID-19 is spreading, completely uncontrolled, throughout the US. Italy is a week or so ahead of the United States, but sadly the most probable outcome is a catastrophe in the near future.