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This all assumes that executive level government functions rationally and in the long-term national interest. Which is normally the case, but this is an abnorma

This all assumes that executive level government functions rationally and in the long-term national interest. Which is normally the case, but this is an abnormal decade. Let me be extremely cynical (at risk of down-voting) about the current US administration's motives: Consider Trump's just-announced travel ban on the EU-26. It misses out the UK and Ireland, despite COVID-19 having a toe-hold in those countries ... but the UK and Ireland have Trump-branded golf courses! A ban on travel from UK and IE would hurt their viability, so it was quietly omitted. Meanwhile, the Trump hotel chain is being hit as badly as anyone else in the hospitality trade by fears of a pandemic, and revenue of his hotels in Florida is driven by spring break traffic. So he's downplaying anything that might reduce vacation travel at spring break. Denying that COVID-19 is anything to worry about is personally advantageous for Donald Trump as a hotel magnate, because it protects his investments. It's disadvantageous for the USA as a whole, but where do his priorities lie?

Zenst 7y ago
His travel ban was for schengen EUrope countries, many refer to them as Europe, when they are only part of it. Much the same way that some think the UK is leaving Europe and fail to grasp the difference of economic areas and tectonic plates.
- cstross 7y ago
  It's being reported here (the UK) as "anyone who has visited or trsvelled through a Schengen zone country in the past 14 days". Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/11/coronavirus-outbreak-us-trump-latest https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/11/coronavirus-ou...
  - Zenst 7y ago
    Yip, I read that elsewhere as well. Honestly should of just said, all air travel. How the thing spread to other countries in the first place. Still, I'd be supprised if London don't end up with quarantine zones before the month is up. Going by how it has patterned in countries that have had to move from containment onto delay. Then it's not a case of if, but when.
    - Zenst 7y ago
      https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51857856 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51857856 Does appear that the transition from containment into delay has just started.

Zenst 7y ago

His travel ban was for schengen EUrope countries, many refer to them as Europe, when they are only part of it. Much the same way that some think the UK is leaving Europe and fail to grasp the difference of economic areas and tectonic plates.

cstross 7y ago
It's being reported here (the UK) as "anyone who has visited or trsvelled through a Schengen zone country in the past 14 days". Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/11/coronavirus-outbreak-us-trump-latest https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/11/coronavirus-ou...
- Zenst 7y ago
  Yip, I read that elsewhere as well. Honestly should of just said, all air travel. How the thing spread to other countries in the first place. Still, I'd be supprised if London don't end up with quarantine zones before the month is up. Going by how it has patterned in countries that have had to move from containment onto delay. Then it's not a case of if, but when.
  - Zenst 7y ago
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51857856 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51857856 Does appear that the transition from containment into delay has just started.