Exactly this. These are facts that have never changed and were known from day one: 1. Because the virus is spread mainly through droplets, the risk goes down i

Exactly this. These are facts that have never changed and were known from day one: 1. Because the virus is spread mainly through droplets, the risk goes down if you keep your distance from other people. 2. Because the virus is spread mainly through droplets, the risk goes down even more if everyone (especially those with symptoms) wears a mask. Since day one, since before the disease had even left China, the WHO was clear on all these points, the CDC followed shortly after, with one partial exception, which was the mask recommendation. (On masks, the WHO said from day one that anyone who was potentially infected should wear a mask; they initially advised against population-wide mask wearing due to supply.) Masks and distancing could have and should have been rolled out the day the first COVID-19 case washed up on American shores. Both could have been enforced through stiff penalties on noncompliant businesses (no masks, no distancing, you get shut down for 30 days). They were already in use in South Korea which did a great job of getting the disease under control. The Korean strategy worked better than the American strategy. Less death, less economic damage. Why did America screw up so badly? Pure hubris and incompetence on the part of Americans, starting with American leaders on both sides of the aisle. The war on COVID-19 was being waged and it was being beaten on the other side of the world, but myopic Americans were too preoccupied with themselves to watch and learn. It's as simple as that. Poor leadership, panic and nationwide myopia.