COVID-19 Outbreak (Update: More than 2.9M cases and 132,313 deaths in US)

I'm sure you are right. I read that information in some article which obviously had it wrong. My mistake.

At any rate, there was no indication that it was anywhere near here at the time. And apparently there were no death in the U.S. until 4 days after Mardi Gras. Anyway, the point is that by the time Mardi Gras was ending the entire thing was really just getting into the national consciousness. In fact, I didn't know much of anything about it until a few days after Mardi Gras because work was keeping me too busy to see much news. I'm sure others knew more, but the vast majority of people thought it was just something people who had actually gone to China had gotten. Obviously that wasn't the case.

Yeah I think historically that’s right. But it was in error based on blunder and arrogance - but certainly with respect to the local decision about Mardi Gras, you’re right that there was no analysis at the time that would have suggested taking action.

But it’s also fair to point at Washington for not only missing the boat on preparedness but actually foolishly rejecting even the idea of preparation.