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by heartbeats 2306 days ago
Another comment goes into more detail, but it's not too complicated. In the US, a lot of people are reluctant to seek healthcare because of the high cost. So people in a poor economic situation who are starting to feel the symptoms are forced to take a gamble:

- Go to the hospital, get tested, possibly get quarantined, lose work income, possibly get fired, possibly pay large bill if uninsured

- Don't go to the hospital, hope you recover fine

If it splits half-half, that's a lot of people who are going to be going outside and infecting people.