[pipeoperator]

This is a worldwide pandemic, not restricted to the borders of the US. People in countries around the world complied with quarantine, but their healthcare systems were still under real pressure. If they were not overwhelmed, it was a close run thing only prevented by social distancing.

Hospitals cancelled and delayed medical procedures around the world due to this: Italy, Spain, the UK, etc.

While the worst case scenarios of healthcare systems on their knees have not panned out, it’s disingenuous to suggest that the impact is imaginary or FUD.

[leesalminen]

It’s not clear to me how illustrating the flaws in one country’s healthcare system should affect the decision of another’s who hasn’t experienced the same flaws even with greater per-capita cases of the virus.

My comment was geared towards America because I’m an American talking on a forum operated by an American company.

Italy can lock down to their heart’s content- that’s their prerogative.

[willyt]

For an average person, Italy, Spain and the UK have better healthcare systems than the US by most metrics. The US is only better for some very obscure and exotic diseases that require expensive and rare treatments that most US citizens wouldn’t be able to afford or wouldn’t be covered for under their health care plans.

[leesalminen]

I’ve all kinds of not nice things to say about the US healthcare system but their ability to not get overwhelmed during this pandemic compared to Italy, Spain and UK is remarkable, as the parent poster (probably unintentionally) mentioned.