Taking issue with this because it's bad logic to compare us to Italy. The comparison doesn't account for many, many variables. Not coming at you, but I'm getting sick of the "Omg, we're going to become Italy soon!" doom and gloom projections that is wrongly making a 1 to 1 comparison with the entire US. I think you posted in my thread comparing how the virus spreads in countries and states with different climates and population densities. I used the flu rate as an example of how much more hospitable virus transmission is in those "green areas." On this point, Italy's flu fatality is 10 times higher than ours. Their population is simply more susceptible to the grave outcomes of respiratory illness.
Or 1 percent. The flu mortality rate in the US is .01.
I find it curious that no one ever compares us to Australia? They didn't prepare and the virus hasn't "swept the nation." Climate, social behavior (i.e. mass transit vs. driving), and social interaction, and population density are big factors in virality. I've been pouring over case progression and comparing progression rates and such. Countries and regions in the green band accelerate far, far quicker from their first reported case and death than countries in the red bands.
For example, over a 20 day period, Italy went from one death to 827. Over a 20 day period in Australia, they went from their first death to 7. Adjusted for population, Italy accelerated 350x faster. Here in California, our first reported death was on March 4. Currently stands at 28. Over the 18 day period in Italy from their first death, they went from 1 to 463. Adjusting for population, 308x faster. It's worth nothing that we were the second epicenter in the US way back in Jan. 26th. No measures were place, giving the virus opportune time to spread, and it didn't "sweep."
Now, New York best resembles Italy in climate, pop density, social behavior, etc. They had their first reported case when California had their first reported death, and the virus has accelerated far faster in New York. But I don't think New York will resemble Italy in mortality rate. We got enough numbers from there to see how they're handling it, and their currently mortality rate is .07. But yes, we need to be concerned about them being overwhelmed, but I don't see that same fate for much of the US.