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Comment by LordDragonfang | Hacker News Reader

> If the USA was instead split up into 50 countries, it'd be much further down that ranking even if the exact same number of people died.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1109011/coronavirus-covi...

If states were countries, half of the top 20 per capita would consist of US States, with the other half essentially being developing nations.

In fact, I'd say that the only reason the US per capita rate is as low as it is is that states like California (itself accounting for over a tenth of the population) actually took things seriously and brought down that average.

Split hairs all you want, but the fact that the US at one point accounted for a quarter of all cases despite being 4% of the world's population is a stain on the whole country, and a significant argument that the US is directly to blame for the pandemic lasting as long as it did.

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> states like California (itself accounting for over a tenth of the population) actually took things seriously

It has little to do with that. If that were the case, Florida would not have been within spitting distance of California. Why is New York at the top of list? They had a similar response as California.

The issue is far more complex than "taking things seriously". Population density, climate, age of population, and job types probably contribute more than simply "taking things seriously".

Maybe the reason for the large number of cases in the US is people are more mobile in the US. After all, one can travel to 50 states with no border checks. More mobility => faster spread.

It’s hard to argue that since the creation of the Schengen travel zone in Europe.

Travel between Schengen countries was heavily restricted for several months during the pandemic, much more so than travel between US states.

So: taking measures helps. Holding back does not help.

Note realistic measures. Has there ever been a case where the Federal government can fully restrict travel ? Does it even have that power over the citizenry?

The states certainly can, and what's to stop the federal government co-ordinating and supporting state action? Isn't that what it's for? Doing nothing was a choice. Arguably even a strategy.

> The states certainly can, and what's to stop the federal government co-ordinating and supporting state action?

The Federal Government cannot restrict citizens from traveling between the states. I don't know anyone, here in the US anyway, who would even suggest such an action.

The privileges and immunities clause, Article IV, Section 2, Clause 1 of the United States Constitution, protects the interstate travel rights of US citizens.

Yes, you already made that point, and I responded by saying that the States can do this and the federal government could just co-ordinate it as part of a national strategy.

In fact travel rights were actually restricted in practice by the Federal Government and it's agencies, and states under both Republican and Democrat leadership. There are many well established exceptions that restrict access to constitutional rights under various circumstances, so the contention that this can't be done falls a bit flat. If nobody can do it, how come everybody did it?

You're somewhat confused. That was my first comment.

The highest death rate both in the US and Europe was this past winter, long after the virus had already spread to every part of both continents.

Christmas travel is a huge deal in the US. I recall at the time many people predicted the spike due to the holiday travel.

Here is some data for all 50 States.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us

I'll let it speak for itself.

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