In the UK (the other shameful 1st world country) we wasted between 2 weeks (as an absolute minimum) and 2 months - as it was Jan when they were fully warned and should have started make contingency plans. Same in the States. But when you vote this far the Right, you don't get a socially minded government - it's as simple as that. They thought about , the chances of it blowing over, acceptable death stats of the elderly etc - anything but doing what was advised and what was right. It's murderous incompetence in my view. But we all have our views.