I'm glad you revived this story @DeerSlayer on March 12th when you started "Calm Down, Breathe Through Your Nose - Covid19 NO BIG DEAL" the US death toll was 41.
When it became too embarrassing for many others to post on it at April 4th the US death toll was at 8469.
15 days later we will hit 40K.
so thanx.
You are correct in that NO ONE anticipated the level of incompetence (best case) or willingness to sacrifice New Yorkers for the sake of political gain (worst case) found in New York City and the surrounding counties (collateral damage).
Only those consumed with lust for power and hate for their opponents would ever consider using their positions to spread misinformation in the midst of an unknown epidemic.
While others were attempting to quell panic, these politicians encouraged the very sort of behaviour through misinformation, lies, and encouragement of behaviour which would guarantee that those they allegedly represent would spread any disease among themselves at a high rate, and they succeeded beyond all expectations. They assured people that the disease was not contagious, parroting the WHO and the CCP, and in defiance (their words) of the emerging pandemic encouraged people to gather in large numbers to 'prove' they were not "prejudiced".
"Hate" that, willya?
By itself, downstate New York has the highest rate of infections per million population of any
country in the world. A situation which is almost guaranteed to cause panic, and a high mortality rate, all other social and population density factors considered. The rest of the United States put together doesn't make the top ten. Now, why would that be?