I think that the environmental and contextual circumstances of the infection hot spots should receive some consideration when comparing to anticipate viral outcomes here. Over the last several years, Chinese air pollution has been the subject of a variety of medical studies examining the effect of gaseous and particulate ambient industrial air pollution on the incidence of and mortality rate attendant to cardiovascular disease and chronic respiratory diseases. As you would expect, these studies commonsensically conclude that high levels of the type of industrial pollution experienced by the manufacturing cities of mainland China have a quantifiably direct and adverse affect on the general cardiovascular and respiratory health, well being and longevity of their inhabitants. Additionally, it is also interesting … and important … to note that China is the largest consumer of tobacco in the world. One third of the world's smokers ... or 316,000,000 people in China smoke consuming just north of forty percent (40%) of the world's tobacco products.
We are now seeing studies that examine the velocity of viral spread between the industrialized cities and the outlying areas. It is no surprise given the population density differences that the spread is greater in urban areas … but, don't you think some consideration should be given the pollution and smoking factors, as well?
That having been said … do you think that these factors … and the differences in American cities and culture … should be considered in the modelling used to predict outcomes?