Why would folks not consider relocating temporarily if possible?
Any answer appreciated
Pets
Civic responsibility
Family
Work
Lack of financial resources
Every state has some cases
Look this isn't a hemorrhagic fever here with high death rates. It's not Ebola stalking the streets. It's basically a nasty new flu that people don't have immunity to which can weaken the vulnerable so opportunistic diseases can pick them off. Stay in for a period of time as much as possible and stop transmissions to end the outbreak.
I'm sure if you're a Bush or part of the elite, you simply private jet up to your summer home in Maine early this year and ride it out far away from the infected hordes. But most people have roots and ties and financial constraints that make them unable to move to another state for two months for a whole host of reasons. So I doubt you'll see any significant panic migration.
(This was a big problem in Italy where the outbreak was concentrated in the northern province of Lombardy, and the gov't lockdown in that region leaked out before the official announcement. People who could fled south, bringing the disease they thought they were fleeing with them).
My niece who lives in NYC was considering going back to her parents home in the Poconos once the work at home order came through. I'm not sure if she ended up leaving or not. Somebody heading out of NYC in a car to stay in a more rural area with family doesn't seem much risk. Especially if she shelters in place there. But maybe I'm being naive and any movement from a high risk area such as NYC to a low risk area (PA mountains) is a bad idea and potential virus spreader. It is better if she stays in NYC and shelters in place, and maybe best if the gov't enforces that.