The novel coronavirus has emerged as the latest justification for “Medicare for all.” This week, Sen. Bernie Sanders said, “When I talk about healthcare being a human right … the coronavirus crisis makes that abundantly clear as to why it should be.” And last week, left-wing wunderkind Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said of the COVID-19 outbreak, “It absolutely is an argument for ‘Medicare for all.'”

But countries with socialized medicine are ill-prepared for outbreaks — and have responded poorly when they’ve been hit by them.