***NON-POLITICAL COVID-19 Discussion Thread***

[JakeF]

A couple of reminders...

Originally Posted by Bwana

Once again, don't come in this thread with some kind of political agenda, or you will be shown the door. If you want to go that route, there is a thread about this in DC.

Originally Posted by Dartgod

People, there is a lot of good information in this thread, let's try to keep the petty bickering to a minimum.

We all have varying opinions about the impact of this, the numbers, etc. We will all never agree with each other. But we can all keep it civil.

Thanks!

Click here for the original OP:

Spoiler!

Apparently the CoronaVirus can survive on a inanimate objects, such as door knobs, for 9 days.

California coronavirus case could be first spread within U.S. community, CDC says
By SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA, JACLYN COSGROVE
FEB. 26, 2020 8:04 PM

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating what could be the first case of novel coronavirus in the United States involving a patient in California who neither recently traveled out of the country nor was in contact with someone who did.

“At this time, the patient’s exposure is unknown. It’s possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19, which would be the first time this has happened in the United States,” the CDC said in a statement. “Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. It’s also possible, however, that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.”

The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County, according to the state Department of Public Health.

The CDC said the “case was detected through the U.S. public health system — picked up by astute clinicians.”

Officials at UC Davis Medical Center expanded on what the federal agency might have meant by that in an email sent Wednesday, as reported by the Davis Enterprise newspaper.

The patient arrived at UC Davis Medical Center from another hospital Feb. 19 and “had already been intubated, was on a ventilator, and given droplet protection orders because of an undiagnosed and suspected viral condition,” according to an email sent by UC Davis officials that was obtained by the Davis Enterprise.

The staff at UC Davis requested COVID-19 testing by the CDC, but because the patient didn’t fit the CDC’s existing criteria for the virus, a test wasn’t immediately administered, according to the email. The CDC then ordered the test Sunday, and results were announced Wednesday. Hospital administrators reportedly said in the email that despite these issues, there has been minimal exposure at the hospital because of safety protocols they have in place.

A UC Davis Health spokesperson declined Wednesday evening to share the email with The Times.

Since Feb. 2, more than 8,400 returning travelers from China have entered California, according to the state health department. They have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days and limit interactions with others as much as possible, officials said.

“This is a new virus, and while we are still learning about it, there is a lot we already know,” Dr. Sonia Angell, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “We have been anticipating the potential for such a case in the U.S., and given our close familial, social and business relationships with China, it is not unexpected that the first case in the U.S. would be in California.”

It is not clear how the person became infected, but public health workers could not identify any contacts with people who had traveled to China or other areas where the virus is widespread. That raises concern that the virus is spreading in the United States, creating a challenge for public health officials, experts say.

“It’s the first signal that we could be having silent transmission in the community,” said Lawrence Gostin, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law. “It probably means there are many more cases out there, and it probably means this individual has infected others, and now it’s a race to try to find out who that person has infected.”

On Tuesday, the CDC offered its most serious warning to date that the United States should expect and prepare for the coronavirus to become a more widespread health issue.

“Ultimately, we expect we will see coronavirus spread in this country,” said Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “It’s not so much a question of if, but a question of when.”

According to the CDC’s latest count Wednesday morning, 59 U.S. residents have tested positive for the new strain of coronavirus — 42 of whom are repatriated citizens from a Diamond Princess cruise. That number has grown by two since Messonnier’s last count Tuesday, although the CDC was not immediately available to offer details on the additional cases.

More than 82,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported globally, and more than 2,700 people have died, with the majority in mainland China, the epicenter of the outbreak.

But public health leaders have repeatedly reminded residents that the health risk from the novel coronavirus to the general public remains low.

“While COVID-19 has a high transmission rate, it has a low mortality rate,” the state Department of Public Health said in a statement Wednesday. “From the international data we have, of those who have tested positive for COVID-19, approximately 80% do not exhibit symptoms that would require hospitalization. There have been no confirmed deaths related to COVID-19 in the United States to date.”

CDC officials have also warned that although the virus is likely to spread in U.S. communities, the flu still poses a greater risk.

Gostin said the news of potential silent transmission does not eliminate the possibility of containing the virus in the U.S. and preventing an outbreak.

“There are few enough cases that we should at least try,” he said. “Most of us are not optimistic that that will be successful, but we’re still in the position to try.”

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by tk13

That other 50% is a large, large amount of people.

99 percent of people infected with polio are free from major illness, but look at the efforts the US undertook to combat that disease.

[kgrund]

This discussion gets back to why it would not be completely stupid to change our approach. What we know now is we have a problem. What we do not know is how big a problem, which is usually the first thing people try to figure out before digging their way out. We also know that when you shut down people's way of life, you do not have the luxury of time so you may need to reorganize the priorities. By placing far greater focus on getting to "what is out there" now, we would have better models and better plans of action.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by kgrund

This discussion gets back to why it would not be completely stupid to change our approach. What we know now is we have a problem. What we do not know is how big a problem, which is usually the first thing people try to figure out before digging their way out. We also know that when you shut down people's way of life, you do not have the luxury of time so you may need to reorganize the priorities. By placing far greater focus on getting to "what is out there" now, we would have better models and better plans of action.

Well, not to get too political, but there is where the lost time of February and early March hurt.

We didn't have things set up that we should have.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by kgrund

This discussion gets back to why it would not be completely stupid to change our approach. What we know now is we have a problem. What we do not know is how big a problem, which is usually the first thing people try to figure out before digging their way out. We also know that when you shut down people's way of life, you do not have the luxury of time so you may need to reorganize the priorities. By placing far greater focus on getting to "what is out there" now, we would have better models and better plans of action.

what do you mean with "what is out there" now”. You mean more testing should be done?

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

A major hospital in KC has developed a point system to decide who gets a ventilator and who doesnt when/if they run out of ventilators. Most area KC hospitals will adopt a similar point system.

It’s expected that here in the USA and England, most hospitals will use a point system instead of the Doctors opinion of whoever happens to be on duty. Trying to make it a more clinical decision, take emotion out of the decision.

Italy had that issue. If the patients family was there, the doctor knew them personally, was a politician, etc. they could get a ventilator even if they had long odds to survive or ever come off the vent. Which meant others didn’t get a vent. So two lives were lost instead of just one.

That was a Harvard doctor that wrote the point system

[MIAdragon]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Sorry to hear.

Appreciate it. She lost the sense of smell and taste and that made her go get tested. Zero fever and only minor respiratory discomfort. Fingers crossed it’s mild.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by SAUTO

That was a Harvard doctor that wrote the point system

It's triage. Every DR knows about it.

[Ghost of Maslowski]

https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/down...04032020-2.pdf

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Jerm

Because even with those measures in place, people are still out and about everywhere and doing what ever....and the numbers keep climbing and climbing....

Doing whatever? No, they are not doing whatever.

[kgrund]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

what do you mean with "what is out there" now”. You mean more testing should be done?

Yes more testing should be done, but I am saying with limited resources, you do not focus as much resources testing the clearly sick, but the ones with mild or no symptoms. This group appears to be the biggest piece of this puzzle that we need to go after ASAP.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Jerm

Because even with those measures in place, people are still out and about everywhere and doing what ever....and the numbers keep climbing and climbing....

Things have been shutdown for 10-15 days while it can take 10-14 days to start showing symptoms and to start spreading it.... and tests take a few days, so someone who came back positive today was tested a few days ago and could have caught it 2 weeks prior to that.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by Hog's Gone Fishin

I had a renter who works at a hospital tell me she has a sore throat and is sick and just put $1350 CASH in my ****ing mailbox.

What the hell!

Talk about the ultimate own your landlord move.

[Jerm]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Things have been shutdown for 10-15 days while it can take 10-14 days to start showing symptoms and to start spreading it.... and tests take a few days, so someone who came back positive today was tested a few days ago and could have caught it 2 weeks prior to that.

Right, which is exactly why this order should’ve been put in place weeks ago.

Parsons just ****ed around and waited way too long.

[philfree]

A little levity in a serious situation.

We stocked up.
[IMG][/IMG]

And that stuff comes with a mask!
[IMG][/IMG]

[BigRedChief]

NBC News: FDNY Deputy Chief Inspector Syed Rahman has died as a result of COVID-19, the department says.

The news comes as approximately 1 out of every 4 FDNY EMS member is out on medical leave tonight, that's 24% of the more than 4,000 total EMTs and paramedics, the FDNY says.

— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) April 3, 2020