***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.”

[Tnerped]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I mentioned this obliquely earlier in the thread, but there is a thought that *some* the deleterious effects of COVID come from the downregulation of ACE2, an enzyme which converts angiotensin II to angiotensin 1-7. Ang 1-7 has several protective effects on the cardiovascular system, where as angiotensin II has harmful effects. If you remove the good and keep the bad, you will in essence create a positive (which is actually bad in homeostatic systems) feedback loop that will lead to cardiovascular and pulmonary injury.

Animal models have also demonstrated that smoking leads to an increase in Ang II and a decrease in ACE2. Again, more of the bad, less of the good.

If you take those factors together (again this is a theory without much evidence yet), then the mechanism of insult makes sense to me.

Besides hearsay, what exactly from vaping is doing this? I've vaped for almost 10 years, and my lungs have only gotten better.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by TLO

I wonder if quitting smoking now would have any impact - or if it's too late.

Quitting at any moment will have an impact.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by Tnerped

Besides hearsay, what exactly from vaping is doing this? I've vaped for almost 10 years, and my lungs have only gotten better.

The consensus is vaping isn't good for you either although it is considered better than smoking.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by TLO

I wonder if quitting smoking now would have any impact - or if it's too late.

Well...there's reasons other than teh COVID to consider quitting....

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Monticore

The egg i think was the culprit which i think they removed.

Egg is still in some formulations. Overall, though, unless you've had anaphylactic reaction to eggs, you're generally still fine getting a flu shot that has egg protein in it. If so, ask for Flucelvax.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

Quitting at any moment will have an impact.

Well I guess I'll just quit then.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Egg is still in some formulations. Overall, though, unless you've had anaphylactic reaction to eggs, you're generally still fine getting a flu shot that has egg protein in it. If so, ask for Flucelvax.

Yeah, my son has a mild egg allergy and he still gets the shot yearly.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Well...there's reasons other than teh COVID to consider quitting....

True

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by TLO

Well I guess I'll just quit then.

I quit 5 years ago after smoking for over a decade. I don't miss hacking and being sick and spending around $150 a month on the stupid habit.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

I quit 5 years ago after smoking for over a decade. I don't miss hacking and being sick and spending around $150 a month on the stupid habit.

My dad quit 15 years ago after 2 pack a day habit and he feels great, i tried getting my mom to quit at the same and had no luck , she passed away from lung CA 8 years ago at 62.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

I quit 5 years ago after smoking for over a decade. I don't miss hacking and being sick and spending around $150 a month on the stupid habit.

Sounds like lung function takes at least a few months to recover. Former smokers may be at risk too.

I guess it's common sense, I've just been ignoring it because it has been a stress reliever especially the past month.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by TLO

Sounds like lung function takes at least a few months to recover. Former smokers may be at risk too.

I guess it's common sense, I've just been ignoring it because it has been a stress reliever especially the past month.

Yeah I treat myself as a higher risk person and avoid strangers when possible.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Tnerped

Besides hearsay, what exactly from vaping is doing this? I've vaped for almost 10 years, and my lungs have only gotten better.

There's a lot of newer info that I'm not as up to date on regarding vaping and lung injury. When new smoking cessation guidelines came out in early 2019, they were pretty agnostic about vaping, saying that it's better than smoking, but you're far better off actually trying to quit and using some combination of medication and counseling. They wouldn't make a recommendation about it at all. Late last year a lot of info came in, but I really don't know how solid the evidence is yet. One of the big culprits seemed to be vitamin E acetate, but I don't know how in depth those population studies are.

From a common sense perspective, you generally don't want a lot of aerosolized foreign particles in your lungs. Some are more harmful than others, obviously, but less is going to be better.

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by ghak99

I don't want to sound like a broken record, but I know you old farts like to BBQ.

Two more cow kill plants, think hamburger, announced short term closures today and two more regular plants have so many people calling in sick they will likely do the same soon.

If taking a three day break and testing doesn't slow it down they're considering a two week shutdown. They are not releasing current bids on fats at all, which tells me they are cleaning up inventory and preparing for the worst. That might be significant in parts of the midwest as there is generally not enough in cold storage to bridge that gap.

some of the workers will die and then that gives openings to the people who need jobs. The Circle of life!

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

some of the workers will die and then that gives openings to the people who need jobs. The Circle of life!

Nature’s attrition