***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.”

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

Isn’t some of this because the slaughter houses are closed due to virus?

I am sure that has something to do with it. But you can't just close them and keep them closed. This is getting to be insane.

[petegz28]

And now we have pissing contests going on in the KC area about who is going to open and when.

Never mind the fact that none of what we were told was going to happen has happened in the way were told it would. Our hospitals not only are not overrun but are laying people off. People are not dropping dead left and right.

My point is i don't know if these "leaders" actually know what the **** they are looking for when it comes to re-opening but we can't keep staying in lock down "just in case".

[O.city]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I am sure that has something to do with it. But you can't just close them and keep them closed. This is getting to be insane.

If the people are sick in there I’m not sure what else you can do

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

If the people are sick in there I’m not sure what else you can do

I think we are going to get to a point to we need to define "sick". Otherwise you might as well just cancel Christmas, kiss your retirement goodbye, shut down everything and go get in line for you block of cheese and crust of bread and hope your cardboard box is still in the alley when you get back.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I think we are going to get to a point to define "sick".

Start asking people to work in those types of situations being sick with this is how it gets real bad

Just have to test and isolate them I guess

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

Start asking people to work in those types of situations being sick with this is how it gets real bad

Just have to test and isolate them I guess

Again define "sick". If by sick you mean say asymptomatic but you can't work because you might spread it someone then again.....we are in for a couple years of devastation.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Again define "sick". If by sick you mean say asymptomatic but you can't work because you might spread it someone then again.....we are in for a couple years of devastation.

How would you know if they’re asymptomatic?

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

How would you know if they’re asymptomatic?

How do you know if an entire meat packing plant is "sick"?

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by petegz28

And now we have pissing contests going on in the KC area about who is going to open and when.

Never mind the fact that none of what we were told was going to happen has happened in the way were told it would. Our hospitals not only are not overrun but are laying people off. People are not dropping dead left and right.

My point is i don't know if these "leaders" actually know what the **** they are looking for when it comes to re-opening but we can't keep staying in lock down "just in case".

Pretty sure a month ago people would have described 50k people dead as "dropping dead left and right." We're becoming desensitized to the numbers, but they're still insane to comprehend.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Pretty sure a month ago people would have described 50k people dead as "dropping dead left and right." We're becoming desensitized to the numbers, but they're still insane to comprehend.

And you pretty much made a point I have made all along. Half of those deaths are from the NYC area. I don't mean to discount them but as I said, it is taking almost the entire country to produce the same numbers NY\NJ are. That is something that just doesn't go unnoticed to people in other states.

And yes, 50k dead is a lot.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by petegz28

How do you know if an entire meat packing plant is "sick"?

If they’re symptomatic and it’s spreading

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by petegz28

And you pretty much made a point I have made all along. Half of those deaths are from the NYC area. I don't mean to discount them but as I said, it is taking almost the entire country to produce the same numbers NY\NJ are. That is something that just doesn't go unnoticed to people in other states.

And yes, 50k dead is a lot.

If the curve has a significant tail with a small slope, you're looking at 80-100k even with the current strategies in effect.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Pretty sure a month ago people would have described 50k people dead as "dropping dead left and right." We're becoming desensitized to the numbers, but they're still insane to comprehend.

Just to point out a bit as well again for some perspective

As of 4/14 in NY

6.839 total deaths
5,151 had underlying
137 did not
1551 were unknown

almost 75% of those deaths were 65 and older



My point is it seems to fairly easy with this virus to identify the high risk people.

The general working population that do not have underlying are not necessarily at risk. Now I know what the argument will be, "they can spread it to those who are at risk".

And that's true. There is no easy answer to any of this.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

If the curve has a significant tail with a small slope, you're looking at 80-100k even with the current strategies in effect.

So then what do we do?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Just to point out a bit as well again for some perspective

As of 4/14 in NY

6.839 total deaths
5,151 had underlying
137 did not
1551 were unknown

almost 75% of those deaths were 65 and older



My point is it seems to fairly easy with this virus to identify the high risk people.

The general working population that do not have underlying are not necessarily at risk. Now I know what the argument will be, "they can spread it to those who are at risk".

And that's true. There is no easy answer to any of this.

You seriously underestimate the number of people in this country with underlying medical conditions. We are a very unhealthy society.