***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.”

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Bowser

So get the hospitals and nursing homes sparkly clean, then.

Racist post reported. Now you'll have to ban yourself.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Bowser

That's already been happening through this shit.

Right. But to further discourage people seems bad.

[O.city]

So with deaths not going up with cases, it seems there's something we've missed. I think there were way way more cases back in Feb/March/April than we caught, so deaths were higher. The cases we're catching now are milder and there are less of them. We know how to better deal with this now as well.

That's my theory.

Everyone thinks deaths are 2 weeks behind cases because that's how it looked the first time. But we were way behind on the cases the last time and they seemed to spike a few weeks before deaths but actually, it was way before and they were way higher.

[Fat Elvis]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Any thoughts on these things? Sounds iffy.

https://www.rgf.com/rgfs-patented-ai...d-flu-viruses/

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Not nearly enough air exchanges per hour for it to be effective would be my guess.

KDHE is installing these things in Curtis State Office Building; if it works, it is an interesting and elegant solution (hometown solution, too--LFK):

https://www.startlandnews.com/2020/0...Ypcj6bnIIMfByk

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by O.city

So with deaths not going up with cases, it seems there's something we've missed. I think there were way way more cases back in Feb/March/April than we caught, so deaths were higher. The cases we're catching now are milder and there are less of them. We know how to better deal with this now as well.

That's my theory.

Everyone thinks deaths are 2 weeks behind cases because that's how it looked the first time. But we were way behind on the cases the last time and they seemed to spike a few weeks before deaths but actually, it was way before and they were way higher.

I personally feel this shit has been here much, much longer than is believed. There is talk of China knowing about this as far back as late summer of '19. We'll never know for sure because they'll never officially admit to anything like that.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by HUMONGOUS BONEREATER

Racist post reported. Now you'll have to ban yourself.

I really should ban myself from this thread, lol.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Bowser

I personally feel this shit has been here much, much longer than is believed. There is talk of China knowing about this as far back as late summer of '19. We'll never know for sure because they'll never officially admit to anything like that.

I would guess January there was community spread. I don't know about December, but it's possible.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by O.city

So with deaths not going up with cases, it seems there's something we've missed. I think there were way way more cases back in Feb/March/April than we caught, so deaths were higher. The cases we're catching now are milder and there are less of them. We know how to better deal with this now as well.

That's my theory.

Everyone thinks deaths are 2 weeks behind cases because that's how it looked the first time. But we were way behind on the cases the last time and they seemed to spike a few weeks before deaths but actually, it was way before and they were way higher.

We are seeing deaths increase in states which have seen significant new case growth.

[KCUnited]

For fellow chart dorks

https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeaut...tm_name=iossmf

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Donger

We are seeing deaths increase in states which have seen significant new case growth.

Not really.

Arizona has had some weird things with the numbers but it's not jumped the rails like it did in NY yet.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by O.city

Not really.

Arizona has had some weird things with the numbers but it's not jumped the rails like it did in NY yet.

No, there are increases in deaths in those states. Florida, Texas and Arizona. haven't looked at California. I didn't say anything about comparing them to NY.

[suzzer99]

It makes sense that deaths would be low since older/at-risk people are taking precautions. So the leading edge of this second wave (or whatever you want to call it) is going to be a lot of young people.

The big question is do they ultimately end up infecting a lot more at-risk/older people, or can we get close to herd immunity with only the young/healthy?

But again - long term damage - no one knows how much, but it's definitely happening.

My stepdad always said "growing up they said the only problem with smoking is it would stunt your growth". Hopefully we don't wind up with a chunk of this wave saying "No one knew there could be long term damage" for the rest of their lives.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Donger

No, there are increases in deaths in those states. Florida, Texas and Arizona. haven't looked at California. I didn't say anything about comparing them to NY.

According to worldometers site, there haven't really been any meaningful increases in deaths yet.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

It makes sense that deaths would be low since older/at-risk people are taking precautions. So the leading edge of this second wave (or whatever you want to call it) is going to be a lot of young people.

The big question is do they ultimately end up infecting a lot more at-risk/older people, or can we get close to herd immunity with only the young/healthy?

But again - long term damage - no one knows how much, but it's definitely happening.

This whole long term damage fear mongering both ways is just out of control. We don't know either way. It's pretty pointless to say at this point, we won't know for a while.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by O.city

This whole long term damage fear mongering both ways is just out of control. We don't know either way. It's pretty pointless to say at this point, we won't know for a while.

We know it happens. We know there are enough people for there to be support groups for it, and studies done on populations who have it.