***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.”

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Yep, school districts and the public have been taking advantage of teachers forever. Its not going to change until there is a shortage of teachers or the public rebels against having inferior quality teachers teaching their kids.

Just last night, I spent an hour helping her put packages together to give to the kids.

I don't think it is fair to say school districts. It is the state government and the tax payers. When you start trying to increase peoples taxes, even if it is for teachers salaries it is a hard pass my 80+% of tax payers.

[BWillie]

1964 deaths yesterday - BUT bUT bUT thare ares nobody dyings just more caszes!!

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by BWillie

1964 deaths yesterday - BUT bUT bUT thare ares nobody dyings just more caszes!!

I realize you're trying to be sarcastic but it has taken literally 6x the cases of the first wave to reach just over half of the death rate. It has taken almost 3x the number of cases of the second wave to reach the same level of deaths. That's an ugly silver lining I agree but it also shows things could be much, much worse too.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[MahomesMagic]

Originally Posted by BWillie

1964 deaths yesterday - BUT bUT bUT thare ares nobody dyings just more caszes!!

http://twitter.com/MichaelYeadon3/st...203202/photo/1

[ChiefsHawk]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

My wife has her Masters in education. One year she calculated her time in school, at night and weekends. She made less than minimum wage.

Did she include her summers off?

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by MahomesMagic

http://twitter.com/MichaelYeadon3/st...203202/photo/1

They’re slightly LESS loaded than normal for mid November.
Still no excess deaths.
So...those thousands of covid19 deaths this autumn are where, exactly, in this official chart running to early Nov? pic.twitter.com/ExzOylXUUE

— Yardley Yeadon (@MichaelYeadon3) November 17, 2020

[MahomesMagic]

Originally Posted by petegz28

They’re slightly LESS loaded than normal for mid November.
Still no excess deaths.
So...those thousands of covid19 deaths this autumn are where, exactly, in this official chart running to early Nov? pic.twitter.com/ExzOylXUUE

— Yardley Yeadon (@MichaelYeadon3) November 17, 2020

Thank you. I couldn't get it to embed.

[Indian Chief]

Don't know if anyone saw this. Realistically, I see the Pfizer vaccine being used in hospitals and hospital systems that have a lot of money for the necessary equipment. There are some that already have it and I've seen reports that others are in the process of purchasing now.

Pfizer to Start Pilot Delivery Program for Its COVID-19 Vaccine in 4 US States
By Reuters Staff

November 18, 2020

(Reuters) - Pfizer Inc has launched a pilot delivery program for its experimental COVID-19 vaccine in four U.S. states, as the U.S. drugmaker seeks to address distribution challenges facing its ultra-cold storage requirements.

Pfizer's vaccine, which was shown to be more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 based on initial data, must be shipped and stored at -70 degrees Celsius (minus 94°F), significantly below the standard for vaccines of 2-8 degrees Celsius (36-46°F).

"We are hopeful that results from this vaccine delivery pilot will serve as the model for other U.S. states and international governments, as they prepare to implement effective COVID-19 vaccine programs," Pfizer said in a statement on Monday.

It picked Rhode Island, Texas, New Mexico, and Tennessee for the program after taking into account their differences in overall size, diversity of populations, immunization infrastructure, and need to reach individuals in varied urban and rural settings.

The four states will not receive vaccine doses earlier than other states by virtue of the pilot, nor will they receive any differential consideration, Pfizer said.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I realize you're trying to be sarcastic but it has taken literally 6x the cases of the first wave to reach just over half of the death rate. It has taken almost 3x the number of cases of the second wave to reach the same level of deaths. That's an ugly silver lining I agree but it also shows things could be much, much worse too.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

It's likely the case counts in the first and second waves were pretty severly undercounted.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

It's likely the case counts in the first and second waves were pretty severly undercounted.

I would agree but that would make the case-death rate even lower which is good.

[mr. tegu]

A few things, one very anecdotal but interesting to me. I’ve been receiving countless emails about job openings throughout KS for therapists and other mental health professionals needed. By my count it is way more than what I normally see. Almost all of them are also offering sign on bonuses, which is not all that common in this field. This tells me there is increased need and probably also some people not as willing to see as many clients. This is also in line with the increased referrals I have been getting.

Also, KU Med as of now will not be requiring staff, even those with direct patient contact, to get the vaccine. Thought that was a bit surprising given they are required to get yearly flu shots.

[Donger]

(CNN)The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that Americans should not travel for Thanksgiving, and has posted updated guidelines for safely celebrating the holiday.

"CDC is recommending against travel during the Thanksgiving Day period," Dr. Henry Walke, Covid-19 incident manager for the CDC, told reporters in a conference call.

"Right now, especially as we are seeing exponential growth in cases and the opportunity to translocate disease or infection from one part of the country to another leads, to our recommendation to avoid travel at this time."

"The reason that we made the update is that the fact that over the week we've seen over a million new cases in the country," Dr. Erin Sauber-Schatz, the CDC's lead for Community Intervention and Critical Population Task Force, said during the briefing.

[jdubya]

Some jobs you do because it is a calling and others you do for the money. It`s a choice

[O.city]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I would agree but that would make the case-death rate even lower which is good.

We won't know that til way later anyway, it's kidna pointless at this point to really care about.

It would also show that the lowering of the death rate, wasn't really anything we did in terms of med intervention. Which isn't ideal.

[phisherman]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

A few things, one very anecdotal but interesting to me. I’ve been receiving countless emails about job openings throughout KS for therapists and other mental health professionals needed. By my count it is way more than what I normally see. Almost all of them are also offering sign on bonuses, which is not all that common in this field. This tells me there is increased need and probably also some people not as willing to see as many clients. This is also in line with the increased referrals I have been getting.

Also, KU Med as of now will not be requiring staff, even those with direct patient contact, to get the vaccine. Thought that was a bit surprising given they are required to get yearly flu shots.

Same for where I work. And yeah, I thought it was a bit surprising.