***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.”

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by wazu

China went a long time before getting things under control as they were hit first. Yet still, somehow, a country with 1.4 billion people only had about 80,000 infected. That's like .006%.

Because they are communist. They made it against the law to leave your home in Wuhan for about a month. Think they will do that here? They were ripping mother ****ers out of their cars and homes that had it in hazmat suits.

I guess the one benefit of communism and shitting on human rights...the ability to mitigate a pandemic.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Because they are communist. They made it against the law to leave your home in Wuhan for about a month. Think they will do that here? They were ripping mother ****ers out of their cars and homes that had it in hazmat suits.

I guess the one benefit of communism and shitting on human rights...the ability to mitigate a pandemic.

That was pretty much my reference point, Americans are more likely to ignore it or just say **** it and not care. Very reasonable chance there will be a much higher spread level here than in China.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Donger

While I'm not one to underestimate this bug, I'm just not buying that. Countries which have had this longer than us and have been testing aren't showing anywhere near millions infected.

Whats different is that we are 3-4 weeks behind in testing. We have allowed normal life to go on. Most Americans are like I've had cold/flu's who cares about this shit. We cant lock down America like the Chinese did.


Take the tech meeting in Massachusetts. One person infected 70 at the conference. Those people that interacted with those 70 confirmed positive cant get tested because there is no wide spread testing available.


They just let a plane full of people that have been exposed to a know positive test patient leave on landing and go out and possibly infect others.


Again, its a pandemic and should take it seriously and quit minimizing the impact on our elderly population and what its going to our economy. Every single person in the USA is going to be effected one way or another. But, its not a deadly threat to 250+ million of us. It's a temporary thing we have to go through. This isn't a permanent thing.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

Both my son & sister have autoimmune diseases and get monthly treatments for them. Which, of course, makes everything worse when they get sick. I'm not one to overreact to this, but I'm also not one to sit on my hands either. This does concern me when it comes to them.

I told my sister to isolate as much as possible and her husband and kids should basically change clothes and either wash hands and face vigorously or take a shower before they come near her if they've been out around people. And she needs to become OCD cleaning woman.

I don't think she'll do it though. Her whole life revolves around those kids and being active in the community.

They also have 3 dogs and 3 cats which seem like perfect vectors for a virus to hitch a ride on. Anyone seen how long it lives on pet hair?

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Whats different is that we are 3-4 weeks behind in testing. We have allowed normal life to go on. Most Americans are like I've had cold/flu's who cares about this shit. We cant lock down America like the Chinese did.


Take the tech meeting in Massachusetts. One person infected 70 at the conference. Those people that interacted with those 70 confirmed positive cant get tested because there is no wide spread testing available.


Again, its a pandemic and should take it seriously and quit minimizing the impact on our elderly population and what its going to our economy. Every single person in the USA is going to be effected one way or another. But, its not a deadly threat to 250+ million of us. It's a temporary thing we have to go through. This isn't a permanent thing.

It's going to continue too because people have bills to pay or the "I do what I want" attitude.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Whats different is that we are 3-4 weeks behind in testing. We have allowed normal life to go on. Most Americans are like I've had cold/flu's who cares about this shit. We cant lock down America like the Chinese did.


Take the tech meeting in Massachusetts. One person infected 70 at the conference. Those people that interacted with those 70 confirmed positive cant get tested because there is no wide spread testing available.


Again, its a pandemic and should take it seriously and quit minimizing the impact on our elderly population and what its going to our economy. Every single person in the USA is going to be effected one way or another. But, its not a deadly threat to 250+ million of us. It's a temporary thing we have to go through. This isn't a permanent thing.

I was referring to ROK, not China. Look, even Italy, which apparently took a very "Italian" view of this bug, still only have 12,500 cases.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Because they are communist. They made it against the law to leave your home in Wuhan for about a month. Think they will do that here? They were ripping mother ****ers out of their cars and homes that had it in hazmat suits.

I guess the one benefit of communism and shitting on human rights...the ability to mitigate a pandemic.

I think our POTUS is going to declare a National Emergency which then gives him lots of power to do certain things

[wazu]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Because they are communist. They made it against the law to leave your home in Wuhan for about a month. Think they will do that here? They were ripping mother ****ers out of their cars and homes that had it in hazmat suits.

I guess the one benefit of communism and shitting on human rights...the ability to mitigate a pandemic.

Even with that, the virus had circulated through an incredibly dense population before all of this got put in place. Still, really low numbers. Agree that South Korea is probably a better match for U.S. But the numbers for China, if anywhere near accurate, are stunningly low given the global panic that is going on right now.

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by tyecopeland

So how come nobody batted an eye when the school ran low attendance because of so many kids out with the flu or flu symptoms? Kids are more likely to get the flu than this but there was zero talk of canceling school. The health care system was getting clogged up with people with the flu and I'm sure theres lots of people who were at risk who didnt get the flu shot. Shouldn't there have been some reaction to that?

There wasn't. Just 'oh be careful its flu season'

1. How many kids with the flu needed to be put on ventilators? This is not the flu.
2. In my area schools close several times a decade because of the flu.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Mecca

It's going to continue too because people have bills to pay or the "I do what I want" attitude.

Most people are living paycheck to paycheck. They don't have the luxury to work from home or go without a paycheck for a month. America is not going to implement the draconian measures China did to stop the spread. Not going to happen and it shouldn't.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Donger

While I'm not one to underestimate this bug, I'm just not buying that. Countries which have had this longer than us and have been testing aren't showing anywhere near millions infected.

Just posted this 1/2 hour ago. It was a private meeting.



Up to 150 million Americans are expected to contract the coronavirus, congressional doctor says

[Donger]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Just posted this 1/2 hour ago. It was a private meeting.



Up to 150 million Americans are expected to contract the coronavirus, congressional doctor says

Yes, I know. Please note that I took issue with you saying that millions of Americans are probably already infected.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Donger

Yes, I know. Please note that I took issue with you saying that millions of Americans are probably already infected.

I should have said possibly, not probably. My bad.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

I don't think she'll do it though. Her whole life revolves around those kids and being active in the community.

My sister is the same way. She's always doing something to help someone. She helps out with things at church, at school, and with the junior college.

This week she is working a concession stand at the 3A state basketball tourney. Next week she is working a concession stand at the NJCAA tourney. So basically, for the next 2 weeks she's essentially putting herself in the worse possible scenario - out of town/state people handing her money.

[Loneiguana]

https://apnews.com/e7b9d39fd06ed228e7b406d921dd8417

US Capitol closing to public until April amid virus outbreak