***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.”

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

That’s your prerogative. But the “experts” have been wrong many times through out history. I see no harm in questioning them. In fact, I believe it to be quite healthy to throw out counter ideas. That is actually how we learn new things, by questioning the official line.

Yeah, Joe Rogan threw out the idea that maybe saunas would kill the virus. And others think 80 degree water will do the trick. A lot of people have ideas, but very few of those people really have the base of knowledge/data they would need to have much to contribute.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

That’s your prerogative. But the “experts” have been wrong many times through out history. I see no harm in questioning them. In fact, I believe it to be quite healthy to throw out counter ideas. That is actually how we learn new things, by questioning the official line.

Fair enough, but I suspect there is a lot of deliberation prior to these decisions. Being wrong is definitely a learning opportunity.

The problem I have, is that if this end up being better than expected, people will say the measures were not necessary. People won't admit that the measures were effective.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

Is that mortality rate world wide or just here in America?

Globally, it's 3.7%

Here, it's 1.9%

Fluid numbers, but it's what we have.

[SupDock]

So it turns out the Utah Jazz didn’t buy these tests privately.

Instead, the state of Oklahoma used 60% of their daily test capacity (100 tests) on testing players and staff from an NBA team. https://t.co/uYZZRhSaqY

— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) March 14, 2020

This is a bit frustrating to hear, if true.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by SupDock

Fair enough, but I suspect there is a lot of deliberation prior to these decisions. Being wrong is definitely a learning opportunity.

The problem I have, is that if this end up being better than expected, people will say the measures were not necessary. People won't admit that the measures were effective.

The flippancy of so many people has been extremely disheartening, albeit expected.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

albeit unexpected.

Really?

[Kiimo]

If what I posted works we might see the cure roll out in like 3-4 months, provided it was the fastest fast track in the history of modern medicine



edit: which would also be wildly dangerous, btw

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

That’s your prerogative. But the “experts” have been wrong many times through out history. I see no harm in questioning them. In fact, I believe it to be quite healthy to throw out counter ideas. That is actually how we learn new things, by questioning the official line.

I'm not even sure who the experts are, or if they're even being truthful. So I'm approaching this by doing what I feel is necessary on a personal level based on what information I feel is accurate, which isn't much. Anything else is beyond my control and isn't really worth spending any amount of time worrying about.

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Do you feel like you have the expertise and the data to really know what measures are reasonable and which ones are overkill? I mean, at a general level, there's got to be a tradeoff between fighting the virus spread and maintaining adequate economic activity, but what makes you so sure of your judgment as to the specific balance in this case?

What is the line Rush Limbaugh has become fond of using... intelligence guided by experience.

I can look back on previous situations that are similar to this one. I can see how they were approached, handled and view the ultimate outcome and come to reasonable conclusion.

I can go into some detail but, a portion of that would have to take place in the DC forum.

[FlintHillsChiefs]

Originally Posted by Kiimosabi

If what I posted works we might see the cure roll out in like 3-4 months, provided it was the fastest fast track in the history of modern medicine



edit: which would also be wildly dangerous, btw

Incredibly dangerous. If shit gets bad enough they might consider it worth the risk though

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by SupDock

This is a bit frustrating to hear, if true.

But not surprising at all.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

What is the line Rush Limbaugh has become fond of using... intelligence guided by experience.

I can look back on previous situations that are similar to this one. I can see how they were approached, handled and view the ultimate outcome and come to reasonable conclusion.

I can go into some detail but, a portion of that would have to take place in the DC forum.

It's much easier to makes those decisions on a personal level than to make them for a nation

[FlintHillsChiefs]

Originally Posted by SupDock

So it turns out the Utah Jazz didn’t buy these tests privately.

Instead, the state of Oklahoma used 60% of their daily test capacity (100 tests) on testing players and staff from an NBA team. https://t.co/uYZZRhSaqY

— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) March 14, 2020

This is a bit frustrating to hear, if true.

So they wasted the rest of their tests on the OKC players? Because I don't see how you don't test both teams at that point.

Also, how ****ed up is it that an entire state only has 100 tests a day?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Donger

Really?

Typo. Sorry. Expected.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Remember how long it took for Springfield to get back online after the 2007 ice storm?

Yeah that sucked for sure