***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.”

[luv]

Boyfriend's restaurant closed the dining room today. They're not exactly a to-go order type of place, but they have a faithful following among the fine dining crowd. They created a limited to-go menu that they will deliver curbside or meet you at the door. They're also starting delivery using grubhub.

There are three owners (chef, bar, and foh) and my boyfriend (sous chef) that are salaried, and they kept on one hourly kitchen staff. Boyfriend is still scared that he could wind up getting the temporary ax.

It sucks for everyone in that industry. If you have a local establishment that is offering curbside, please be inclined to stop by to pick something up. It will help more than you know. If laid off, they can collect unemployment, but it's not nearly the same and it will be difficult to find work whenever nearly everyone in that industry is out doing the same thing. My job is just fine, but please keep us in your thoughts, as things could still potentially go sideways for us for a little while.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by Rausch

I can't imagine dentists are begging to go to work either...

And I just started getting a toothache last week.

Images of Tom Hanks in Castaway...

Why does every damn thing related to Coronavirus have to go through Tom Hanks...

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

They shut down the entire country. My boss's parents live in Chongqing - a city with 30 million people. When they got 10 positive tests there, they shut the whole city down.

Sounds like similar to what we're doing now - only essential businesses still open, but people can still go to work and go for walks - not like the super hardcore lockdown in Wuhan where you can't even be out on the streets except once a week to buy groceries.

Exactly... Nailed it!

Much better to do this then to let the virus continue to spread.

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

What form of zinc? Seems like there's an endless variety out there. Not ZMA right? I tried that stuff once and it gave me freaky dreams.

I recommend Zicam.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

What form of zinc? Seems like there's an endless variety out there. Not ZMA right? I tried that stuff once and it gave me freaky dreams.

The one I bought was Olly - Active Immunity + Elderberry. Echinacea, Zinc and Vitamin C gummies.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by BWillie

The one I bought was Olly - Active Immunity + Elderberry. Echinacea, Zinc and Vitamin C gummies.

Cool, thanks.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Dude.

This is so dumb as to not even merit a response. You're welcome to click 'find more posts by this user' and actually read what I've said if you'd like. But if you just want to sit there and kick straw men - well, it's your time.

I suggest you do the same instead of accusing people of advocating martial law without telling the whole story.

[gblowfish]

From my friend in Berkeley, CA:

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

Fingers crossed

Yeah hopefully if it does pause we do everything we can to make a plan for it to potentially come roaring back in the winter. I fear we'll get complacent again.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

I suggest you do the same instead of accusing people of advocating martial law without telling the whole story.

Or as Marco Rubio says, Marshall law. No wait, he corrected it to marital law. Can't make this shit up.

Mods please don't ban me it's funny and no one likes Rubio anyway

[Strongside]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Yeah hopefully if it does pause we do everything we can to make a plan for it to potentially come roaring back in the winter. I fear we'll get complacent again.

I think the main hope there is that it slows enough to allow for an expedited vaccine to possibly be pushed through. I know that's a long shot, but man...if this slows in the summer months and then a vaccine is available in the fall...that will be huge.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

I suggest you do the same instead of accusing people of advocating martial law without telling the whole story.

What exactly do you have to take umbrage with here?

I mean, apart from you ignoring the repeated instances of me saying "people should not pretend like this isn't here and try to carry on with their everyday lives..." what 'whole story' have I not spoken to? And apart from the fact that you HAVE advocated for martial law, 'indirectly' as you have conceded, what frustrations do you have with being 'accused' of it?

You HAVE advocated for martial law. I HAVE spoken directly to the folly of 'business as usual'. Neither of these facts are even remotely in dispute.

So what precisely are you bitching about?

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Strongside

I think the main hope there is that it slows enough to allow for an expedited vaccine to possibly be pushed through. I know that's a long shot, but man...if this slows in the summer months and then a vaccine is available in the fall...that will be huge.

From everything I've read, next winter is the best case scenario for a vaccine.

What we could have in place is comprehensive testing like S. Korea, an isolation plan for people who test positive, more ICU beds and ventilators, and maybe some new treatments.

And I still have a hunch we're going to find out everyone wearing a mask when it's cold out, like a lot of Asian countries already do, makes a difference.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

From everything I've read, next winter is the best case scenario for a vaccine.

What we could have in place is comprehensive testing like S. Korea, an isolation plan for people who test positive, more ICU beds and ventilators, and maybe some new treatments.

And I still have a hunch we're going to find out everyone wearing a mask when it's cold out, like a lot of Asian countries already do, makes a difference.

Make it illegals to not wear mask in publik - don't even know if I'm joking?

[DaneMcCloud]

Drone views of the Costco in Los Feliz an hour before opening 👀 pic.twitter.com/A6w5TG44fu

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) March 17, 2020