***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.”

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I get the impression that you're an anxious person who legitimately is concerned about these things, but I just find this kind of information to be useless. Is it sad? Of course. But otherwise healthy people die of random shit every day.

We know that, while rare, COVID-19 kills a handful of people in every age range and health condition. Getting unnecessarily worked up about fringe cases just doesn't add to rational discussion.

^

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Well here is Gabe Brown a mayor in Kentucky..

https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavi...dkq-story.html

Listen up dipshits and sensible people. I might not have the best bedside manor. I might not put you at ease like the Governor does, but I don’t care. You need to realize that this is a serious ordeal. In fact, it’s a big f**cking deal. Stay at home.

I didn’t give you information to induce panic. I gave you information, so that you’d be informed.

Maybe, just maybe, I am privy to information that you aren’t. I’m sorry for being the gossiping Mayor.
I’m tired of Covid-19 conference calls. I take 3 a day, plus one extra on the weekend with Kenton County. If you don’t like what I’m telling you, then go buy some toilet paper.

I pray every night that the State, County and region that I love with all of my heart will stop doing nonsensical things. Treat this seriously. If you don’t, then screw you (**** you is what I want to say, but I can’t).

This will pass. Take it seriously. It is here. Act like you have the virus and don’t spread it to other people. I have no doubt that it hasn’t already been here, but testing had been limited. More cases are coming. If you ignore this problem, the worst thing that could happen is that your mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, aunts, uncles could die.

Be responsible. If you don’t, then screw you.

Warmest regards,

Mayor Gabe Brown

Nice.

[ChiefZilla]

prayers for those with jury duty

[kgrund]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Yep. It's a lagging indicator, but it's probably about the most reliable (until the possibility of hospital overloads causing the rate to spike).

They are all lagging indicators if it takes likely days for someone to be tested and ultimately reported.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

And it doesn't appear to have been combined with the azithromycin, which would mirror the results of one of the french studies that ALSO said that the HC was of marginal effectiveness on its own but seemed to demonstrate much stronger returns when combined with Z-Pack.

The problem is that the 'why' is still up for debate.

But the 'everyone panic!' crowd wants to shit on every potential positive development the second a single potential issue shows up and then claim that all of our kids are going to die after a couple of facebook posts.

The wild swings dependent exclusively ont he tenor of the news being reported is beyond the pale.

There’s some really good results with other meds too.

Monoclonal antibodies would be the best shit for this but biologicals are a bitch

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Los Angeles has stopped testing altogether so it's extremely unlikely we'll ever know how many are and were infected, unless those people are admitted to ER's and given treatment.

That is stupid. I would expect a test or they can eat the $35k minimum that the treatment costs.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

There’s some really good results with other meds too.

Monoclonal antibodies would be the best shit for this but biologicals are a bitch

I hadn't seen anything else that really tripped my trigger.

Early optimism over remdesivir really seems to have flamed out quickly. I think they're still progressing with clinical trials but those seem to be pro forma as much as anything.

I get out of my depth pretty quickly reading this stuff but it seems that a LOT of eggs are going into the HC/Z-Pack basket because there just hasn't been much in the way of repeatable results elsewhere.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

That is stupid. I would expect a test or they can eat the $35k minimum that the treatment costs.

There are not enough tests, which is why they are not testing everyone.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

That is stupid. I would expect a test or they can eat the $35k minimum that the treatment costs.

it'll be stupid once there is a meaningful supply of readily available tests that can be quickly processed.

But right now there's still a backlog and those 'instant read' sort of tests seem to be trickling through at best. From what I can see the vast majority of results are in the 4 day range still for a variety of reasons.

With that being the case you still only test the clearly symptomatic (or, IMO, healthcare professionals) and realize that in the 4 days it'll take to get a result on the rest, your hand will have already likely been played for you. For the vast VAST majority of those cases they'll have settled into a 'stay home and feel like shit but there's little to do beyond that' realm or they'll need to be admitted for more significant treatment.

Unless/until we can actually administer tests quickly enough to get results that will determine the course of treatment - there's real benefit to not clogging up labs that could be addressing more critical cases or front-line healthcare providers.

It's essentially triage on a testing scale, for lack of a better way of putting it.

[mlyonsd]

Hopefully a bit of good news. Italy researchers think the virus has a stable genome which will make a vaccine more effective. Sorry if repost.

https://www.foxnews.com/science/coro...ver-many-years

[Bob Dole]

Originally Posted by SupDock

There are not enough tests, which is why they are not testing everyone.

I just got home from the clinic because my panic stricken boss demanded a doctor's release for me to come back to work because I called in Monday because the pollen was kicking my ass and I didn't think I should be walking around the store coughing constantly. They have 5 test kits, and you have to meet 3 criteria before they will burn one.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

I just got home from the clinic because my panic stricken boss demanded a doctor's release for me to come back to work because I called in Monday because the pollen was kicking my ass and I didn't think I should be walking around the store coughing constantly. They have 5 test kits, and you have to meet 3 criteria before they will burn one.

Unfortunately, your doctor has very little ability to tell of you have Covid-19 or not. It's a tough position for a healthcare provider.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

it'll be stupid once there is a meaningful supply of readily available tests that can be quickly processed.

But right now there's still a backlog and those 'instant read' sort of tests seem to be trickling through at best. From what I can see the vast majority of results are in the 4 day range still for a variety of reasons.

With that being the case you still only test the clearly symptomatic (or, IMO, healthcare professionals) and realize that in the 4 days it'll take to get a result on the rest, your hand will have already likely been played for you. For the vast VAST majority of those cases they'll have settled into a 'stay home and feel like shit but there's little to do beyond that' realm or they'll need to be admitted for more significant treatment.

Unless/until we can actually administer tests quickly enough to get results that will determine the course of treatment - there's real benefit to not clogging up labs that could be addressing more critical cases or front-line healthcare providers.

It's essentially triage on a testing scale, for lack of a better way of putting it.

It seems that it would be a choice on their part since NY which has more than half the entire amount of cases is still testing people. It would make no sense that LA could not test people.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

It seems that it would be a choice on their part since NY which has more than half the entire amount of cases is still testing people. It would make no sense that LA could not test people.

Perhaps they are assuming critical patients with characteristic exam findings are positive?
Interesting

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

It seems that it would be a choice on their part since NY which has more than half the entire amount of cases is still testing people. It would make no sense that LA could not test people.

The LA ER's are not testing because so few tests are available at this point and they don't want to waste them on the obvious.

So if you're showing a high fever, cough and respiratory issues, you'll get treatment as soon as possible.