***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.”

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

My wife would be flying to NO Saturday for a conference.

Yeah, that's less than smart to have a conference right now.....

[eDave]

Originally Posted by BWillie

WTF are they having a conference for?

Whatever. Most likely planned way, way, way in advance.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by eDave

Whatever. Most likely planned way, way, way in advance.

So what! A lot of things have been planned in advanced and canceled. Just to name a few off the top of my head, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, weddings, graduations...the list goes on

[mlyonsd]

Originally Posted by BWillie

WTF are they having a conference for?

University administration BS. It was cancelled a month ago.

[eDave]

Originally Posted by petegz28

So what! A lot of things have been planned in advanced and canceled. Just to name a few off the top of my head, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, weddings, graduations...the list goes on

If I understand correctly, he said she WOULD Be going. I imagine it's cancelled and he was adding support to another post.

EDIT: It is.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by eDave

If I understand correctly, he said she WAS going to go. I imagine it's cancelled.

EDIT: It is.

Ah, very good. I don't read good.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by eDave

If I understand correctly, he said she WOULD Be going. I imagine it's cancelled.

EDIT: It is.

So what! I maintain my outrage and reserve the right to apply it to a future event unknown to us at this time......

[jdubya]

Originally Posted by Donger

No, I didn't. You don't know that she would have done anything differently or had more caution if she weren't wearing gloves or a mask.

She would have touched her keys. Same result.

She would have touched her car doors. Same result.

And so on. I get that if she had followed proper procedure, she could have decreased her likelihood of infection, but sorry, I don't see the increase.

Please understand. I'm not trying to be difficult. Heck, I posted the precautions I take (and have) in this very thread.

Of course I do. If she takes the time to use gloves and mask it is because she wants to avoid contamination. How about this scenario:
Same women driving in her car sees a car wreck on the side of road and pulls over to help. She sees a person bleeding badly so she puts on gloves to protect herself from contamination and begins to help the person. Paramedics come and say thank you goodbye. Lady walks back to her car wearing her gloves completely bloody. Do you think she will rummage through her purse with the gloves on? Do you think she will touch her hair or shoulder with gloves on? Do you think she will remove her gloves in such a way as to not get blood on her clean hand? Do you think she will roll up her bloody gloves and put them in her jeans pocket?

I think being that she cant see anything on her gloves makes her feel clean and protected and complacent and therefore it increases her risk of getting truly infected. If you disagree, thats OK. I`ve had nothing better to do the last hour so Im just having fun. Cheers

[mlyonsd]

Originally Posted by eDave

If I understand correctly, he said she WOULD Be going. I imagine it's cancelled.

EDIT: It is.

Man, everyone is real edgy.

[eDave]

Originally Posted by petegz28

So what! I maintain my outrage and reserve the right to apply it to a future event unknown to us at this time......

**** yea you do. I will never besmirch that right.

[eDave]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

Man, everyone is real edgy.

I"m a purveyor of overall social things and yes, it's increasing across the board.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

Man, everyone is real edgy.

**** YOU!!!

Spoiler!

[BWillie]

My life expectancy is 76.1 years per an American Male. Where do I go to apply to get these next 6 months and last month of my life back so I can achieve 77.1 life expectancy?

[kgrund]

So is Donger the guy that most people know at least one who has to argue EVERY point?

[eDave]

Originally Posted by kgrund

So is Donger the guy that most people know at least one who has to argue EVERY point?

He only argues BS.