***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.”

[TLO]

Originally Posted by synthesis2

The company I work for should have one ready to go by December -February and our President feels very confident it’s going to work. Should have 20 plus million ready to go by the times it’s approved . Cautiously very optimistic

Any chance that could be moved up before December?

Also hit the thumbs down on accident, sorry.

[synthesis2]

Originally Posted by O.city

Have you guys got into testing humans yet?

Human testing starts in June and will go thru August and then last phase for approval starts in September to shoot for a December/January/February approval . We signed a 1 billion dollar contract with the government on it.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

If that's accurate that's huge. It confirms what many have been saying about the spread being MUCH more than most estimates. We need to get off our ass and do mass serology tests here. If a metro area hits 50% immunity it would be time to start easing restrictions in that area. And yes I know that herd immunity requires a much higher percentage but if you phase things out correctly you can achieve that goal without stressing healthcare too much.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

I thought the same thing.

If we’ll have 70% with antibodies in a couple weeks then a) this is even more contagious than anyone thought and b) we should start turning everything back on by allowing those with antibodies to get back to work.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by O.city

Breaking: 70% of blood donors in Castiglione d'Adda, the epicentre of the outbreak, tested positive (they had the antibodies) and none had developed any symptoms before! Lombardy is probably approaching herd immunity https://t.co/35B3lRyEri

— Davide Piffer (@DavidePiffer) April 3, 2020

So thats good.

This goes right back to the testing discussion. Even if half of America has already had it and is immune right now, we're never going to know. It's a legit issue. People who know they've had it and are now fine are going to act a lot of different than the people who've had it, don't know it and will spend the next 4-5 months behaving like someone who doesn't want to catch it.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by tk13

This goes right back to the testing discussion. Even if half of America has already had it and is immune right now, we're never going to know. It's a legit issue. People who know they've had it and are now fine are going to act a lot of different than the people who've had it, don't know it and will spend the next 4-5 months behaving like someone who doesn't want to catch it.

True.

I got super sick in late February/early March and just assumed I got it but don’t know. Your point is well taken though because if I knew I had it I would go out.

[Demonpenz]

I always liked bill gates. I don't think he is evil or something.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by synthesis2

Human testing starts in June and will go thru August and then last phase for approval starts in September to shoot for a December/January/February approval . We signed a 1 billion dollar contract with the government on it.

That’s extremely fast

Would be good news

['Hamas' Jenkins]

It's a two day old article that hasn't been referenced anywhere else with an n of 60. I wouldn't be drawing very firm conclusions from this.

[Demonpenz]

I think the key is you getting wholloped with fatigue. Like soul crushing fatigue. That seems to be what stands out other than the breathing.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

It's a two day old article that hasn't been referenced anywhere else with an n of 60. I wouldn't be drawing very firm conclusions from this.

That is pretty small. But being a random sample like that it’s not nothing

I’d think you could do something like 2k here randomly and get a decent idea

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

I always liked bill gates. I don't think he is evil or something.

I would not recommend going into dc and reading about him then

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by RINGLEADER

I thought the same thing.

If we’ll have 70% with antibodies in a couple weeks then a) this is even more contagious than anyone thought and b) we should start turning everything back on by allowing those with antibodies to get back to work.

If it's that contagious the growth in hospitalizations would have started sooner, and it's unlikely so many healthcare workers would have fallen ill and died because the mortality rate would be extremely low.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by O.city

That is pretty small. But being a random sample like that it’s not nothing

I’d think you could do something like 2k here randomly and get a decent idea

It's not a random sample. It's a sample of one of the hardest hit places on Earth in people who are healthy enough to qualify as blood donors. We don't know the gender split, age range, or underlying demographics of this group at all.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

If it's that contagious the growth in hospitalizations would have started sooner, and it's unlikely so many healthcare workers would have fallen ill and died because the mortality rate would be extremely low.

Seriously thank you for your points on this whole situation. You’re spot on and it’s appreciated.

All the best in your own battle.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

If it's that contagious the growth in hospitalizations would have started sooner, and it's unlikely so many healthcare workers would have fallen ill and died because the mortality rate would be extremely low.

There’s something with the amount of viral load and health care workers at play here

I hope they’re right and it’s not as bad as we think but the fact that it’s just now hitting hospitals makes that less likely