***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.”

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Spott

I see about the same percentage of people wearing them. It seems to be a higher percentage of people wearing them at Whole Foods, but everywhere else is less than half. I see many people with masks on, including the instacart shoppers, grabbing 5 or 6 apples, oranges, etc. before deciding on which one they want so it really just seems like the mask thing is just defeating the purpose.

For what it's worth, it's relatively unlikely that you'll have any issues with transmission from food items. Can it happen? Sure. It's just not very common.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Oh hell, I'm agreeing with Pete.



THE APOCALYPSE IS UPON US

IKR

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Your wife probably has 100x more real world experience than Fauci. I also think its interesting the economist views are ignored while doctors who continually repeat "we don't know yet" are taken as gospel.

Exactly. I have heard several other practicing doctors that fall between Fauci and the "open it all up crowd". And that seems to be the most pragmatic approach.

1. Quit moving goal posts
2. Let Governors decide
3. Governors let counties decide
4. Counties let cities decide


But it starts with not moving the goal posts. Some places have clearly gone from "flatten the curve" to "not until we have a vaccine".

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Your wife probably has 100x more real world experience than Fauci. I also think its interesting the economist views are ignored while doctors who continually repeat "we don't know yet" are taken as gospel.

I consider saying "I don't know" as a sign of intelligence.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by Donger

Masks don't do jack shit!

An early study from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine has indicated there is no evidence that homemade fabric masks (i.e. the non-medical/non-N95 masks the CDC wants the general public to wear) impede the transmission of aerosols implicated in the spread of COVID-19.

Link: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-pers...19-experts-say

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by cdcox

Wrong.

Holy shit!

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Exactly. I have heard several other practicing doctors that fall between Fauci and the "open it all up crowd". And that seems to be the most pragmatic approach.

1. Quit moving goal posts
2. Let Governors decide
3. Governors let counties decide
4. Counties let cities decide


But it starts with not moving the goal posts. Some places have clearly gone from "flatten the curve" to "not until we have a vaccine".

I would agree with you if people were actually adhering to SOME sort of guidance from people who know what they're talking about. I don't think there's a single state in the country (maybe Montana?) who are actually to the point they should be relaxing restrictions based on the actual CDC guidance, and many are aggressively going to Phase 3 when they haven't even seen what's going to happen in Phase 1.

As I've said before, it's nice that we'll actually have decent data sets soon. I'm just glad my state isn't one of them going all Leeeeerrroooooyyyy Jeeennnnnkiinnnnnnsssss on a deadly virus.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

An early study from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine has indicated there is no evidence that homemade fabric masks (i.e. the non-medical/non-N95 masks the CDC wants the general public to wear) impede the transmission of aerosols implicated in the spread of COVID-19.

Link: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-pers...19-experts-say

Limited, indirect evidence from lab studies suggests that homemade fabric masks may capture large respiratory droplets

I don't believe many people think that home-made masks do anything more than that.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

An early study from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine has indicated there is no evidence that homemade fabric masks (i.e. the non-medical/non-N95 masks the CDC wants the general public to wear) impede the transmission of aerosols implicated in the spread of COVID-19.

Link: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-pers...19-experts-say

Yes. Let's all throw out the past 1.5 months worth of research and just go back to what was known in the early stages of the outbreak.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Yes. Let's all throw out the past 1.5 months worth of research and just go back to what was known in the early stages of the outbreak.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by Donger

Limited, indirect evidence from lab studies suggests that homemade fabric masks may capture large respiratory droplets

I don't believe many people think that home-made masks do anything more than that.

So unless you are directly sneezing or coughing at someone (and not covering your sneeze/cough), the homemade cloth masks are a waste of time.

They are not protecting the spread of the smaller droplets from talking, etc.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Your wife probably has 100x more real world experience than Fauci. I also think its interesting the economist views are ignored while doctors who continually repeat "we don't know yet" are taken as gospel.

You just read a link I posted few pages ago on some economist opinions, do you think these decision are made without looking at the whole picture.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Yes. Let's all throw out the past 1.5 months worth of research and just go back to what was known in the early stages of the outbreak.

Provide additional supporting research that counters this study and touts the benefit of wearing non-medical/non-/N95 masks.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I would agree with you if people were actually adhering to SOME sort of guidance from people who know what they're talking about. I don't think there's a single state in the country (maybe Montana?) who are actually to the point they should be relaxing restrictions based on the actual CDC guidance, and many are aggressively going to Phase 3 when they haven't even seen what's going to happen in Phase 1.

As I've said before, it's nice that we'll actually have decent data sets soon. I'm just glad my state isn't one of them going all Leeeeerrroooooyyyy Jeeennnnnkiinnnnnnsssss on a deadly virus.

Well again that goes back to my first point, quit moving the goal posts. We were told we had to lock down to flatten the curve. The curve has been flattened. Now some places are coming up with new reasons. The only reason imo at the moment is "our hospitals are crammed and we don't have enough doctors, nurses and resources". That is largely not the case. So let the localities make their decisions based on their situation.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Well again that goes back to my first point, quit moving the goal posts. We were told we had to lock down to flatten the curve. The curve has been flattened. Now some places are coming up with new reasons. The only reason imo at the moment is "our hospitals are crammed and we don't have enough doctors, nurses and resources". That is largely not the case. So let the localities make their decisions based on their situation.

The guidance was put out there a month ago, so the only goal posts I'm seeing moved recently are places moving forward without meeting the guidelines.