***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 Bugeater

I'll say one thing, I'm glad I'm not the one who has to make the decision about schools. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

That's the truth.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

I'll say one thing, I'm glad I'm not the one who has to make the decision about schools. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Pretty much

[TLO]

BigCatDaddy might be able to answer this better than me, but I think our schools in NW Missouri have opened back up and we haven't seen a huge issue. We also don't have the kind of community spread going on that a lot of places do right now either.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Um, opening gyms and bars was part of the opening and clearly, it was way too soon because now, cases are exploding with no end in sight.

Yes they were part of the opening. But it didn't have to be and shouldn't have been.

I think bars would be the very last thing I would open. If a restaurant has outdoor seating and serves drinks with a meal that's one thing. Bars, night clubs and related places are a disaster.

Again, if it isn't safe for in person schooling, bars should be closed.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Monticore

Is Donger going to answer all those questions with one big question or and equal amount of questions.

He definitely popped a boner while reading that post.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by TLO

BigCatDaddy might be able to answer this better than me, but I think our schools in NW Missouri have opened back up and we haven't seen a huge issue. We also don't have the kind of community spread going on that a lot of places do right now either.

Just a few have for summer school. So far so good but a few teams..I think Chillicothe had a positive test and had to shut down summer weights for a few weeks.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

I'll say one thing, I'm glad I'm not the one who has to make the decision about schools. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Flip a coin? Heads schools open, tails they don't.

[O.city]

https://twitter.com/kerpen/status/12...062581762?s=21

Thread on a study from Sweden About primary schools

[jdubya]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

It's people like your dumb ****ing ass that are responsible for cases blowing up.

sorry I confess its all my fault

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

Flip a coin? Heads schools open, tails they don't.

That's probably as good of a strategy as anything else. Should go over great in a press conference....Mr Mayor, how did you arrive at this decision? Well, I took a lot of factors into consideration...read the recommendations from the CDC and local health officials....studied the data...finally said **** it and flipped a coin.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

Flip a coin? Heads schools open, tails they don't.

It certainly doesn't have to be either or for the whole country and for every age groups.

I think districts should focus on grade schools first. The socialization aspect is probably most important for this age. And it creates the biggest headache for parents with childcare.

I realize social distancing isn't going to be practical with this age. I would try to put them in discrete groups and then try to minimize the interaction between groups.

And again this would have to be based on parents and teachers opting in.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Considering the data shows it is very unlikely half the class will have a sore throat as a result of Covid I would say it won't happen much.

Secondly you can what if this thing until the end of time.

Every sore throat has to be treated like a covid potentially even if 99% won’t be so kids will still need to be sent home quarantined or tested or both , logistically it will be a mess .I could see a lot of kids just saying they have symptoms to be sent home too.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Monticore

Every sore throat has to be treated like a covid potentially even if 99% won’t be so kids will still need to be sent home quarantined or tested or both , logistically it will be a mess .I could see a lot of kids just saying they have symptoms to be sent home too.

Yeah, I am gonna go ahead and disagree.

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Yeah, I am gonna go ahead and disagree.

We are now killing and average 700 people a day, a rate that is going to climb to over a thousand within a few weeks. Other countries are doing much better, at controlling the disease, so it's not like we are doing everything we can to mitigate the disease. But rather than implementing better public health practices that are saving lives in other countries, you advocate throwing caution to the wind and pouring more gas on the fire. Just how many people are you willing to kill, Pete?

[suzzer99]

New Zealand is 100% open for business - zero cases. WAHHHH

If they would let me travel there I'd quit my job tomorrow and go there and quarantine for a month while I wait for my car to be shipped. I'll put up a $10k bond that I won't break quarantine if they want. As long as after that I'm free to roam NZ and AUS.