***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.”

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Pants

I have no idea why they're comparing Sweden to the UK, Italy and Spain instead of say, Finland.

How is Finland faring? How about Norway?

That's like comparing NYC to Salina, KS.

While true, those places are now having some issues with spikes and are looking at having to lock down again.

I don't know the answer here, but Sweden has figured something out in terms of getting it under control. Maybe it's letting more die though, who knows.

[Donger]

The rate of Covid-19 infections is declining in Sweden, which health authorities said is thanks to citizens voluntarily adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Johan Carlson, the director general of Sweden’s public health agency, said the latest official data show that overall contagion rates are “trending down” and the “number of patients in intensive care is also declining.”

Speaking at a briefing in Stockholm on Tuesday, Carlson said that the decline in infection rates “is an effect of us keeping up the social distancing.”

Ironically, basic social distancing requirements in Sweden are now stricter than in many other countries. That’s because places like Denmark and Norway have rolled back the severe lockdowns they imposed early on to fight Covid-19.

The stringency of Swedish requirements according to the Oxford Covid-19 Government Response Tracker shows the country now places greater restrictions on movement than Norway and Finland.

[jdubya]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Small town about an hour and a half south of KC. I hate the town. They decided to cancel the annual fair, but the car show was fine to go on. After the car show they caution taped the park because someone came to the car show and shortly after got back a positive COVID test result. They closed off the park, so they could sanitize the park lmao. The block party that is 90% indoors was fine to go on.

The town is just so crappy. Nothing is ever done to benefit the kids. Every tax measure for improving the school is voted down. This year they tried to pass a $0.60 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation on property taxes, so they could do much needed repairs to the school. They wanted to get it passed in April, so they could take advantage of the lower interest rates right now, but it got voted down.

Right now the tax levy for the school is the 8th lowest in our 10 school conference. The increase would have put us right in the middle at number 5. The increase would have amounted to a $114 increase on $100,000 appraised value. Most property in the district isn't close to $100,000, so peoples out of pocket would have been less than that. That's less than $10 a month and it couldn't pass. I ****ing hate that town and it's backward ass priorities.

It's where I was raised and my mom used to constantly bitch about no one in town caring enough about the school to pass anything to improve it. Now I understand what she meant.

The citizens voted down a tax increase? The horror

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by O.city

While true, those places are now having some issues with spikes and are looking at having to lock down again.

I don't know the answer here, but Sweden has figured something out in terms of getting it under control. Maybe it's letting more die though, who knows.

I'm getting to the point that I see very little value in paying any attention to Sweden at all. There's no clear answer, and people just put their own spin on whatever it is that supports their story.

Want to argue that it should be a free for all? (Or against it?)
-They never locked down! (They did it voluntarily!)
-They allowed their businesses to stay open! (Their economy hasn't done any better than others.)
-They don't have many deaths! (Now, sure, but they did before!)
-They've reached herd immunity! (But other countries have had higher infection rates and are now seeing second waves, so what explains that?)

It's just a mess of information that doesn't really seem to be adding any value to the conversation.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I'm getting to the point that I see very little value in paying any attention to Sweden at all. There's no clear answer, and people just put their own spin on whatever it is that supports their story.

It's just a mess of information that doesn't really seem to be adding any value to the conversation.

You just described everything about this virus everywhere, not just Sweden.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by loochy

You just described everything about this virus everywhere, not just Sweden.

Eh, I don't think that's entirely true. I think having a general feel for hospitalizations and deaths by region is interesting to try and get a feel for how and where things are growing. I think information on research related to vaccines and therapeutics is good to know to get a feel for how and when things might improve. Information is lacking on means of spread and effectiveness of distancing measures, but to the extent we get new data on that, I think it's good to know about.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I'm getting to the point that I see very little value in paying any attention to Sweden at all. There's no clear answer, and people just put their own spin on whatever it is that supports their story.

Want to argue that it should be a free for all? (Or against it?)
-They never locked down! (They did it voluntarily!)
-They allowed their businesses to stay open! (Their economy hasn't done any better than others.)
-They don't have many deaths! (Now, sure, but they did before!)
-They've reached herd immunity! (But other countries have had higher infection rates and are now seeing second waves, so what explains that?)

It's just a mess of information that doesn't really seem to be adding any value to the conversation.

It's just another piece of a very large ****ed up puzzle. It's not what some want or don't want.

I do think we have an idea now that full blown lockdowns aren't necessary though as we see places coming down without them the same as those did with them.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by O.city

It's just another piece of a very large ****ed up puzzle. It's not what some want or don't want.

I do think we have an idea now that full blown lockdowns aren't necessary though as we see places coming down without them the same as those did with them.

(assuming you're in a place where the population is capable of taking precautions voluntarily)

[RunKC]

So we went to a friends baptism last night at the park by the lake (he wanted it to be a good experience in the lake).

We all wore masks outside bc we were requested to. Thought that was dumb but whatever.

We just found out that the guys mother-in-law went to the event last night knowing she wasn’t feeling well. We just got a text that she got a positive confirmed Covid test this morning.

People are selfish and dumb

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I'm getting to the point that I see very little value in paying any attention to Sweden at all. There's no clear answer, and people just put their own spin on whatever it is that supports their story.

Want to argue that it should be a free for all? (Or against it?)
-They never locked down! (They did it voluntarily!)
-They allowed their businesses to stay open! (Their economy hasn't done any better than others.)
-They don't have many deaths! (Now, sure, but they did before!)
-They've reached herd immunity! (But other countries have had higher infection rates and are now seeing second waves, so what explains that?)

It's just a mess of information that doesn't really seem to be adding any value to the conversation.

I didn't know that Sweden has what they call a Summer Holiday from June 10-Aug 17th where hardly any one goes to work. The government is telling people to continue to work from home when the Summer holiday is over through autumn\winter.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by RunKC

So we went to a friends baptism last night at the park by the lake (he wanted it to be a good experience in the lake).

We all wore masks outside bc we were requested to. Thought that was dumb but whatever.

We just found out that the guys mother-in-law went to the event last night knowing she wasn’t feeling well. We just got a text that she got a positive confirmed Covid test this morning.

People are selfish and dumb

Give us an update once some time has passed. I'd be curious to learn if there was any spread. (I'm guessing there won't be, but outdoor spread is still not well understood from my perspective.)

[Kiimo]

Originally Posted by RunKC

So we went to a friends baptism last night at the park by the lake (he wanted it to be a good experience in the lake).

We all wore masks outside bc we were requested to. Thought that was dumb but whatever.

We just found out that the guys mother-in-law went to the event last night knowing she wasn’t feeling well. We just got a text that she got a positive confirmed Covid test this morning.

People are selfish and dumb

do you still think it was dumb to have her wear a mask

[Pants]

Originally Posted by RunKC

So we went to a friends baptism last night at the park by the lake (he wanted it to be a good experience in the lake).

We all wore masks outside bc we were requested to. Thought that was dumb but whatever.

We just found out that the guys mother-in-law went to the event last night knowing she wasn’t feeling well. We just got a text that she got a positive confirmed Covid test this morning.

People are selfish and dumb

I know she probably felt like she simply could not miss such an important event in her little grand-kid's life, but that is brutal.

Hopefully, she at least stayed away from others and wore a mask. I hope you guys left unscathed too.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Give us an update once some time has passed. I'd be curious to learn if there was any spread. (I'm guessing there won't be, but outdoor spread is still not well understood from my perspective.)

If they were outdoors and all wearing masks I'd say the chances of any spread were slim to none.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Pants

I know she probably felt like she simply could not miss such an important event in her little grand-kid's life, but that is brutal.

Hopefully, she at least stayed away from others and wore a mask. I hope you guys left unscathed too.

Couldn't she have someone do an IG live or something like that?