***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.”

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

But CASES!!!

I don't understand this. Are you under the impression that cases don't matter?

[O.city]

I am starting to think there really isn’t much asymptomatic spread. It’s more presymptomatic so I do think that makes it a little easier to handle

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by O.city

I am starting to think there really isn’t much asymptomatic spread. It’s more presymptomatic so I do think that makes it a little easier to handle

Yup, I think asymptomatic spread is low and limited to a very short timeframe and not present at all in many asymptomatic cases.

[dlphg9]

What I didn't understand was how was an asymptomatic person spreading it when they didn't have symptoms to spread it, like coughing. I get that people sneeze or cough even when they are not sick, but if people would wash their hands, wear masks, cough/sneeze into their elbow, then asymptomatic spread would not be occurring at all.

Too many people that are symptomatic are going out into public and spreading it cuz they don't really care or just figure they don't have it.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

What I didn't understand was how was an asymptomatic person spreading it when they didn't have symptoms to spread it, like coughing. I get that people sneeze or cough even when they are not sick, but if people would wash their hands, wear masks, cough/sneeze into their elbow, then asymptomatic spread would not be occurring at all.

Too many people that are symptomatic are going out into public and spreading it cuz they don't really care or just figure they don't have it.

They're spreading it the most 48 hours (their most infectious time) prior to having symptoms. It's aerosolized, so speaking, screaming, etc is going to cause spread. It doesn't have to be coughing or sneezing.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by O.city

It's aerosolized, so speaking, screaming, etc is going to cause spread.

I hadn't heard that. That's unpleasant:

https://time.com/5883081/covid-19-transmitted-aerosols/

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by Donger

I hadn't heard that. That's unpleasant:

https://time.com/5883081/covid-19-transmitted-aerosols/

Yeah it sucks , anything indoors is no bueno, probably reduces the efficacy of standard face coverings which sucks .

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Donger

I hadn't heard that. That's unpleasant:

https://time.com/5883081/covid-19-transmitted-aerosols/

Thanks for sharing this. Definitely need to stay away from indoor group activities until a viable vaccine or theraputic is available and I have been saying that for a while.

Forwarding this to my boss so I don't have to go back into the office anytime soon.

We should continue doing what has already been recommended: wash hands, keep six feet apart, and so on. But that is not enough. A new, consistent and logical set of recommendations must emerge to reduce aerosol transmission. I propose the following: Avoid Crowding, Indoors, low Ventilation, Close proximity, long Duration, Unmasked, Talking/singing/Yelling (“A CIViC DUTY”).

[Donger]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Thanks for sharing this. Definitely need to stay away from indoor group activities until a viable vaccine or theraputic is available and I have been saying that for a while.

Forwarding this to my boss so I don't have to go back into the office anytime soon.

Yes. It's common sense that chances of infection is less likely outdoors than indoors, but this figure surprised me:

Contact tracing shows that, when it comes to COVID-19, being outdoors is 20 times safer than being indoors, which argues that aerosol transmission is much more important than droplets; outdoors, there’s plenty of air in which aerosols can become diluted; not so indoors.

[O.city]

Aerosol transmission depends on size as well. Big ones contain more virus, fall quickly, small ones not so much linger.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Thanks for sharing this. Definitely need to stay away from indoor group activities until a viable vaccine or theraputic is available and I have been saying that for a while.

Forwarding this to my boss so I don't have to go back into the office anytime soon.

You should just stay in your house until we have a neutralizing immunization. See you in a few years.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by O.city

They're spreading it the most 48 hours (their most infectious time) prior to having symptoms. It's aerosolized, so speaking, screaming, etc is going to cause spread. It doesn't have to be coughing or sneezing.

Oh ****. Did not know that. Is there any other virus spread like this? Could you imagine if this thing was killing just like 5-10% of people? Id never leave my house lol.

[Donger]

If SARS-CoV-2 is airborne, wouldn't the R0 be comparable to other viruses which are also capable of airborne transmission?

[Donger]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Oh ****. Did not know that. Is there any other virus spread like this? Could you imagine if this thing was killing just like 5-10% of people? Id never leave my house lol.

Reading about it, measles and chickenpox are. Maybe some influenza strains. Rhinoviruses?

Measles has an R0 of 15. Chickenpox is 8.5

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Donger

If SARS-CoV-2 is airborne, wouldn't the R0 be comparable to other viruses which are also capable of airborne transmission?

Airbone and via aerosols are different.