***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.”

[BigCatDaddy]

While some like me despise mask, they are a security blanket for many. A lot of people are going to have a hard time letting go of them IMO. They won't feel hidden in public amymore. It will be interesting.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by TLO

Starting to see the sunrise coming after a very dark night. Still just a glimmer.. But it's coming.

Next thing will be "not enough people have gotten vaccinated so we can't return to normal". That will be met with "see, this the Gov trying to force me to get their crap!"

[smithandrew051]

Curious if anyone knows the answer to this. I’ve tried to look it up, but I can’t find a definitive number that I feel confident in. Please provide a source if you can.

How many people total have had COVID-19 more than once?

I’m not interested in the studies of IF you can get it more than once. I just want to know the total confirmed number of people who have had it more than once.

[Donger]

Pfizer's vaccine has to be kept at minus 75 degrees Celsius — or about minus 103 degrees Fahrenheit. No other vaccine in the US needs to be kept that cold, and doctors' offices and pharmacies do not have freezers that go that low.

Moderna's vaccine can be kept at minus 20 degrees Celsius, which is about minus 68 agrees Fahrenheit. Other vaccines, such as the one against chickenpox, need to be kept at that temperature.

That means Moderna's vaccine can be kept in "a readily available freezer that is available in most doctors' offices and pharmacies," said Dr. Tal Zacks, Moderna's chief medical officer. "We leverage infrastructure that already exists for other marketed vaccines."

Another advantage of Moderna's vaccine is that it can be kept for 30 days in the refrigerator, the company announced Monday. Pfizer's vaccine can last only five days in the refrigerator.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

Curious if anyone knows the answer to this. I’ve tried to look it up, but I can’t find a definitive number that I feel confident in. Please provide a source if you can.

How many people total have had COVID-19 more than once?

I’m not interested in the studies of IF you can get it more than once. I just want to know the total confirmed number of people who have had it more than once.

Nobody knows

[O.city]

Originally Posted by TLO

I'm going to ask a vague question that was posed to me by a co-worker today. Interested in what the responses will be.

Would you let your 12 year old child play outside with a group of 4 or 5 friends, or is this too dangerous?

Let them play

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Donger

Pfizer's vaccine has to be kept at minus 75 degrees Celsius — or about minus 103 degrees Fahrenheit. No other vaccine in the US needs to be kept that cold, and doctors' offices and pharmacies do not have freezers that go that low.

Moderna's vaccine can be kept at minus 20 degrees Celsius, which is about minus 68 agrees Fahrenheit. Other vaccines, such as the one against chickenpox, need to be kept at that temperature.

That means Moderna's vaccine can be kept in "a readily available freezer that is available in most doctors' offices and pharmacies," said Dr. Tal Zacks, Moderna's chief medical officer. "We leverage infrastructure that already exists for other marketed vaccines."

Another advantage of Moderna's vaccine is that it can be kept for 30 days in the refrigerator, the company announced Monday. Pfizer's vaccine can last only five days in the refrigerator.

Something's weird in your numbers here.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Something's weird in your numbers here.

The funny part is that I did a double take on that and should have run it. Guess they screwed up. -4 F

[Delano]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

While some like me despise mask, they are a security blanket for many. A lot of people are going to have a hard time letting go of them IMO. They won't feel hidden in public amymore. It will be interesting.

What will be interesting about it? There are several areas around the earth where it’s a cultural norm to wear a mask when dealing with respiratory illnesses. It’s not given a second thought for a big part of the civilized world. I think it’s more of a common good thing than a security blanket.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Delano

What will be interesting about it? There are several areas around the earth where it’s a cultural norm to wear a mask when dealing with respiratory illnesses. It’s not given a second thought for a big part of the civilized world. I think it’s more of a common good thing than a security blanket.

Well, the fact that it was never done in this culture before and now I can see people having trouble not wearing them. Maybe not because of a virus, but because it has almost become part of them. They feel naked without it.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Well, the fact that it was never done in this culture before and now I can see people having trouble not wearing them. Maybe not because of a virus, but because it has almost become part of them. They feel naked without it.

And you're basing this on???

[Delano]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Well, the fact that it was never done in this culture before and now I can see people having trouble not wearing them. Maybe not because of a virus, but because it has almost become part of them. They feel naked without it.

That feeling is common with any PPE that’s part of routine safety. I felt naked without a hard hat for a while when I stopped doing tree work. The mask isn’t an identity thing as you’re making it out to be. It’s purely safety and empathy and I guess if that’s symbolic then so be it.

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Well, the fact that it was never done in this culture before and now I can see people having trouble not wearing them. Maybe not because of a virus, but because it has almost become part of them. They feel naked without it.

Of course that's what you think.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Pants

And you're basing this on???

Just observations, such as people riding in their cars by themselves with them on. Personally, I know it will be odd at first for me to go into certain places without it.

[Delano]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Just observations, such as people riding in their cars by themselves with them on. Personally, I know it will be odd at first for me to go into certain places without it.

That’s true mask hygiene. If you doff the mask you’re supposed to toss it so those folks masked in cars are following recommendations as well as conserving masks. I appreciate the observations but the ideas you’re inferring from them are still opinion.