***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.”

[suzzer99]

It would be nice to get some transparency on the current vaccine bottleneck. For a while it was the states getting it into people's arms. Now it seems like the states are catching up and running out of vaccine (which might explain why they never seemed to be in that bag of a hurry in the first place). So that would mean the bottleneck is either manufacturing or distribution. And if manufacturing, what part and what are we doing to fix it? I read something that said it was the vials - which is madness if true.

Has anyone seen a recent article that lays out the current state of affairs in any kind of detail? All i can find are nonsense contentless pieces.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by TLO

I was in the Pfizer group and got the sore arm. It didn't last all that long though.

Well, I have talked with several who have had Moderna and several more who have had Pfizer. You are the only one I know who had a "sore arm" after Pfizer. I mean mine was a touch tender about 12 hours later but never amounted to what I would call sore. I just took 2 advil before I went to bed since I am a side sleeper.

[petegz28]

Holiday week may play into it but yesterday was the lowest cases for a Wednesday in the past couple of months.

[O.city]

So in terms of the "new strains and such" and will the vaccines still work.

All the current vaccines produce polyclonal antibodies. Meaning, they bind to multiple areas of the spike. So theoretically, a single point mutation shoudln't change much.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

It would be nice to get some transparency on the current vaccine bottleneck. For a while it was the states getting it into people's arms. Now it seems like the states are catching up and running out of vaccine (which might explain why they never seemed to be in that bag of a hurry in the first place). So that would mean the bottleneck is either manufacturing or distribution. And if manufacturing, what part and what are we doing to fix it? I read something that said it was the vials - which is madness if true.

Has anyone seen a recent article that lays out the current state of affairs in any kind of detail? All i can find are nonsense contentless pieces.

It's such a complex process, and it's been decentralized to this point, so I'm not sure there's truly anyone who entirely knows where the bottlenecks lie.

[suzzer99]

The only part that's decentralized is the last mile of states getting it into people's arms. The rest is supposed to be part of Operation Warp Speed.

Now you can argue the feds should be helping the states, and maybe they will soon. But I just want some freaking transparency on where the bottlenecks are right now wrt to distribution to the states and manufacturing. Just tell me what the hold up is and what's being done to fix it. Don't leak vague BS to CNN about their being "no plan" - whose sole purpose is to lower expecations.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

The only part that's decentralized is the last mile of states getting it into people's arms. The rest is supposed to be part of Operation Warp Speed.

Now you can argue the feds should be helping the states, and maybe they will soon. But I just want some freaking transparency on where the bottlenecks are right now wrt to distribution to the states and manufacturing. Just tell me what the hold up is and what's being done to fix it. Don't leak vague BS to CNN about their being "no plan" - whose sole purpose is to lower expecations.

Part of the EO's being signed today is making all covid data public and having dashboards etc. Most if not all of this data was not taken or decentralized. You are going to have to be patient.

[Azide22]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

It would be nice to get some transparency on the current vaccine bottleneck. For a while it was the states getting it into people's arms. Now it seems like the states are catching up and running out of vaccine (which might explain why they never seemed to be in that bag of a hurry in the first place). So that would mean the bottleneck is either manufacturing or distribution. And if manufacturing, what part and what are we doing to fix it? I read something that said it was the vials - which is madness if true.

Has anyone seen a recent article that lays out the current state of affairs in any kind of detail? All i can find are nonsense contentless pieces.

I can't speak at all to specifics of this vaccine, but there have been raw goods issues for months. If it's a vials issue, I wouldn't be surprised. It comes and goes a bit, but there are basic medical goods - things like Microbiology plates, which we cannot get. So we use an inferior product, change process, etc. It is madness right now.

[Azide22]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

My first round of Moderna was yesterday and yeah my arm is sore as all get out.

Symptoms on second Moderna vaccine seem to be worse. I got my second on Tuesday, and my arm was a bit sore - but less than first time. I was quite tired though. Most of my coworkers do get symptoms with the second shot- fatigue, fever, headaches, joint aches. Those seem to be the worst. Seems to start around 12 hours after, and end within 36 or less.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

They are signing the DPA this morning and apparently there was little to no vaccine distribution plan. Going to take a little bit.

Seems weird since everyone I know in healthcare in 3 states has gotten the vaccine and they are moving to 1B tier 3 in Missouri as soon as next week.

We are telling employees over 65 and with high risk factors to contact physicians immediately to schedule vaccinations. We don't have hardly any older employees but quite a few with type 2 diabetes. They made the BMI 40 and I just looked that up we don't have too many of those.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Azide22

I can't speak at all to specifics of this vaccine, but there have been raw goods issues for months. If it's a vials issue, I wouldn't be surprised. It comes and goes a bit, but there are basic medical goods - things like Microbiology plates, which we cannot get. So we use an inferior product, change process, etc. It is madness right now.

Thanks for the inside info.

So this sounds like it's probably shortages of raw materials in manufacturing, which I was kind of assuming. It doesn't seem like distribution is the issue, and the states are lagging but about to run out of supply so it doesn't seem like they're the issue.

I wonder if the DPA can help with these raw material and subcomponent supply issues?

[O.city]

The distribution stuff seems to me to be the new administration trying to lower expectations.

I know political and all but I don't really think it's been a huge problem?

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by O.city

The distribution stuff seems to me to be the new administration trying to lower expectations.

I know political and all but I don't really think it's been a huge problem?

Probably depends on what you include in "distribution." I don't think it's been an issue getting it to the states, but from there it's been a range of "going great" in some areas to "complete chaos" in others. I'm not sure what they're planning, but hypothetically if they could actually get the national guard infrastructure in place to help with local distribution and administration, it could help. Maybe.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by O.city

The distribution stuff seems to me to be the new administration trying to lower expectations.

I know political and all but I don't really think it's been a huge problem?

Yeah agreed - distribution to the states seems to be a bright spot.

[suzzer99]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video...06e3_live.html

Biden speaking now, saying he's going to use DPA.