***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.”

[wazu]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

He said a ban "probably isn't too far off."

That's the exact opposite?

I read that quote as being that you’ve walked up to the line but they decided to allow it, but I see your interpretation that they might change that policy soon.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

Medicare paid huge sums for every patient admitted for Covid and triple that figure for every patient treated with a ventilator.

I'm not saying there was widespread abuse, but there definitely was at certain hospitals like Elmhurst in Queens.

Would I believe that being intubated in the ICU triple the cost of a hospital stay? Absolutely

If that person wasn’t actually sick enough to be in the ICU, sounds like it would make more sense to keep discharging and admitting new patients than it would to have someone on a ventilator for two weeks

Your argument is so easy to break down logically. But after making an accusation you’ve already admitted that it is very unlikely this was occurring in a widespread fashion.

Is there a possibility of abuse of Medicare funds? Sure. Physicians get in trouble for this all the time. I think this is a very unlikely source of inflated COVID numbers in any significant manner

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

I've never trusted Big Pharma, and I don't see a reason to trust them more simply because corporate media is painting them as our saviors right now.

Two years ago Pharma had sunk to dead last in US industry ratings according to a Gallup poll. Amazing turnaround.

Probably because their medications are horrifically overpriced, not because of the effectiveness of their medications.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

So you want this place to be as fascistic as Facebook? Guess I shouldn't be surprised.

What would you need to see to change your stance on the vaccines?

[loochy]

Originally Posted by tredadda

What would you need to see to change your stance on the vaccines?

A case of COVID

[Kiimo]

I'm honestly just shocked how many people still use Facebook.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by loochy

A case of COVID

Been there.

Wasn’t fun, as I’d never dealt with shortness of breath before, but a few puffs from my woman’s inhaler and a couple days rest and I was good to go. I don’t think I even missed any work. Maybe a few hours.

I think the supplements I was taking were a big help.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

Been there.

Wasn’t fun, as I’d never dealt with shortness of breath before, but a few puffs from my woman’s inhaler and a couple days rest and I was good to go. I don’t think I even missed any work. Maybe a few hours.

I think the supplements I was taking were a big help.

So you went to work while having covid?

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

Been there.

Wasn’t fun, as I’d never dealt with shortness of breath before, but a few puffs from my woman’s inhaler and a couple days rest and I was good to go. I don’t think I even missed any work. Maybe a few hours.

I think the supplements I was taking were a big help.

What would it take to change your stance on the vaccine?

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

Been there.

Wasn’t fun, as I’d never dealt with shortness of breath before, but a few puffs from my woman’s inhaler and a couple days rest and I was good to go. I don’t think I even missed any work. Maybe a few hours.

I think the supplements I was taking were a big help.

Why do you trust supplements? to my knowledge they are less regulated than pharmaceuticals and still make tons of money for the manufacturers?

[WhawhaWhat]

I'm here for this. pic.twitter.com/GABaLDmEbZ

— Travon Free (@Travon) August 11, 2021

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by tredadda

What would you need to see to change your stance on the vaccines?

My primary stance is that money is/was the biggest driving force. I don't think anything can change that.

I don't have any strong positions on safety or risks at this point. I'm just highly skeptical and I think the CDC is underreporting reactions.

The fact that the control groups have been eliminated (at least in the case of Pfizer and Moderna) will make it very difficult to assess their true safety and efficacy.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by Monticore

Why do you trust supplements? to my knowledge they are less regulated than pharmaceuticals and still make tons of money for the manufacturers?

I'm selective and mostly use products that are third party certified.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

I'm here for this. pic.twitter.com/GABaLDmEbZ

— Travon Free (@Travon) August 11, 2021

Wish I could give this more than one thumbs up.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

So you went to work while having covid?

Been working from home for well over a year.