***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.”

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Yes, and some 540 lb slob who's getting ready to go on a ventilator wants to blame an unvaxxed person.

The elderly have no choice in this. Everyone gets old. Everyone does not have to be morbidly obese or horribly diabetic. Most of these compounding issues are bad life decisions that people refuse to take responsibility for.

Don't make horrible life decisions for 30 years and then act like my one health decision is what decides life or death for you. Compounding factors decide outcomes - not the virus itself. Most people get really sic and are fine...

Well, technically you don't have to go nearly that far.

The CDC uses BMI as the indicator for obesity when it comes to Covid deaths, so my fat ass 6'3"/205lbs/~38-40" waist would be considered obese.


Just sayin', a lot of people who think hospitals are lying about the true number of Covid-caused deaths also think the obesity numbers are the word of God (not you specifically, just the general hypocrisy of only believing numbers that help a certain opinion).

Plus, a full ICU is a full ICU. And it's not just about that, it's about getting back to normal, whether it's something as relatively simple as not wearing a mask for 3 hours while flying or something more aggravating like concerts and events continuing to be cancelled and the impacts of that for entertainers and businesses and fans. There are a lot of impacts to not having everyone possible vaccinated, and it's not just to 540lb slob/worst case scenario.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

The CDC uses BMI as the indicator for obesity when it comes to Covid deaths, so my fat ass 6'3"/205lbs/~38-40" waist would be considered obese.

My favorite story along those lines is that one of my best friends was a track thrower (hammer and shot put) in college. He was (and is) the fittest guy I know, but since BMI is calculated just using his weight and height, he was considered to be obese...while setting school records in an athletic competition.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by DaFace

My favorite story along those lines is that one of my best friends was a track thrower (hammer and shot put) in college. He was (and is) the fittest guy I know, but since BMI is calculated just using his weight and height, he was considered to be obese...while setting school records in an athletic competition.

Heh, I did notice some thicc shot putters in the Olympics.

This gold medalist is 6'7", 320lbs and doesn't even look overweight... I plugged that into a BMI calculator and it comes back with 36.

BMI Categories:
Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
Overweight = 25–29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

[NotDonger]

Since the CDC has ceased reporting on breakthrough cases nationally, I thought some might find the following recent state data interesting:

Pennsylvania releases new COVID-19 data on breakthrough cases

https://www.wgal.com/article/pennsyl...ases/37618865#

DOH data on breakthrough infections (as of Jan. 2021)

• 97 percent of COVID-19-related deaths were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people. Among a total of 6,472 COVID-19-related deaths identified in Pennsylvania in 2021, the latest data shows 213, or 3 percent, post-vaccination deaths identified. Cumulative death incidence among the unvaccinated and not fully vaccinated was 7.9 times as high as the death incidence among the fully vaccinated.
• 95 percent of reported hospitalizations with COVID-19 as the primary diagnosis/cause of admission were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people. Among a total of 34,468 hospitalizations with COVID-19 as the primary diagnosis/cause of admission reported in Pennsylvania, 1,820, or 5.2 percent, were reported to have occurred in fully vaccinated people. These figures account for data from 55 percent of all hospitals and 69 percent of acute care hospitals in Pennsylvania, representing approximately 80 percent of acute care beds in the state.
• 94 percent of reported COVID-19 cases were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people. Among a total of 639,729 positive cases, there have been 35,389, or 6 percent, identified post-vaccination cases. Cumulative case incidence among the unvaccinated and not fully vaccinated was 7.1 times as high as the case incidence among the fully vaccinated.

"That means that 97 percent of deaths reported through the beginning of September were in unvaccinated or not fully-vaccinated people," Beam said. "I truly hope that this data encourages everyone who has not yet been vaccinated to speak to their doctor about getting the vaccine as soon as possible to protect themselves and people around them."

and:

More than 19K vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon to date

https://www.koin.com/news/health/cor...regon-to-date/

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Eleven more people with COVID-19 have died in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 3,547, the Oregon Health Authority said Thursday.

The OHA reported 2,242 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID, bringing the state total to 307,768.

There were 1,027 people hospitalized in Oregon with COVID, which was 40 fewer than the previous day, and 286 patients in ICU beds, which was a decrease of eight.

Breakthrough cases

The OHA’s most recent update on COVID breakthrough cases, released Thursday, found that 81.3% of the 14,046 reported cases between Sept. 1 through Sept. 15 occurred in people who were unvaccinated. There were 2,632 breakthrough cases, accounting for 18.7% of all cases.

The average age of the breakthrough cases during that period was 48, the OHA said. Ninety breakthrough cases involved residents of care facilities, senior living communities or other congregate care settings. There were 68 breakthrough cases in people aged 12 to 17.

To date, there have been 19,549 COVID vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon. The average age of all cases is 48. Breakthrough cases have been reported in all 36 counties.

The report shows that the rate of COVID-19 in unvaccinated people is currently approximately five times higher than in vaccinated people, according to the OHA.

To date, 4.7% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and 0.9% have died. The average age of the people who died was 81.

More on the latest breakthrough case report can be found here.

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/covid19/D...ce=govdelivery

and the Great State of Colorado:

https://covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine-breakthrough

[suzzer99]

"That means that 97 percent of deaths reported through the beginning of September were in unvaccinated or not fully-vaccinated people," Beam said. "I truly hope that this data encourages everyone who has not yet been vaccinated to speak to their doctor about getting the vaccine as soon as possible to protect themselves and people around them."

Good luck with that.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by NotDonger

To date, 4.7% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and 0.9% have died. The average age of the people who died was 81.

This is a very important note to me. It sounds like being vaccinated makes more much less likely to get covid in the first place, and much less likely to be hospitalized, and much less likely to die.

But I've been curious about the breakthrough cases that died. I've been wondering if I still have a chance to die if I get it, or if the breakthrough deaths have been people who have pre-existing vulnerabilities. It would make sense to me that the breakthrough deaths would be people who are already vulnerable.

And if the average age of death is 81, that pretty much answers my question. While there's always going to be some non-zero chance of dying, this stat tells me that as a healthy guy under the age of 60, I'm not going to die as long as I'm vaccinated. So I can move forward with confidence.

[suzzer99]

Every breakthrough case that died I've heard about has been either very old or with a bunch of comorbidities.

[NotDonger]

And CDC breakthrough hospitalizations and deaths:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-1...ugh-cases.html

As of September 13, 2021, more than 178 million people in the United States had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

During the same time, CDC received reports from 49 U.S. states and territories of 15,790 patients with COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infection who were hospitalized or died.

12,750 hospitalizations = ~.0072% of fully vaccinated Americans

3,040 deaths = ~.0017% of fully vaccinated Americans

with the following caveats:

*This table separates all reported vaccine breakthrough infections that resulted in hospitalization and/or death into two columns. While most deaths were also among hospitalized individuals, a small number were not.

**Includes cases in which the patient did not have symptoms of COVID-19, or their hospitalization or death was not COVID-related. For example, people may be hospitalized for reasons other than COVID-19, such as an auto accident, and test positive when screened upon hospital admission.

[Fish]

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Fish

For some reason, this made me want to do a little math. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, there are roughly 19k funeral homes in the U.S. At roughly 674k COVID deaths to date, that means that the average funeral home has gotten around 35 extra deaths due to the pandemic.

With a median cost of around $7,640 for a funeral, that means that the typical funeral home has seen additional revenue of around $270k due to COVID.

And there's your morbid math for the day.

[NotDonger]

Originally Posted by DaFace

For some reason, this made me want to do a little math. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, there are roughly 19k funeral homes in the U.S. At roughly 674k COVID deaths to date, that means that the average funeral home has gotten around 35 extra deaths due to the pandemic.

With a median cost of around $7,640 for a funeral, that means that the typical funeral home has seen additional revenue of around $270k due to COVID.

And there's your morbid math for the day.

[Swanman]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

This is a very important note to me. It sounds like being vaccinated makes more much less likely to get covid in the first place, and much less likely to be hospitalized, and much less likely to die.



But I've been curious about the breakthrough cases that died. I've been wondering if I still have a chance to die if I get it, or if the breakthrough deaths have been people who have pre-existing vulnerabilities. It would make sense to me that the breakthrough deaths would be people who are already vulnerable.



And if the average age of death is 81, that pretty much answers my question. While there's always going to be some non-zero chance of dying, this stat tells me that as a healthy guy under the age of 60, I'm not going to die as long as I'm vaccinated. So I can move forward with confidence.

People seem to want absolutes and there are none with covid. But if you know anything about stats and odds, the vaccine performs better by a vast margin in every respect compared to unvaxxed. You have less chance of being infected, MUCH less chance of being hospitalized which translates into a MUCH better chance of survival.

If this was Russian roulette, not getting vaccinated means the cylinder has about 100 chambers and if you are vaccinated, the cylinder has like a million chambers.

And the more the math proves itself out over time, the more lame the excuses for not getting vaccinated become.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[suzzer99]

You would think every hospital reporting 95% or more of their covid deaths being unvaxxed would settle the matter once and for all. But unfortunately we live in an age with zero agreed-upon objective facts.

[Swanman]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

You would think every hospital reporting 95% or more of their covid deaths being unvaxxed would settle the matter once and for all. But unfortunately we live in an age with zero agreed-upon objective facts.

We live in a post truth world.

The vaccination rate will slowly rise. People with brains will work on increasing the numerator and the horsepasters will work on reducing the denominator by Herman Caining it.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[Braincase]

I've been tracking weekly US COVID deaths as reported by Johns Hopkins since the beginning of the pandemic. We were doing ok, got down to a low of 1562 the week of the Fourth of July. Since then, it's been a steady rise, with 13793 this last week, up from 11501 the week before. The numbers are going the wrong direction.