***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.”

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by O.city

SCOOP: The FDA is set to authorize the Covid-19 treatment pills from *both* Pfizer and Merck. An announcement is expected this week. It would open up two significant treatment options for severe cases. A big milestone.

With @JenniferJJacobs and @RobertLangreth on @TheTerminal.

— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) December 21, 2021

There are a lot of potential problems with the Merck pill. Scary that something like ivermectin gets treated like the devil, but a pill that can mutate RNA and possibly induce viral mutations is going to get no mass media scrutiny.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

Today, the doc told Mom that he doesn’t even think he can be off the BiPAP long enough to be put on a ventilator - so we’re at a point where if he starts to suffer, decisions will have to be made.

I hate myself for being angry right now, but this all could have been easily avoided. I’m ****ing sick right now.

I'm very sorry to hear this

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

There are a lot of potential problems with the Merck pill. Scary that something like ivermectin gets treated like the devil, but a pill that can mutate RNA and possibly induce viral mutations is going to get no mass media scrutiny.

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by TLO

https://www.science.org/content/arti...le-cause-alarm

and another

https://www.barrons.com/articles/mer...ks-51633398722

and from another article


"The FDA also had concerns about using molnupiravir in pregnant women and children. (Merck and the FDA agree that the drug should not be authorized for people under 18.) In studies in rats of a dose much higher than is given to people, researchers saw reductions in fetal body weight as well as “external, visceral, and skeletal malformations” in surviving fetuses."

[WilliamTheIrish]

Chief Medical Officers for metro area hospitals, including Lawrence and Topeka met this on Dec 17. Infusion sets for monoclonal antibodies are in extreme shortage.

Hopefully, this one burns through quickly.

[mr. tegu]

It seems to me as the new variant spreads and with so many people already somewhat resistant due to prior infections and vaccines that we are getting closer to the point of this being similar to pre covid years with regards to impact and the likely numbers of coronavirus/rhinovirus cases that we would have seen had everyone been getting tested all the time.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

It seems to me as the new variant spreads and with so many people already somewhat resistant due to prior infections and vaccines that we are getting closer to the point of this being similar to pre covid years with regards to impact and the likely numbers of coronavirus/rhinovirus cases that we would have seen had everyone been getting tested all the time.

well i guess we'll see what the hospitals look like

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

https://www.science.org/content/arti...le-cause-alarm

and another

https://www.barrons.com/articles/mer...ks-51633398722

and from another article


"The FDA also had concerns about using molnupiravir in pregnant women and children. (Merck and the FDA agree that the drug should not be authorized for people under 18.) In studies in rats of a dose much higher than is given to people, researchers saw reductions in fetal body weight as well as “external, visceral, and skeletal malformations” in surviving fetuses."

If you would have just posted that and left out the part about ivermectin then ok

[O.city]

Great work by @GuptaR_lab and colleagues on Omicron suggesting:
- High escape from NAbs
- Reduced spike cleavage efficiency
- Lower infectivity of lung cells
- Similar/higher infectivity of epithelia
- Impaired fusogenicity / ability to form syncytia
1/https://t.co/PppJQ7JySX pic.twitter.com/VGAV7ZNmyC

— Prof Francois Balloux (@BallouxFrancois) December 21, 2021

So that's good news. Spreads fast, but gives up ability to really cause problems for thos with previous immunity.

[IA_Chiefs_fan]

Originally Posted by TLO

If you would have just posted that and left out the part about ivermectin then ok

But... but... Ivermectin is the miracle elixir.

[4th and Long]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Chief Medical Officers for metro area hospitals, including Lawrence and Topeka met this on Dec 17. Infusion sets for monoclonal antibodies are in extreme shortage.

Hopefully, this one burns through quickly.

I can tell you from experience, because this is what I do for a living, that this is correct. I placed an order for MABs 4 weeks ago. They just arrived today and not in the entirety of the quantity I ordered.

[4th and Long]

Originally Posted by loochy

well i guess we'll see what the hospitals look like

I can tell you what they look like. We have MORE COVID patients now than we did a year ago.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by 4th and Long

I can tell you what they look like. We have MORE COVID patients now than we did a year ago.

Where are you located?

Oddly enough.. We had quite the spike right around Thanksgiving, and our numbers have been dropping ever since. Cases, hospitalizations, test positivity, everything. I'm in NW Missouri.

[4th and Long]

Originally Posted by TLO

Where are you located?

Oddly enough.. We had quite the spike right around Thanksgiving, and our numbers have been dropping ever since. Cases, hospitalizations, test positivity, everything. I'm in NW Missouri.

The "Greater Kansas City" area.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by 4th and Long

I can tell you from experience, because this is what I do for a living, that this is correct. I placed an order for MABs 4 weeks ago. They just arrived today and not in the entirety of the quantity I ordered.

I wish you luck in the next 4 weeks. On 12/17

Advent Health - 41 cases. 13 deaths since 12/01

CMH 14 hospitalized.

HCA Midwest - 151 hospitalized. No beds available. Covid-19 death rate is >11%

Liberty- 33 hospitalized. 90% unvaccinated.

NKCH - 106 hospitalized. On 11/1 had 19 hospitalized.

Olathe - 41 hospitalized. This is > than their high point for all of 2020.

Truman- 62 hospitalized. 6x higher than 30 days ago. 19 deaths in December.