***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.”

[RedRaider56]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Are there not public testing sites in your area, or are people just dumb and going to their primary doc instead? There are probably 20 free testing sites in the Denver metro, so I don't really know why anyone would bog down the healthcare system just to get a test.

My youngest daughter got sick a couple of weeks ago and we attempted to get her tested for Covid. The free testing sites are overrun with folks waiting hours to get tested or had run out of test.

I ended up finding a pharmacy that was doing testing at $95/test for the rapid test. I paid the $$ and sure enough my daughter tested positive.

She isolated at home and after about 3 days her fever broke and she felt much better. She had 2 Vax shots but had not gotten her booster yet.

[Chitownchiefsfan]

Originally Posted by emaw1979

Sorry, but you couldn’t be more wrong. The fear is pushing people to overload walk in clinics, doctors offices and ERs for a scratchy throat, cough or other cold symptoms. They have people believing COVID is a death sentence when it’s barely got a higher chance than the flu to kill.

I’ve got a doctor and 2 ER nurses in the family. They work in local hospitals and yes, they are exhausted and stressed. It’s causing irrational fear that is driving people to the ER in bus loads (practically) demanding life saving Miracle treatments for the sniffles. 24x7 covid reporting is causing mothers to put their covid positive children in their trunks FFS.

Maybe you are both right on some level.

But you are so wrong on "barely a higher chance of death than the flu." what normal flu has killed 800,000 Americans in less than 2 years?

There have been numerous people on here to post about they have lost a loved one. I lost a friend from high school who was in his mid thirties. Completely healthy. I have never seen or heard of so many people dying of the flu.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Some good news: more outpatient options for treatment are now available.

Paxlovid, remdesivir, and molnupravir are all available outpatient in more areas. Remdesivir is a three day infusion treatment, so it's the most inconvenient, but it's more efficacious than molnupravir. Paxlovid is the most efficacious and like molnupravir is taken orally.

[IA_Chiefs_fan]

Originally Posted by emaw1979

it’s barely got a higher chance than the flu to kill.

In the past six months I've lost five people from my circle to COVID. One was the daughter of a friend and she was in her early twenties. I also had a coworker who damn near didn't survive it but thankfully she did. In my previous 44 years I've never lost anyone to the flu. So my anecdotal evidence says **** that "barely worse than the flu" nonsense. Plenty of hard evidence says it too.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by IA_Chiefs_fan

In the past six months I've lost five people from my circle to COVID. One was the daughter of a friend and she was in her early twenties. I also had a coworker who damn near didn't survive it but thankfully she did. In my previous 44 years I've never lost anyone to the flu. So my anecdotal evidence says **** that "barely worse than the flu" nonsense. Plenty of hard evidence says it too.

How I feel like some people read this:

[TLO]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Some good news: more outpatient options for treatment are now available.

Paxlovid, remdesivir, and molnupravir are all available outpatient in more areas. Remdesivir is a three day infusion treatment, so it's the most inconvenient, but it's more efficacious than molnupravir. Paxlovid is the most efficacious and like molnupravir is taken orally.

My Mom's pharmacy has Paxlovid now. I'm not a fan of molnupavir.

[O.city]

Covid is ravaging my schedule at my offices.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by O.city

Covid is ravaging my schedule at my offices.

Employees or patients?

Or both?

[blake5676]

Originally Posted by O.city

Covid is ravaging my schedule at my offices.

I've heard that from a few colleagues as well. Not sure if I'm lucky or I'm just working on positive patients every day who don't realize it. Probably a combination of both but I'm still not seeing many cancellations with Omicron compared to any other time in the pandemic, save for those first few weeks in 2020.

[Dunit35]

I’ve been a LEO for 10 years. I had to take a call of a 10 year old girl that died of Covid today. She was deceased before I arrived. Myself and FIRE did chest compressions but it was already too late. Doctor said she threw a blood clot. No pre existing conditions. She was feeling better. No fever, couch, just body aches. I feel miserable for the parents.

I have 9 and 7 year old daughters and this is the first time a call has gotten to me. I never want to take another call like it again.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Dunit35

I’ve been a LEO for 10 years. I had to take a call of a 10 year old girl that died of Covid today. She was deceased before I arrived. Myself and FIRE did chest compressions but it was already too late. Doctor said she threw a blood clot. No pre existing conditions. She was feeling better. No fever, couch, just body aches. I feel miserable for the parents.

I have 9 and 7 year old daughters and this is the first time a call has gotten to me. I never want to take another call like it again.

Damn. That's depressing to read, let alone respond to directly. Condolences, man.

[chinaski]

Originally Posted by Dunit35

I’ve been a LEO for 10 years. I had to take a call of a 10 year old girl that died of Covid today. She was deceased before I arrived. Myself and FIRE did chest compressions but it was already too late. Doctor said she threw a blood clot. No pre existing conditions. She was feeling better. No fever, couch, just body aches. I feel miserable for the parents.

I have 9 and 7 year old daughters and this is the first time a call has gotten to me. I never want to take another call like it again.

Man, that's tough. Condolences to all, and thank you for your service. Stay strong.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

Employees or patients?

Or both?

Ran thru the employees already, now patients.

[R Clark]

Screw this Covid shit, I have three grandkids under the age of three with it and a daughter and daughter in law . Worst is my daughter lives ten hours away and her husband also has come down with it plus the two kids.My daughter can’t take a full breath but feels better than the last couple of days, scares the hell out of me for all of them. They have been vaccinated but not boosted.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by O.city

Ran thru the employees already, now patients.

At least they are smart enough to stay away, hearing some horror stories here about employees showing up to work knowing they are positive.