***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.”

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Bwana

Daddy Like:

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/0...QQSC0UGdLAUwOU

Awesome

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Bwana

Daddy Like:

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/0...QQSC0UGdLAUwOU

Man - the Red Cross will actually tie me to a chair and infect me with this thing if that plasma deal takes hold.

Being O Negative, those guys LOVE me.

I'll end up a damn Fury Road style blood bag by the end of this...

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Mecca

And now my Roku has a bunch of houses on the home screen and it says home together.....man everyone getting in on this.

FYI, 90% of Roku's income does not come from selling their hardware, but from Advertising...

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I absolutely agree.

But now you run into infrastructure problems. Lot of 'em probably haven't filed tax returns in a bit. And you know most of them don't have direct deposit setup so we're talking a month or longer before any immediate relief is felt.

So again...don't start that clock yet. Let them get their rent/food taken care of for another month or 6 weeks. Then maybe more of that stimulus money can actually make its way to them.

Just more practical hurdles for getting those funds into smaller communities.

I think you’re wrong here. Most of those people You’re referencing are already getting benefits from the gov. They’re in the system already and probably Ashley have benefits cards. Just put the money on their card

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by SAUTO

Lol

You should probably take your own advice quite often

You feel better now?

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Just not enough data.

About a week ago some information emerged suggesting reduced transmittability in warmer climates (but not an elimination by any stretch). And the institutional knowledge as it relates to most coronaviruses and high humidity seems strong.

I mean some people are trying to say "look - Mexico has this, so heat doesn't matter!" and I don't think that's a fair conclusion to reach at all. Humidity/heat impacts a viruses viability outside of a host. And thus how strong it may be when it infects a person. Or the likelihood of infection in the event there's an immune response.

But I think in this first stage with no immune response built in, it seems like it just doesn't take much to set in so that diminished viability is muted somewhat. Now it may STILL yield less extreme outcomes, because it entered the gates a little weaker.

But we just don't know. And so many areas that are warm right now are equatorial regions with iffy hygiene, poor medical facilities and high population density so that throws a monkey in the wrench.

I remain hopeful that warmer, more humid weather will yield positive changes in transmission rates, severity or both. It's based largely on the history of other similar diseases and some initial study done on this one, but there's not enough to say it will happen with any certainty.

Thanks... and thanks for making this thread a more hospitable place.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by jd1020

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...rus-cases.html

Sure looks like the metro areas are trending up to me. Looks like its slowed a bit from a couple days ago but up is up is up.

I just posted the official MO DHSS numbers for today a few posts above yours. 19 deaths, not 21. And the NY Times numbers are off on total cases.

[petegz28]

Right now they are saying if the IRS doesn't have your direct deposit info it could take up to 6 months to get you a paper check

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by SAUTO

I think you’re wrong here. Most of those people You’re referencing are already getting benefits from the gov. They’re in the system already and probably Ashley have benefits cards. Just put the money on their card

But aren't most benefits along those lines administered by the state? I think they're largely federally funded but state run.

Meanwhile my understanding of this stimulus is that it's going to be federally administered. So the apparatus will be more akin to the IRS than, say, Medicaid.

I mean, you could be right there. That just wasn't my understanding of it.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by TLO

I just posted the official MO DHSS numbers for today a few posts above yours. 19 deaths, not 21. And the NY Times numbers are off on total cases.

As expected, a large portion of Mo's cases are in the St. Louis area.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Right now they are saying if the IRS doesn't have your direct deposit info it could take up to 6 months to get you a paper check

Link?

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

But aren't most benefits along those lines administered by the state? I think they're largely federally funded but state run.

Meanwhile my understanding of this stimulus is that it's going to be federally administered. So the apparatus will be more akin to the IRS than, say, Medicaid.

I mean, you could be right there. That just wasn't my understanding of it.

That's how I understand it as well

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

But aren't most benefits along those lines administered by the state? I think they're largely federally funded but state run.

Meanwhile my understanding of this stimulus is that it's going to be federally administered. So the apparatus will be more akin to the IRS than, say, Medicaid.

I mean, you could be right there. That just wasn't my understanding of it.

You could be right too. And I know this is probably a pipe dream but I would think they could easily link the two together

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by SAUTO

Link?

They just talked about it on CNBC.....

[BIG_DADDY]

Originally Posted by Bwana

Daddy Like:

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/0...QQSC0UGdLAUwOU

Good news, thanks for posting.