***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.”

[BigRedChief]

Did you know this? The money is just an advance on your future tax refund. I had no idea and I’m paying attention. I didn’t hear this mentioned once. It’s just an advance on a future tax refund that you have to pay back. Unless you owe the IRS money next year.

What is a coronavirus stimulus check?

The payment — which the IRS is calling an "economic impact payment," the government has named a "recovery rebate," and many people are calling a "stimulus check" — is technically an advance tax credit meant to offset your 2020 federal income taxes.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

I’m kinda past the point of worrying about testing positives

It’s everywhere and it’s been everywhere. Biggest thing now is get the hospitalizations down then get on testing

Completely agree. This is not longer a matter of "do you have it or not" but WTF can we do for the people who do have it or if you get it?

Or lets it this way, mitigation right now is like bailing water out of a sinking ship.

Testing is just measuring the level of water as it is currently.

And though mitigation will slow the sink, until you patch the hole you're fighting a losing battle.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Did you know this? The money is just an advance on your future tax refund. I had no idea and I’m paying attention. I didn’t hear this mentioned once. It’s just an advance on a future tax refund that you have to pay back. Unless you owe the IRS money next year.

What is a coronavirus stimulus check?

The payment — which the IRS is calling an "economic impact payment," the government has named a "recovery rebate," and many people are calling a "stimulus check" — is technically an advance tax credit meant to offset your 2020 federal income taxes.

I am not even going to get into politics here but does any of that surprise you, BRC?

[O.city]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Completely agree. This is not longer a matter of "do you have it or not" but WTF can we do for the people who do have it or if you get it?

Or lets it this way, mitigation right now is like bailing water out of a sinking ship.

Testing is just measuring the level of water as it is currently.

And though mitigation will slow the sink, until you patch the hole you're fighting a losing battle.

Testing is important when you test and trace and isolate

At this point you’ve locked everything down so I don’t know what the point of testing really is

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Not only am I not suggesting that I even said we need to listen to him. Again, you are reading what you want and not what I said.

You are advocating opening things up sooner that the leading epidemiologists recommend and simultaneously undermining the authority of Fauci. You have said these things today.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

Testing is important when you test and trace and isolate

At this point you’ve locked everything down so I don’t know what the point of testing really is

Well my thought on testing was always I could test negative and 10 minutes after my test go get infected. So unless you are going test everyone and lock them up until everyone tests negative I think it's a futile effort in practice.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by cdcox

You are advocating opening things up sooner that the leading epidemiologists recommend and simultaneously undermining the authority of Fauci. You have said these things today.

I am not advocating anything one way or the other. Again you are reading what you want or inferring what you want. Whatever.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I am not even going to get into politics here but does any of that surprise you, BRC?

I guess I’m not surprised. I don’t see partisan politics here. Both sides signed off on the deal. They didn’t say, hey this is just an advance on your future tax refund that you have to pay back.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I guess I’m not surprised. I don’t see partisan politics here. Both sides signed off on the deal. They didn’t say, hey this is just an advance on your future tax refund that you have to pay back.

Yeah, I wonder what that means if you aren't due a refund next year? Do you have to pay it back???? Meh, ****ing government can't touch anything without ****ing it up one way or the other.

[carlos3652]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Did you know this? The money is just an advance on your future tax refund. I had no idea and I’m paying attention. I didn’t hear this mentioned once. It’s just an advance on a future tax refund that you have to pay back. Unless you owe the IRS money next year.

What is a coronavirus stimulus check?

The payment — which the IRS is calling an "economic impact payment," the government has named a "recovery rebate," and many people are calling a "stimulus check" — is technically an advance tax credit meant to offset your 2020 federal income taxes.

False

Here’s an example which we hope will help. A single taxpayer with two children (both under 17) receives a stimulus check for $2,200 (i.e., $1,200 for the taxpayer plus another $1,000 for the children) on April 30, 2020. When our taxpayer prepares a 2020 income tax return, a $2,200 credit appears on the Form 1040. Elsewhere on the return, the $2,200 ADVANCE PAYMENT of the credit will surface. The result is a “wash” meaning the credit and the ADVANCE PAYMENT cancel each other out. Bottom line result, the taxpayer receives $2,200 (non-taxable) to spend and the money is NOT returned to the IRS.

Non taxable income, and not payable back to the IRS

PLUS if you 2020 shows a child, or you were supposed to get more than what you got based on 2018 or 2019 filing, you get that additional on top.

[Spott]

Originally Posted by carlos3652

False

Here’s an example which we hope will help. A single taxpayer with two children (both under 17) receives a stimulus check for $2,200 (i.e., $1,200 for the taxpayer plus another $1,000 for the children) on April 30, 2020. When our taxpayer prepares a 2020 income tax return, a $2,200 credit appears on the Form 1040. Elsewhere on the return, the $2,200 ADVANCE PAYMENT of the credit will surface. The result is a “wash” meaning the credit and the ADVANCE PAYMENT cancel each other out. Bottom line result, the taxpayer receives $2,200 (non-taxable) to spend and the money is NOT returned to the IRS.

Non taxable income, and not payable back to the IRS

PLUS if you 2020 shows a child, or you were supposed to get more than what you got based on 2018 or 2019 filing, you get that additional on top.

What about a taxpayer that doesn’t have children?

[BigRedChief]

You can google it. Forbes, business insider, all the major networks, newspapers are saying the same thing. It’s an advance, not free money it was sold as by both parties.

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

You can google it. Forbes, business insider, all the major networks, newspapers are saying the same thing. It’s an advance, not free money it was sold as by both parties.

That's not what I've read. My understanding is basically what carlos posted.
It will zero out on taxes next year.

[Spott]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

You can google it. Forbes, business insider, all the major networks, newspapers are saying the same thing. It’s an advance, not free money it was sold as by both parties.

That’s what I’ve found from everywhere that I’ve read. If someone was going to get a 2000 refund in 2021, now they’ll get 800. It doesn’t affect me because I’m not eligible for it, although it would be nice if they could just lower the amount I owe on my taxes this year.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I guess I’m not surprised. I don’t see partisan politics here. Both sides signed off on the deal. They didn’t say, hey this is just an advance on your future tax refund that you have to pay back.

You didn’t read or hear right