***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.”

[BWillie]

There is no real risk of buying things from China. The virus cannot survive on boxes and the purchased items surface for that long.

[Rukdafaidas]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

all face masks and most medical supplies used in hospitals are made in China.

The 3M N95 masks are made in the US.

[BigRedChief]

I was sent to a Costco to see if people are stocking up (even though health officials say it’s not necessary) in case COVID-19 gets more serious here. This guy came out of the store with 16 boxes of condoms and a big jar of coconut oil. We all have priorities. pic.twitter.com/C3edUsgZzH

— Jill Bennett (@jillreports) February 29, 2020

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Rukdafaidas

The 3M N95 masks are made in the US.

So 99.9% then

[Nickhead]

Originally Posted by BWillie

There is no real risk of buying things from China. The virus cannot survive on boxes and the purchased items surface for that long.

it's not the risk of infection, it's the disruption of the supply line, since everything is made in china. our work has been encountering this, and the rest of the mining community. this is going to be the biggest issue

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Bwana

Just out of curiosity, I went to Amazon and looked at N95 masks to check prices. I had bought 60 of them last year, for various household projects. I probably still have 50 of them. There is some serious price gouging going on. Last fall I paid 21.50 for 20 of them. The same masks on there now are $89.98.

From what I've read industrial N95 are not the same as medical N95. And in either case you need to shave your facial hair and be fitted for them to be completely effective.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by SupDock

I think China deserves a little credit as well. The rest of the world had a little time to think and prepare. China just had to react

The good news is life goes on in Hubei province (home of Wuhan) and the economy hasn't grinded to a halt.

I think the panic over this will be worse than the bite.

But still **** if I'm going to the hospital with this if I get it and have to deal with $40k of independent contractors billing me for years - and my insurance covering 30% of it - when all they can do is give you gatorade. I'll stay home and ride it out thanks.

[Nickhead]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

From what I've read industrial N95 are not the same as medical N95. And in either case you need to shave your facial hair and be fitted for them to be completely effective.

this is the same policy of every ambo, popo, firie, or doco can't have a beard. they have to have a sealable face

[eDave]

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Nickhead

this is the same policy of every ambo, popo, firie, or doco can't have a beard. they have to have a sealable face

Yeah on The Zoo the vet had to shave off his beard because the elephants have TB and they have to wear masks around them. Unfortunate as the dude has no chin and looked ok with a beard.

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

From what I've read industrial N95 are not the same as medical N95. And in either case you need to shave your facial hair and be fitted for them to be completely effective.

Yeah facial hair and masks generally don't play well together, you need a tight seal.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Bwana

Yeah facial hair and masks generally don't play well together, you need a tight seal.

When I was working in the hospital they didn't allow you to have a beard and work in the ICU. Even if there was no one in isolation. Because the people that are in the ICU could quickly escalate into isolation during a shift. You could work in the ER but only if a women or a 2nd male without a beard was also on duty.


Wonder if in this era, they can still do that?

[BigRedChief]

Preachers in the USA beware, Your own flock may turn on you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The city of Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday asked prosecutors to investigate the founder of a church at the center of the country’s coronavirus outbreak and other top leaders of the sect on murder and other criminal charges.


Official believe that the church has contributed to the country’s rising death toll from the virus — which reached 18 as of Sunday — by failing to provide disease-control officials with a full accurate list of church members and by interfering with the government’s efforts to fight the outbreak.


In a Facebook post, Mayor Park Won-soon of Seoul said the church’s behavior was tantamount to “murder through to willful negligence.”


Officials say that nearly 60 percent of the 3,736 confirmed cases in South Korea are in members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southeastern city of Daegu or people who came into contact with them.

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

When I was working in the hospital they didn't allow you to have a beard and work in the ICU. Even if there was no one in isolation. Because the people that are in the ICU could quickly escalate into isolation during a shift. You could work in the ER but only if a women or a 2nd male without a beard was also on duty.


Wonder if in this era, they can still do that?

No idea about the rules pertaining to the medical field, but they are very particular about it in most refineries.

[displacedinMN]

New case in Chicago.

So that means soon to be in Minneapolis-it is the first of the month so they have to come here and pick up their welfare checks.