***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.”

[TLO]

Originally Posted by TLO

What I find so strange is that its confidence level the other day had Missouri projected for like 500 some deaths with a max of 1200. Now it's back to saying upwards of 2600 at max.

I'm done trying to figure it out. Without other models to compare it to, I don't think there's much use in it. Maybe it's a tool we can look at from time to time, but I don't know how much confidence I really have in it overall.

[BigCatDaddy]

https://www.dailywire.com/news/early...ign=benshapiro

Sounds like a good thing but somone feel free to take a shit on the article and tell me why it's not.

"A phlebotomist working at*Roseland Community Hospital*said Thursday that 30% to 50% of patients tested for the coronavirus have antibodies while only around 10% to 20% of those tested have the active virus,”*Chicago City Wirereported Thursday."

[ghak99]

Another pork plant is shutting down to clean and reorganize after the union claims 2 died and ~50 workers are infected.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by TLO

I'm done trying to figure it out. Without other models to compare it to, I don't think there's much use in it. Maybe it's a tool we can look at from time to time, but I don't know how much confidence I really have in it overall.

There is so much information out there, almost too much. It could drive any normal person bananas. I check in here every so often, other than that I isolate myself from it.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by TLO

What I find so strange is that its confidence level the other day had Missouri projected for like 500 some deaths with a max of 1200. Now it's back to saying upwards of 2600 at max.

So they think in the next 3 weeks 2,500 people in mo are going to die?

[petegz28]

So according to Worldometers, CA had only 26 new deaths today. That is well below what they have been running which has been between 40ish-60ish.

Hopefully that's a good sign for the west coast.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by petegz28

So they think in the next 3 weeks 2,500 people in mo are going to die?

That runs through August 1st.

1,161 is their estimate - with a low range of 400 to a high of 2900.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by TLO

That runs through August 1st.

1,161 is their estimate - with a low range of 400 to a high of 2900.

And this is the same model that appears to be wrong within 24 hours every time they change it?

[HonestChieffan]

this seems to have gotten lost in all the other news, or i just missed it.


HHS Statements on Authorizing Licensed Pharmacists to Order and Administer COVID-19 Tests

Earlier today, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health issued new guidance under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act authorizing licensed pharmacists to order and administer COVID-19 tests that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement:

"Giving pharmacists the authorization to order and administer COVID-19 tests to their patients means easier access to testing for Americans who need it. Pharmacists play a vital role in delivering convenient access to important public health services and information. The Trump Administration is pleased to give pharmacists the chance to play a bigger role in the COVID-19 response, alongside all of America's heroic healthcare workers."

HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Brett P. Giroir, M.D. issued the following statement:

"In an effort to expand testing capabilities, we are authorizing licensed pharmacists to order and administer COVID-19 tests to their patients. The accessibility and distribution of retail and independent community-based pharmacies make pharmacists the first point of contact with a healthcare professional for many Americans. This will further expand testing for Americans, particularly our healthcare workers and first responders who are working around the clock to provide care, compassion and safety to others."

OASH's Guidance for Licensed Pharmacists, COVID-19 Testing, and Immunity under the PREP Act is available here - PDF.

FDA's Emergency Use Authorizations for diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices to diagnose and respond to public health emergencies is available here.

Priorities for testing patients with suspected COVID-19 infection are available here - PDF.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

The cheap stuff is usually corn syrup mostly, so a big difference is pretty analogous to the difference between modern Coca Cola and Kosher cane sugar Coca Cola.

Mouthfeel and complexity to the flavor are the big differences. Cheap stuff is corn syrup with chemical flavorants. Real stuff is just tree sap with the excess water slowly boiled off.

EDIT: Oh, and if you consume too much of the real stuff, young men are prone to getting 'all antsy in the pantsy.'

In college I drank one of the table bottles of boysenberry at a greasy spoon in exchange for paying for my food and seven bucks.

Closest I can imagine going into a hyperglycemic crisis. Would not recommend.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

this seems to have gotten lost in all the other news, or i just missed it.


HHS Statements on Authorizing Licensed Pharmacists to Order and Administer COVID-19 Tests

Earlier today, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health issued new guidance under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act authorizing licensed pharmacists to order and administer COVID-19 tests that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement:

"Giving pharmacists the authorization to order and administer COVID-19 tests to their patients means easier access to testing for Americans who need it. Pharmacists play a vital role in delivering convenient access to important public health services and information. The Trump Administration is pleased to give pharmacists the chance to play a bigger role in the COVID-19 response, alongside all of America's heroic healthcare workers."

HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Brett P. Giroir, M.D. issued the following statement:

"In an effort to expand testing capabilities, we are authorizing licensed pharmacists to order and administer COVID-19 tests to their patients. The accessibility and distribution of retail and independent community-based pharmacies make pharmacists the first point of contact with a healthcare professional for many Americans. This will further expand testing for Americans, particularly our healthcare workers and first responders who are working around the clock to provide care, compassion and safety to others."

OASH's Guidance for Licensed Pharmacists, COVID-19 Testing, and Immunity under the PREP Act is available here - PDF.

FDA's Emergency Use Authorizations for diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices to diagnose and respond to public health emergencies is available here.

Priorities for testing patients with suspected COVID-19 infection are available here - PDF.

Makes sense. Hopefully they'll give them enough PPE to do it safely.

[BleedingRed]

Texas has got this under control follow our lead

[jdubya]

I`m in California and we have been sheltered in place for 4 weeks and "flinching" for the big blow.......that hasnt come yet. I`m guessing we are a week away from saying, "fk this shit we are going back to work"....if things are cool as they are today

[srvy]

That Costco maple syrup is inconsistent. I have got batches the had a burnt flavor and some that were fine. I now just get a small pint at the grocery so if it sucks it won't last as long.

My mom used to make a maple syrup clone that they did on the farm growing up. They didn't waste on such frill as the real stuff. It was damn good though tasted like IHOP when they were actually good. It was made with white and brown sugar, butter and maple extract along with other stuff. Like fools we never had her write stuff down as most her cooking was scratch and dementia she doesn't remember now. My sister tried but just isn't the same.

Oh and never mistake sorghum for pancake syrup its bitter terrible but dad loved it.

[Monticore]

Anybody ever try birch syrop ? I would my citizenship if I did but was always curious.