***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 Monticore

I just know Influenza is very dangerous and deadly and people are not scared enough of it (45% of adults over 18 get the flu shot in US), this is worst(by how much who knows) , more complicated with no vaccine and natural immunity.

That is all that people should be considering at this point trying to makes sense of numbers at this point will make you go crazy and could potentially cause harm because depending on how you look at the numbers it could mislead people into thinking this isn't serious.

Agreed. But the inverse is true as well. This is why we try to make sense of the numbers.

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by Pants

So just like the flu.

Said no one with half a brain ever.

FYP

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by Donger

Yes. I shudder to think what they would have been without it.

The hardest hit area with the most dense population left one of the dirtiest places in the country running for a long time. I think we actually have a pretty good idea of what it looks like without it.

[Setsuna]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Because people come to this thread to keep up on the latest news and information, but about every other day we go for 100-200 posts in a row where all you're doing is debating minutiae that doesn't matter. We've gone from "not many deaths" to "a **** ton of deaths" in a month. Why is it so critical to agree on some exact number that we all know is pretty rough anyway?

It's why I keep joking about forcing "debate the numbers" talk into its own thread. It's just useless and clutters up what is otherwise mostly good conversation.

Just remove them from the thread and move on.

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

We have approx. 600 coronavirus unemployed for every 1 coronavirus death... Not saying one is worse than the other, but that can't continue forever.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Pants

So just like the flu.

Said no one ever.

In reality we are somewhere between "It's just like the flu" and " Oh my ****ing god! We are all going to die!"

[BleedingRed]

Originally Posted by Setsuna

Just remove them from the thread and move on.

[InChiefsHeaven]

Originally Posted by sedated

No, we're not.

Where are you getting this bullshit?

Here's an article from the LA Times stating that immunity tests are showing that there was a TON more people infected by this thing before testing even began:
https://www.latimes.com/california/s...ting-la-county

It also shows that the mortality rate as a result of this data has gone way down to .1-.2%. Now, this is not peer reviewed yet, the study was done by USC. But, the prevailing attitude is that this thing was around a lot longer than January\February. FWIW.

[BleedingRed]

Originally Posted by InChiefsHeaven

Here's an article from the LA Times stating that immunity tests are showing that there was a TON more people infected by this thing before testing even began:
https://www.latimes.com/california/s...ting-la-county

It also shows that the mortality rate as a result of this data has gone way down to .1-.2%. Now, this is not peer reviewed yet, the study was done by USC. But, the prevailing attitude is that this thing was around a lot longer than January\February. FWIW.

There are other studies from Oxford tracing it origin date back to September in China. So I can believe it.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief

We have approx. 600 coronavirus unemployed for every 1 coronavirus death... Not saying one is worse than the other, but that can't continue forever.

It would be a fascinating exercise to put 600 random people in a room and tell them that they have to vote to make a choice:

1. All of you will be unemployed for a year
2. One of you dies

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It would be a fascinating exercise to put 600 random people in a room and tell them that they have to vote to make a choice:

1. All of you will be unemployed for a year
2. One of you dies

Someone is dying.....

[Fish]

FYI... here's what they do for the swab test. Tickle your brain...

[Kidd Lex]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It would be a fascinating exercise to put 600 random people in a room and tell them that they have to vote to make a choice:

1. All of you will be unemployed for a year
2. One of you dies

Great point. The vast majority would let a single one die.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by O.city

The problem is it’s a novel highly infectious respiratory virus and you can’t stay locked down forever

The people who want to keep the stringent social distancing in place until there is a vaccine are delusional because there may never be an effective/scalable vaccine in place.

The FDA has never approved a vaccine for humans that is effective against any member of the coronavirus family... that includes SARS, MERS and the common cold. And the human coronavirus was discovered in the 1960's... 60 years and no vaccine.

The idea that there will be no sporting events, movie theaters, hair cuts, etc. until a vaccine is developed is completely unrealistic.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Fish

FYI... here's what they do for the swab test. Tickle your brain...

Well that sure as shit might explain my likely false negative.

They shoved it that far back, but didn't leave it there or spin it around.