***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.”

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Right now if they are even suspected of having Covid the cause of death is being listed as Covid for both medical and financial reasons.

Most other countries being affected by this don’t have the same system as the US
so this might not be a factor to explain the rest of the worlds numbers.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by Bowser

And that's an issue, but there has yet to be any sort of vaccine for any of the COVID strains to date (I'm relatively sure that's accurate but will defer if it's not). What are we supposed to do, sit in self isolation until they figure out a treatment that has eluded them so far? It's just not feasible as of right now.

I don't think social distancing is going to be nearly as bad in the upcoming months. So yeah we will have to continue social distancing but I think as the new cases go down the easing of social distancing will be significant

As far as a vaccine i think they'll be able to create one. I haven't read anything that says they won't be able to.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I think it became this way because of the botched handling of the situation in the beginning, which many laid directly at the feet of the current administration.

This is backwards. And when did it become a known that it’s been botched from the beginning? No need to answer as this isn’t the place but it’s hard to say what was and wasn’t the best course of action and it’s not simply “botched” or “perfectly done.”

This is correct, as it always is no matter the topic. Many want to lay the blame at the feet of the current administration and because of that the handling of the situation is considered to be botched from the beginning for many.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

What part of this are you disputing?

By paying an additional 20% on top of traditional Medicare rates for COVID-19 patients during the public health emergency,*

I'm not disputing anything. Covid patients on ventilators require much more resources. Are you disputing that? Why wouldn't hospitals get paid more for treating a highly contagious pandemic patient?

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

This is backwards. And when did it become a known that it’s been botched from the beginning? No need to answer as this isn’t the place but it’s hard to say what was and wasn’t the best course of action and it’s not simply “botched” or “perfectly done.”

This is correct, as it always is no matter the topic. Many want to lay the blame at the feet of the current administration and because of that the handling of the situation is considered to be botched from the beginning for many.

The CDC very clearly ****ed up the test development and roll out. They've even admitted as such.

Beyond that, we clearly underestimated this thing and downplayed it in the beginning, though most other countries did as well.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Fish

I'm not disputing anything. Covid patients on ventilators require much more resources. Are you disputing that? Why wouldn't hospitals get paid more for treating a highly contagious pandemic patient?

Hospitals get more Govt money if they classify patients as having C19. As somone already pointed out, hospital's now losing their ass are going to classify as many deaths as C19 as possible.

[Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan]

I left my author page up there but about a year ago I just posted the link to my web site and told people all my writing discussions would be over at my site.

I still have my personal page, but after about a 30-sec. perusal, I'm out of there. Can't stand the political takes on EVERYTHING from either side.

If it wasn't for the fact it's the best way to contact two of the publishers I work for, I'd completely dump it, but I've learned just to check their FB pages and not go to the personal one more than I absolutely have to.

*sigh*

Originally Posted by DaFace

I suppose I should clarify that I haven't truly deleted my Facebook account. I just deleted the app from my phone and deleted my bookmark to it, so the only way I can access it is going to the URL bar and typing it in.

I still check in every couple of weeks because my extended family tends to plan stuff on there. But getting it out of my daily life has been a 100% improvement.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I suppose I should clarify that I haven't truly deleted my Facebook account. I just deleted the app from my phone and deleted my bookmark to it, so the only way I can access it is going to the URL bar and typing it in.

I still check in every couple of weeks because my extended family tends to plan stuff on there. But getting it out of my daily life has been a 100% improvement.

I haven't logged on there since this started blowing up early last month. It was a cool thing 10 years ago when it was actually a social media tool, but it's since been overrun with irrational morons who spread misinformation and try to push their beliefs onto others. I do like to use the marketplace once in a while and I'll probably keep my account just for that.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Hospitals get more Govt money if they classify patients as having C19. As somone already pointed out, hospital's now losing their ass are going to classify as many deaths as C19 as possible.

You didn't answer his question.

Do you think hospitals should get paid more for treating a highly contagious pandemic patient?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

I don't think social distancing is going to be nearly as bad in the upcoming months. So yeah we will have to continue social distancing but I think as the new cases go down the easing of social distancing will be significant

As far as a vaccine i think they'll be able to create one. I haven't read anything that says they won't be able to.

It's extremely difficult to stimulate a proper immune response in the upper respiratory tract. The first vaccines for SARS in animal models made the recipients worse, not better.

Vaccine development is a lot harder than people think.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Hospitals get more Govt money if they classify patients as having C19. As somone already pointed out, hospital's now losing their ass are going to classify as many deaths as C19 as possible.

There's no proof of that at all though. That part is all conjecture. I think that theory might underestimate what is required for designating cause of death and how it works.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

It's extremely difficult to stimulate a proper immune response in the upper respiratory tract. The first vaccines for SARS in animal models made the recipients worse, not better.

Vaccine development is a lot harder than people think.

Right.

I don't know anything about vaccines and their development. I'm just going off what I read when this all started that a vaccine should be available within 12-18 months. I haven't read anything contrary to that since but based on your posts and it sounds like it's a possibility one doesn't come out.

Lets hope that's not what happens cause that would suck.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

You didn't answer his question.

Do you think hospitals should get paid more for treating a highly contagious pandemic patient?

I am not answering him but should they? Yes. Does that mean they should force a diagnosis just to get paid? No. Are they doing that? I am pretty sure, why wouldn't they?

[jdubya]

There has never been a vaccine made for any corona family virus ever. Not sure why people think we will suddenly make one now. Will there be an "immunity" flu shot in the future? Maybe or maybe not but even those are 30%-40% effective. I think more important right now is finding the most effective treatment modalities.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Fish

There's no proof of that at all though. That part is all conjecture. I think that theory might underestimate what is required for designating cause of death and how it works.

Actually there is proof of it. Once certain emergency protocols are in place that happens. It is not conjecture at all. I can't tell you all the specific details but generally speaking this is accurate.