***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.”

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Your comparison would be like if I compared people with genital warts to long term car accident victims.

No that wouldn't be a valid comparison at all.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

There is absolutely nothing invalid in what I am saying.

The point about who is most at risk, the numbers, all of it is valid discussion. I just find it interesting people lose their shit over a specific number and shrug off a greater number.

If 150K people die from this this year you are still 4x more likely to die from heart disease. I get the unknown part of it makes it scary but the truth is a very very small % of the country is at risk of dying even if they get it.

Nothing invalid about any of that. Its pragmatic.

Of course there is. And it's obvious:

Heart disease is NOT contagious. You can't go to the store and "catch" it. You can't go home and give it to other people. Who then give it to other people, and you have exponential growth.

That is why we don't lock down for heart disease or tell people not to drive.

That is why we did for COVID-19. And we still have 70,000 dead.

I get that you have an agenda, but good God, man...

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by SAUTO

It's not worse. Hell if this had kids dying they would have locked everything down tight imo.


But there's a vaccine for the flu. And therapeutics.

And we still lose 10's of 1,000's of people each year to it. When do we say enough?!?!?

[jdubya]

When was the last time any nation stopped EVERYTHING because of a virus?

[ToxSocks]

I do wonder if we'll see a reduction in flu deaths this year.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

No that wouldn't be a valid comparison at all.

It's basically that ridiculous, you're arguing such and such die from this not taking anything else into account.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by jdubya

When was the last time any nation stopped EVERYTHING because of a virus?

When's the last time a virus popped up and offed this many people this quickly?

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by petegz28

And we still lose 10's of 1,000's of people each year to it. When do we say enough?!?!?

only 45 % of adults get their flu shots in the US flu deaths would be a lot lower if people didn't minimize the flu or the flu shot, so technically stupid people are causing some of those flu deaths.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

I do wonder if we'll see a reduction in flu deaths this year.

I bet we do simply from people being extra cautious about things like not going to work if they are sick, etc.

Or people will just get labeled with Covid and not get tested because things.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by petegz28

And we still lose 10's of 1,000's of people each year to it. When do we say enough?!?!?

Pete you're smarter than this.


They think up to 2.2 million would have died from covid by 8-1 if we're had done nothing.

Where does tens of thousands fit into that?

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I bet we do simply from people being extra cautious about things like not going to work if they are sick, etc.

Or people will just get labeled with Covid and not get tested because things.

I also have a hypothesis that 2020-21 flu deaths will be lower because I bet flu vaccination rates go through the roof.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Monticore

only 45 % of adults get their flu shots in the US flu deaths would be a lot lower if people didn't minimize the flu or the flu shot, so technically stupid people are causing some of those flu deaths.

So then we lock everything down until everyone get their shot!!!

And FTR, I get the flu shot every year and was sick as **** this year.

And what about these ****ing kids running around with the flu but they are asymptomatic but they bring it home to Mom and Dad and Granny and Grampy?


I am just saying there is a degree of irony in all of this, you have to admit.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I also have a hypothesis that 2020-21 flu deaths will be lower because I bet flu vaccination rates go through the roof.

Or because people will not be allowed to be in groups larger than a dozen people for an indefinite period.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by SAUTO

Pete you're smarter than this.


They think up to 2.2 million would have died from covid by 8-1 if we're had done nothing.

Where does tens of thousands fit into that?

Keep in mind that they had no idea that the infection rate was likely 20X higher than they knew at that time.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I also have a hypothesis that 2020-21 flu deaths will be lower because I bet flu vaccination rates go through the roof.

nope people still won't , it probably didn't go up with H1n1, it won't now people fear vaccines more than viruses because the man who is trying to GET them created it.