***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.”

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by petegz28

And there you go. The masks people wear have gaps and your eyes and ears are still exposed. As in the article I posted plus others and you most likely already know, the virus will find the path of least resistance. All the mask does is buy you an additional though minimal amount of time you can be close and talking with someone. That's about it. It doesn't prevent the virus from getting in the air. It doesn't protect your eyes or ears either.

To me it just seems that while it does provide an minimal amount of protection it is largely a psychological security.

I have a tendency to get very sore ears when I get sick, especially when I get a cold. I had doctors tell me throughout my life that my ears are the culprit and to make sure I don't over-clean then in the cold\flu season.

Point is, your mouth and nose are not the only ways to get the virus. And even with these masks people are wearing they are still not protecting your mouth and nose like you think. I have read article after article and heard doctor after doctor state just that as well.

Very sore ears.......man you are using the wrong hole.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Pants

I think it started with news channels vying for advertising money and becoming massive echo chambers for their sides.

Social media is very easily manipulated by bad actors on the nation state level and it just poured a sea of gasoline on the fire.

Now we have this polarized stupidity with silly folks on both sides unable to have any independent thought. Our natural tribal tendencies do not help either.

It takes you out of your comfort zone to consider both sides of the coin and find good and bad aspects in each one.

No shit there. We're arguably the dumbest developed nation in the world.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by SAUTO

as long as there is a chance its saving a life.

So then you will wear a mask until you die? Your choice, obviously. Let me ask you this though, before this, how often did you wear a mask so say an elderly person at the store wouldn't catch your cold or flu?

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

No shit there. We're arguably the dumbest developed nation in the world.

Pretty much.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I think it's like anything else in life. It's a gray area. If you have symptoms wear a mask. I have seen and heard enough that if you are in close proximity with someone for any length of time the mask is not doing anyone any good. And that was clearly stated in the article I posted that no one read. The mask buys you a bit of extra time but in Da Face's idiotic hypo, the mask isn't going to protect you from spreading it.


See people keep saying "the mask is to protect others from you". Okay well that means then what, we are going to perpetually wear masks now because we might have something? When does that end?

People want to say it's selfish not to wear a mask and those same people were out walking around with the cold and flu symptoms before all this and not giving a flying ****. So ...as I said do you plan on always wearing a mask from this day forward? Or when do you decide that if you don't have symptoms you aren't going to wear a mask?

Me personally? I have been shut in for 2 months. Never had any symptoms. Maybe I was asymptomatic? Am I perpetually asymptomatic? Am I to wear a mask now every time I go outside for a walk because I might walk by someone who might have it even though the odds of me getting it from that are damn near 0?

Sorry if I think that a certain amount of rationality has been thrown out the window with a lot of this.

Well, would it be safe to assume that "gray area" is the same as saying there's a "CHANCE" wearing a mask can help then? If that's the case and you agree with that, I think it's self-evident the choice to not wear a mask is potentially harmful and very selfish.

You're not perpetually asymptomatic. That's not how the virus works. There's a chance you may have it and not know for a while. That being the case, you just wear a mask to be on the safe side. It's that simple, pete.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by petegz28

It doesn't prevent the virus from getting in the air.

Doesn't provide 100% prevention? Or any?

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by sedated

This is a lot of mental gymnastics just to avoid doing something that is not that big of a deal and has a distinct possibility of preventing spread of a disease.

So if this virus went away are you going to continue wearing a mask so you don't spread the flu or a cold?

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I pre-ordered some Chiefs masks the other day from Fanatics so I can look even cooler

I would wear that bottom left one long after the covid is gone, and nobody would question it because it's so cool.

[jdubya]

Originally Posted by Donger

I wonder how many anti-maskers also don't wear seat belts.

Only on the toilet after a rough chili/beer night

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Gotcha. The libertarian angle I get. Certainly the "we're all in this together" mentality is antithetical to that.

For the record, I don't personally blame anyone for not necessarily trusting every bit of advice out there. We still know very, very little about this damn disease, and I'm confident that we'll look back years from now and laugh at some of the stupid things we believed. All any of us can do is go on the most reliable information we have at any given point, and it may change. I even get why that erodes trust. It sucks, but it is what it is.

It is possible to feel a little nervous that the govt is encroaching on our rights but at the same time feel that some of this has been necessary, at least at first. I have seen some people criticizing our KS governor. I don't always agree with the way she has handled things during this but, I think she's doing the best she can.

But I hope you're right in that someday we'll look back and laugh and wonder why we reacted to things the way we did.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by petegz28

And there you go. The masks people wear have gaps and your eyes and ears are still exposed. As in the article I posted plus others and you most likely already know, the virus will find the path of least resistance. All the mask does is buy you an additional though minimal amount of time you can be close and talking with someone. That's about it. It doesn't prevent the virus from getting in the air. It doesn't protect your eyes or ears either.

To me it just seems that while it does provide an minimal amount of protection it is largely a psychological security.

I have a tendency to get very sore ears when I get sick, especially when I get a cold. I had doctors tell me throughout my life that my ears are the culprit and to make sure I don't over-clean then in the cold\flu season.

Point is, your mouth and nose are not the only ways to get the virus. And even with these masks people are wearing they are still not protecting your mouth and nose like you think. I have read article after article and heard doctor after doctor state just that as well.

I also wear sunglasses when I use a mask, you keep forgetting the main purpose for the mask is to protect others .

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by petegz28

We have to wear them in the building when walking down halls or working with others but not in our office. And I bet it would surprise you as to why and I can tell you now, it's not for fear of getting sick.

My employer is making us wear them all the time when we go back into the office. That shit might go through the HVAC system so I am definitely wearing mine if I go back into my office.

Also I only wear mine now when I know I am going to be around alot of people (ie Walmart, restaurants). I don't wear it when I am walking the dog.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I would wear that bottom left one long after the covid is gone, and nobody would question it because it's so cool.

They might think you stole your wife's pads for your face though...

[OnTheWarpath15]

32k posts in, and some are still comparing this to the ****ing flu.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by petegz28

So if this virus went away are you going to continue wearing a mask so you don't spread the flu or a cold?

Oh goody. We're back to this...