***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.”

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

You'd need 6 foot arms to sand drywall that is 6 feet away.

Who knew a comparison of unmasked drywall to the Coronavirus was such a dumb comparison?!?!

Thanks Stevie!

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

You'd need 6 foot arms to sand drywall that is 6 feet away.

Well, you have two 3-foot arms... daisy chain them for optimal social distancing.

You will have to cut off one of your arms though.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by lewdog

And what if you put a mask on the drywall and the person working?

Plus 6 feet of distance between the masked worker and the drywall that is wearing a mask?

And what if unicorns came riding through giving candy and rainbow jelly beans to all the good boys and girls?

Asking for a friend.....

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Who knew a comparison of unmasked drywall to the Coronavirus was such a dumb comparison?!?!

Thanks Stevie!

I have no idea if it was dumb or not. If I covered my face with a cloth mask and sanded drywall for an hour and my mouth and nose were full of dust when finished, I'd say it's a valid point.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Well, you have two 3-foot arms... daisy chain them for optimal social distancing.

You will have to cut off one of your arms though.

I just have to learn how to sand drywall with my feet. PROBLEM SOLVED

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

I have no idea if it was dumb or not. If I covered my face with a cloth mask and sanded drywall for an hour and my mouth and nose were full of dust when finished, I'd say it's a valid point.

But the drywall wasn't wearing a mask......DUH!!!!!

[tk13]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

I have no idea if it was dumb or not. If I covered my face with a cloth mask and sanded drywall for an hour and my mouth and nose were full of dust when finished, I'd say it's a valid point.

Masks aren't a foolproof thing. But the studies so far pretty clearly show that a mask blocks many of the droplets coming out of your own mouth. Not all, but many. And the ones that do escape, they don't travel nearly as far.

[petegz28]

We are gonna top 50k new cases today. I think increased testing has a lot to do with it. I saw that in JoCo tests results are getting delayed because the labs are swamped. So that's a good thing. The other good thing is it is still looking like cases and deaths are going in opposite directions. Fingers crossed that we see that continuing.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by stumppy

Bullshit. I haven't posted anything that's anymore political than pete has. And he does it daily.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?v...TNpNSA70fA8kbg

[lewdog]

It goes back to the same thing being mentioned over and over.

If two people both wear masks and can maintain social distance for a large part of their interaction, it’s high unlikely coronavirus can be spread. It why wearing a mask can help stop the spread of a person who may be positive. You wear a mask to protect others from yourself and it’s a very high protection rate if both people are wearing a mask.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by petegz28

819 is the number we want to stay under......

We're gonna be under that by a lot.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

I have no idea if it was dumb or not. If I covered my face with a cloth mask and sanded drywall for an hour and my mouth and nose were full of dust when finished, I'd say it's a valid point.

It’s about everyone needing to wear a mask, so this includes the drywall if that’s your comparison.

The Asian countries are pros at wearing masks in public. They’ve kicked our ass in stopping the spread because their entire population understands it’s needed by ALL to work.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by stumppy

That's just it, I am pointing a finger at you. You do that shit all the time in this thread. Even if what you post isn't blatantly political you walk right up to the line and spit across it.
That's all I'm going to say about it, I don't want to derail this anymore than it has been.

I haven’t noticed political things from Pete here at all.

And you can’t ban him for being sub 70 I suppose.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by tk13

Masks aren't a foolproof thing. But the studies so far pretty clearly show that a mask blocks many of the droplets coming out of your own mouth. Not all, but many. And the ones that do escape, they don't travel nearly as far.

I haven't really looked at much of the research on masks. Is there anything that says even basic cloth or surgical masks can block the intake of droplets from others?

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by petegz28

But the drywall wasn't wearing a mask......DUH!!!!!

So, you don't think if there was a large umbrella-like thing between your hand and the drywall, that it wouldn't make a difference in the amount of dust headed towards your face?