***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.”

[O.city]

Mild symptoms on this appear to be a slight fever. Which is to be expected.

[jdubya]

Shingrix vaccine for shingles can be a ball buster for a day or 2 with aches, pains, fever and lethargy. Even the injection site feels like somebody hit you with a bat for a day or 2....still worth it

[petegz28]

Reports Of A Surge In Coronavirus Cases In Texas Infants Is False, Official Says

A viral report of a sudden surge of coronavirus cases in infants in a single county in Texas is inaccurate, a local official said on Saturday.

On Friday, the top health official for the Corpus Christi area said at a press conference that the county currently has 85 cases of newborns with coronavirus.

“We currently have 85 babies under the age of one year in Nueces County that have all tested positive for COVID-19,” Annette Rodriguez, director of public health for Corpus Christi Nueces County, said at the press conference. “These babies have not even had their first birthday yet. Please help us stop the spread of this disease.”

Rodriguez’s comments stoked widespread fear of a surge in cases in the county, while raising questions about how dozens of infants could have suddenly contracted the virus.

News outlets across the country picked up the story, including CNN, CBS News, Huffington Post, The Hill, and the Associated Press.

But Rodriguez was mistaken, according to Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales.

According to KRIS 6 News in Corpus Christi, Canales said that 85 infants have tested positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic several months ago.

“On Friday, July 17, during a press conference, a spokesperson mentioned that 85 infants under the age of one had tested positive for coronavirus,” Canales said in a statement, KRIS 6 reported. “This number reflects the cumulative total of positive tests for infants under the age of 1 since the beginning of testing in mid-March, which has resulted in 8,171 positive test results.”

“Stating this number during our press conference led many to believe that we had a sudden surge in infants under the age of one testing positive. We have NOT had a sudden surge of 85 infants testing positive,” she said.

Little is known about whether infants fare better or worse than other age groups with coronavirus. Elderly populations are at higher risk of complications from the virus, while children and young adults typically experience mild symptoms.

Health officials have said that infants could be at higher risk than other children because of their undeveloped immune systems, though a report published by Scientific American this week said that newborns have shown more resiliency to the virus than expected.

https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/19/t...christi-false/

[Donger]

That's not inaccurate at all.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I think Moderna had alot of bad symptoms as well which is more concerning. They have never produced a vaccine either.



No they are still on track to have this ready by September. People just like to complain.

One set of Moderna's had bad symptom and it was the heavier dose which they quit testing since.

[O.city]

Good news: Data from the Texas Medical Center in Houston shows that it is past the peak and is looking at gradual decreases in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. pic.twitter.com/K9F9ZBTSvQ

— Charles Ornstein (@charlesornstein) July 20, 2020

[Mr_Tomahawk]

Originally Posted by O.city

Good news: Data from the Texas Medical Center in Houston shows that it is past the peak and is looking at gradual decreases in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. pic.twitter.com/K9F9ZBTSvQ

— Charles Ornstein (@charlesornstein) July 20, 2020

Fantastic!

[suzzer99]

TX/AZ and FL all seem to have peaked on new cases about a week ago and are in slow decline now. All 3 states have implemented various restrictions - mainly in the big cities and in other hotspots. Deaths should peak in 2-3 weeks.

But unlike NYC and N. Italy - these states aren't peaking then dropping fast in terms of cases. They're peaking and then slowly tapering off to form more of a sloping plateau, at least so far. Not sure what the effects on hospitals will be from that.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

TX/AZ and FL all seem to have peaked on new cases about a week ago and are in slow decline now. All 3 states have implemented various restrictions - mainly in the big cities and in other hotspots. Deaths should peak in 2-3 weeks.

But unlike NYC and N. Italy - these states aren't peaking then dropping fast in terms of cases. They're peaking and then slowly tapering off to form more of a sloping plateau, at least so far. Not sure what the effects on hospitals will be from that.

Due to increased testing now, we're finding more of the infections. When NY and Italy peaked, it's likely their infections were much much higher than reported, hence coming down so fast.

[Kiimo]

Originally Posted by O.city

Good news: Data from the Texas Medical Center in Houston shows that it is past the peak and is looking at gradual decreases in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. pic.twitter.com/K9F9ZBTSvQ

— Charles Ornstein (@charlesornstein) July 20, 2020

Reports from McAllen Medical Center. pic.twitter.com/Kb2aDyrNSQ

— Sarah, RN (@shesinscrubs) July 20, 2020

[DaFace]

Nice little summary of vaccine progress.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-53469839

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Kiimosabi

Reports from McAllen Medical Center. pic.twitter.com/Kb2aDyrNSQ

— Sarah, RN (@shesinscrubs) July 20, 2020

One post is from an official medical center source and includes data. The other is from someone who wants to remain anonymous and is just one story with no other supporting evidence.

Obviously capacity is a concern, but if it were a widespread issue you'd think it would be much more obvious.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by DaFace

One post is from an official medical center source and includes data. The other is from someone who wants to remain anonymous and is just one story with no other supporting evidence.

Obviously capacity is a concern, but if it were a widespread issue you'd think it would be much more obvious.

I kinda question this Sara, RN

Also as I previously stated I do not work in McAllen but am sharing the stories of contacts who do. Yes I have a TikTok account and somehow that makes me less credible because I like to post content for nursing students on there lol. I am a real nurse in Florida. 🙄

— Sarah, RN (@shesinscrubs) July 20, 2020

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by O.city

Due to increased testing now, we're finding more of the infections. When NY and Italy peaked, it's likely their infections were much much higher than reported, hence coming down so fast.

That's doesn't really explain why infections came down so much faster in those places

[O.city]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

That's doesn't really explain why infections came down so much faster in those places

If there's anything to the thought that once this thing hits a certain percent of infections it drops quickly, it does.