***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.”

[loochy]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

smh Dr. Deborah Birx said today we should have locked down like Italy. No ****ing shit?

Dr. Deborah Birx: "I wish that when we went into lockdown we looked like Italy. But when Italy locked down, I mean, people weren't allowed out of their houses ... Americans don't react well to that kind of prohibition." pic.twitter.com/B9Xe0XncnA

— The Recount (@therecount) August 17, 2020

Yeah, that would have worked out well.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by TLO

This virus is approaching, if not already, the most studied virus in human history. I wonder how much of this stuff we'd find if we studied other viruses this much?

I wonder how many people asymptomaticically have a cold,flu, etc.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

smh Dr. Deborah Birx said today we should have locked down like Italy. No ****ing shit?

Dr. Deborah Birx: "I wish that when we went into lockdown we looked like Italy. But when Italy locked down, I mean, people weren't allowed out of their houses ... Americans don't react well to that kind of prohibition." pic.twitter.com/B9Xe0XncnA

— The Recount (@therecount) August 17, 2020

The same Italy that to his day still has more deaths per capita than we do?

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

smh Dr. Deborah Birx said today we should have locked down like Italy. No ****ing shit?

Dr. Deborah Birx: "I wish that when we went into lockdown we looked like Italy. But when Italy locked down, I mean, people weren't allowed out of their houses ... Americans don't react well to that kind of prohibition." pic.twitter.com/B9Xe0XncnA

— The Recount (@therecount) August 17, 2020

The same Italy that to his day still has more deaths per capita than we do?

[TLO]

Originally Posted by loochy

I wonder how many people asymptomaticically have a cold,flu, etc.

So many questions.

[Bob Dole]

Top infectious disease doctor. All shelter in place! Wear masks! And stuff.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

Top infectious disease doctor. All shelter in place! Wear masks! And stuff.

It's pretty simple...if everyone just stayed inside and never came outside for anything, wore a mask the entire time as well and did this for 3 months....the virus would still be around.

[arrowheadnation]

We (Americans) have no discipline or self control. Too many people have moved on to "F$%& it, if I get sick, so be it" mode. I just sit at home and await the damn vaccine. Perhaps this year has caused me to grow cold, but this is now my mentality. Once I get the vaccine; **** all the anti-vaxxers. Let em die.

[Bob Dole]

Originally Posted by petegz28

It's pretty simple...if everyone just stayed inside and never came outside for anything, wore a mask the entire time as well and did this for 3 months....the virus would still be around.

Exactly. This shit is ridiculous.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by staylor26

Comparing locking down the entire US to Italy is ****ing stupid. You’re talking about 328 million people versus 60.

I knew this wasn't going to over well when I posted it and honestly I think Dr. Birx is trying to cover her ass because she could have said this months ago but she didn't.

But she is right we should have locked down harder especially NYC\tri state area or the Washington State area during the first outbreaks. No travel in or out and no movement in those areas. The rest of the country could have gone with masks and social distancing until outbreaks hit in their respective areas.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I knew this wasn't going to over well when I posted it and honestly I think Dr. Birx is trying to cover her ass because she could have said this months ago but she didn't.

But she is right we should have locked down harder especially NYC\tri state area or the Washington State area during the first outbreaks. No travel in or out and no movement in those areas. The rest of the country could have gone with masks and social distancing until outbreaks hit in their respective areas.

I still think it would have escaped (or already existed) elsewhere. It would have just been a slower burn. We wouldn't have detected the small outbreaks because testing was so slow and inaccessible. Every effort on this occurs weeks too late.

This virus should be renamed "The Agent Smith Virus".

"You were right, Smith. You were always right. It was inevitable."

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I knew this wasn't going to over well when I posted it and honestly I think Dr. Birx is trying to cover her ass because she could have said this months ago but she didn't.

But she is right we should have locked down harder especially NYC\tri state area or the Washington State area during the first outbreaks. No travel in or out and no movement in those areas. The rest of the country could have gone with masks and social distancing until outbreaks hit in their respective areas.

Umm isn't this basically what we did? I guess those asshole NY residents flying to Florida didn't help.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Umm isn't this basically what we did? I guess those asshole NY residents flying to Florida didn't help.

No. People were still free to move, mingle, and leave.

He means NO ins or outs, military blockades on all roads, no air or boat traffic, etc...national guard patrolling the streets and not letting anyone come out...you know, Wuhan-esque

But it still would have popped up and ignited elsewhere. It was inevitable.

[suzzer99]

Wuhan coronavirus: From silent streets to packed pools

Today, it appears that life has edged back to normal in Wuhan. The images of partygoers attending the HOHA Water Electrical Musical Festival over the weekend have only proved this point. Organisers even offered female tourists tickets at half price in a bid to attract more visitors.

Wuhan Happy Valley - the theme park that owns the Maya Water park - re-opened on 25 June, but according to its deputy general manager it only started getting more visitors this August.

The park currently sees around 15,000 visitors on the weekend, he said, around half the number of people it saw this time last year.

On Chinese social media, some commenters expressed surprise that such a large scale event was allowed to take place in Wuhan. There was also alarm on Twitter and Facebook.

But Wuhan has not had a local coronavirus case since mid-May, and about 9.9 million people in the city have been tested for the virus. There are no bans in place on large gatherings.

I know we could never do what Wuhan did. But it does make you wonder if we just bit the bullet and did a hard-core lockdown for a couple months - maybe cases would be so low that we could keep up with them with contact tracing - and stamp out the little brush fires before they explode.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Umm isn't this basically what we did? I guess those asshole NY residents flying to Florida didn't help.

Originally Posted by loochy

No. People were still free to move, mingle, and leave.

He means NO ins or outs, military blockades on all roads, no air or boat traffic, etc...national guard patrolling the streets and not letting anyone come out...you know, Wuhan-esque

But it still would have popped up and ignited elsewhere. It was inevitable.

Loochy is correct and I assume that is what Dr. Birx was saying when she was suggesting people had to get passes to be out. There was no reason why people were allowed to fly in and out of NYC during this time or travel for that matter.

I agree it probably would have popped out but it might have been alot more manageable.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Wuhan coronavirus: From silent streets to packed pools



I know we could never do what Wuhan did. But it does make you wonder if we just bit the bullet and did a hard-core lockdown for a couple months - maybe cases would be so low that we could keep up with them with contact tracing - and stamp out the little brush fires before they explode.

Yeah, never mind our economy would have completely collapsed....