***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.”

[Donger]

NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills said Monday that of the 23,260 COVID-19 tests administered to players from Aug. 12 to Aug. 20, there were no positives.

According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, Sills added that there were also 35,137 COVID-19 tests given to personnel during that time, which yielded six new positives.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Because they're young Gen Z'ers and by default weak, pampered, and narcissistic. Come on Donger, get with the program.

I still don't see it. Perhaps Discuss is confusing these young people with those who refuse to wear a mask, or something.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Donger

I still don't see it. Perhaps Discuss is confusing these young people with those who refuse to wear a mask, or something.

I don't know the two individuals personally, only the mutual friend. But I have no sense that they were anti-maskers at all.

In fact, they were isolating themselves (perhaps being overly cautious) and it ate away at them until they couldn't handle it anymore.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I don't know the two individuals personally, only the mutual friend. But I have no sense that they were anti-maskers at all.

In fact, they were isolating themselves (perhaps being overly cautious) and it ate away at them until they couldn't handle it anymore.

That's terrible. I wish that they had spoken to someone and learned that it's perfectly safe to get out and about.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Donger

That's terrible. I wish that they had spoken to someone and learned that it's perfectly safe to get out and about.

Many of the kids I've worked with already feel isolated to a great degree. They don't feel like there's anybody to talk to even when times are "normal". This is only my gut feeling but I expect these kids got to the point where they couldn't go outside even if they wanted to. It's a sort of social paralysis. And it's really, really hard to get them to trust anyone in a position of seniority (it took me months of continuous contact to get in with some of my kids) because they're used to psychological problems being dismissed as something that should be solved with the next super pill.

[O.city]

The worst part is that age group thats so upset and worried about Covid statistically are at zero risk from issues with it.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

California floated a policy of 65+ and at risk people stay isolated while everything else stayed open. It lasted 2 days iirc. The 65+ people were not happy about it. And they vote, a lot.

Ok, so we're readily admitting this wasn't about "science" but about politics?

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Maybe a rebalance of exposure would help. I mean we get daily updates from experts on the virus vs an every now again blip on the potential mental health effects. Which is on par for a country that struggles with valuing mental health even before covid. Plus all one has to do is up the periscope from their bunker or open a new web browser and search current news to see it playing out in real time.

Let’s not pretend to care about mental health now!

Many of those complaining about COVID mental health issues now, haven’t wanted to pay the taxes required to run these social programs efficiently for decades in the United States. But now that’s a reason to discredit any COVID precautions because “we care.”

This country’s mental health programs have been a joke for decades. I honestly hope COVID mental health issues actually provide a catalyst for changing this. Hopefully those beating that drum now aren’t just full of hot air and continue to push for change.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by O.city

The worst part is that age group thats so upset and worried about Covid statistically are at zero risk from issues with it.

Very much so. The even worse part is that, while many of these kids are already socially isolated and introverted, another large segment of these kids are the hedonistic ones I mentioned earlier.

Many of those kids have already engaged in behavior FAR more dangerous than getting COVID but for some reason, their inhibition kicks in here where it never has before.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Let’s not pretend to care about mental health now!

Many of those complaining about COVID mental health issues now, haven’t wanted to pay the taxes required to run these social programs efficiently for decades in the United States. But now that’s a reason to discredit any COVID precautions because “we care.”

This country’s mental health programs have been a joke for decades. I honestly hope COVID mental health issues actually provide a catalyst for changing this. Hopefully those beating that drum now aren’t just full of hot air and continue to push for change.

Not to take us down a rathole, but I think mental health REALLY needs to be a partnership between oversight by the government and feet on the ground in the communities, people like us that aren't necessarily getting paid.

It's not that we should allocate no money for the government to be involved, that's wrong. But we also shouldn't expect the government to just do it for us. Mental health is a community problem and I've seen first hand that the only way to get people help is to do it yourself, not wait for somebody in a position of power to do it.

As with most things, there needs to be a balance and balance is like one of the worst skills the US has right now.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Because they're young Gen Z'ers and by default weak, pampered, and narcissistic. Come on Donger, get with the program.

They weren't willing to make a sacrifice so they were selfish as my bolded edit should have made clear.

Pretty simple stuff here.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

They weren't willing to make a sacrifice so they were selfish as my bolded edit should have made clear.

Pretty simple stuff here.

They stayed inside so as to not expose anyone to potential infection. How is that selfish? That's like, the exact opposite of selfish.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

They weren't willing to make a sacrifice so they were selfish as my bolded edit should have made clear.

Pretty simple stuff here.

They did the exact opposite.

If you are trying to equate them with selfish anti-maskers, you are doing an absolutely atrocious job of it.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Let’s not pretend to care about mental health now!

Many of those complaining about COVID mental health issues now, haven’t wanted to pay the taxes required to run these social programs efficiently for decades in the United States. But now that’s a reason to discredit any COVID precautions because “we care.”

This country’s mental health programs have been a joke for decades. I honestly hope COVID mental health issues actually provide a catalyst for changing this. Hopefully those beating that drum now aren’t just full of hot air and continue to push for change.

I don't know of anyone bitching about having to spend any amount of tax money on mental health ever. Never in my entire life have I heard a comment to that effect. Hell its never been brought up before.

And not wanting to pay more in taxes does not = not wanting more tax $ to go to mental health causes. We waste plenty of money in other areas we could shift to mental health care.

To be blunt though, I don't think it would help much anyway, the bigger issue is people who need it usually don't want it. I know from family experience and I think its a fairly common occurrence. People don't like to believe they need mental help.

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Let’s not pretend to care about mental health now!

Many of those complaining about COVID mental health issues now, haven’t wanted to pay the taxes required to run these social programs efficiently for decades in the United States. But now that’s a reason to discredit any COVID precautions because “we care.”

This country’s mental health programs have been a joke for decades. I honestly hope COVID mental health issues actually provide a catalyst for changing this. Hopefully those beating that drum now aren’t just full of hot air and continue to push for change.

Right but my point was that I'm not seeing many people even pretending to care when we're facing a potential crisis. I've read more about the .00001% possibility for long term respiratory damage in kids due to Covid than the mental health impacts on millions.