***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.”

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by 2112

Feel better dude! The hardest part is trying to self isolate in a house full of family members. I got it 2 1/2 weeks ago, no fever just slept day and night for the first 3 days. Lost taste and smell which is annoying as hell. I could taste green tea and won tong soup but I couldn’t taste or smell coffee. I lost 12lbs. Today I tasted my coffee for the first time in weeks. When you feel a little better try eating spicy stuff. It seems to have expedited my taste and smell. I’ve been eating wasabi peas and el yucateco green habanero sauce and I think it’s been helping with the taste and smell.

Good luck to you and your family

Thanks. I actually seem like I am starting to get some smell and taste back. Not 100% by any means but better than it has been in days.

[TLO]

Europe is shutting down again. People are going to revolt like never before.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by TLO

Europe is shutting down again. People are going to revolt like never before.

Probably so

Which could exacerbate it even more. I dunno what the hell is gonna happen now.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by O.city

Probably so

Which could exacerbate it even more. I dunno what the hell is gonna happen now.

Yep.

[O.city]

We can’t and won’t lock back down here unless it just completely goes off the rails. So that’s probably a good thing atleast

But we’ve kinda squandered time and political will with things that don’t really help sadly I think.

We’ll see what happens

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

We can’t and won’t lock back down here unless it just completely goes off the rails. So that’s probably a good thing atleast

But we’ve kinda squandered time and political will with things that don’t really help sadly I think.

We’ll see what happens

At some point you have to ask what else can be done? Short of locking people in their homes it isn't a lot.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by O.city

We can’t and won’t lock back down here unless it just completely goes off the rails. So that’s probably a good thing atleast

But we’ve kinda squandered time and political will with things that don’t really help sadly I think.

We’ll see what happens

It all just comes down to the hospitals. They have triage plans in place to turn a lot of people away I'm sure.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by petegz28

At some point you have to ask what else can be done? Short of locking people in their homes it isn't a lot.

We know what to do to slow it down. Distancing, ventilation, hand hygiene, masking all stacked together.

People were inevitably going to tire from it and apathy would set it. Paired with economic despair and it being a highly polarized election year, we were just in a shit situation.

So at this point just gotta hope the hospitals hold up and we get vaccines soon

[BigCatDaddy]

How are the countrys that already started giving out vaccines doing?

[O.city]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

How are the countrys that already started giving out vaccines doing?

Last I saw it was russia and China and I don’t think we have the best depiction of what’s happening in those countries especially China so who knows.

It’ll just take so dang long to innoculate the people who even want it is the problem I’ve read we may have in the future

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

We know what to do to slow it down. Distancing, ventilation, hand hygiene, masking all stacked together.

People were inevitably going to tire from it and apathy would set it. Paired with economic despair and it being a highly polarized election year, we were just in a shit situation.

So at this point just gotta hope the hospitals hold up and we get vaccines soon

I gotta say the vaccine needs to hurry. I have no idea where I got it from as I wear a mask just like everyone else. Gym and a restaurant are the only places I have been where my mask has come off. When I have been at the gym I wasn't really close to anyone else and same at the restaurant.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

Last I saw it was russia and China and I don’t think we have the best depiction of what’s happening in those countries especially China so who knows.

It’ll just take so dang long to innoculate the people who even want it is the problem I’ve read we may have in the future

I think you have to look at it is a mandatory deal for care facilities. Front line workers perhaps but not sure you can force that. Kids I think are relatively safe and I wouldn't want to give mine the vaccine for a few years anyway to be honest.

[petegz28]

I will say this, the mental aspect of all of this is not something to be taken lightly or overlooked. Aside from being sick and luckily not severely, I am making out easier than my Son for instance. The amount of quarantine time and what that means to him is actually more than it is for me. Thankfully he is only 7 but move that to someone who is in their teens and such and I can very well see the mental toll this can take.

Not being able to go to school
Not being able to see your friends
Not being able to participate in anything

And for up to 24 days every time you are "exposed" to someone who tests positive.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I gotta say the vaccine needs to hurry. I have no idea where I got it from as I wear a mask just like everyone else. Gym and a restaurant are the only places I have been where my mask has come off. When I have been at the gym I wasn't really close to anyone else and same at the restaurant.

It’s airborne and can linger in the air for a while so even if you distance yourself, if you are indoors your odds go way up.

[TLO]

I'm hearing of a pending EUA for a treatment coming in the next couple of days.

Not 100% sure what it is, but I'm guessing REGENERON.

Would actually be happy if I'm wrong. Something else coming out of nowhere would be welcome.