***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]

Originally Posted by Pants

It's hard for me to spew optimistic shit given the way COVID has impacted your family. The vaccines certainly give us hope in this time of crazy case growth bad news cycle.

It's been a hard year.

But there's no going back. Life is about moving forward, no matter what.

We've lost our way from time to time, but we're gonna come out of this thing stronger. I genuinely believe that. I myself realize so much more now whats important and what doesn't matter.

No one is flawless, we all **** up. But that's what makes us people.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I think we know what is meant when they say lockdown. They mean shutting it all back down again like we did in April\May. Otherwise we are exactly where you said we are so the only thing you can infer is shutting it all down.

I guess that's the part I disagree with. I don't think we know that at all. Everyone's just assuming that we are all talking about the same thing when we're not.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I guess that's the part I disagree with. I don't think we know that at all. Everyone's just assuming that we are all talking about the same thing when we're not.

I don't know what it is you think otherwise?

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by O.city

They also had previous exposure likely to SARS, so there's some pre existing immunity

very few people got SARS. Only 8100 people worldwide.

https://www.cdc.gov/dotw/sars/index.html

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I don't know what it is you think otherwise?

Would you consider my area locked down right now?

-Bars are closed
-Gyms are closed
-Restaurants and offices are 25% capacity
-Masks are required
-No more than 5 people in a private gathering
-10pm curfew for all but essential workers

[petegz28]

Speculation now is Governor Kelly will be locking down Kansas today or tomorrow.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Would you consider my area locked down right now?

-Bars are closed
-Gyms are closed
-Restaurants and offices are 25% capacity
-Masks are required
-No more than 5 people in a private gathering
-10pm curfew for all but essential workers

Yep. Masks have nothing to do with being locked down really but yea businesses forced to be closed, etc. is a lock down. If you're arguing that there are degrees of lock down I would agree but let's not start splitting hairs. Or put it this way, do you think the owners of those bars and gyms think they are locked down?

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Speculation now is Governor Kelly will be locking down Kansas today or tomorrow.

Definition requested. Are schools closed? Bars? Offices? Restaurants? Restrictions on private gatherings? Masks required?

Forgive me since all this is apparently obvious to everyone else.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Yep. Masks have nothing to do with being locked down really but yea businesses forced to be closed, etc. is a lock down.

Interesting. Apparently Colorado has been locked down from the beginning. Who knew?

[saphojunkie]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Look at the Asian countries and you see no large outbreaks and that was because they have huge masks usage. Taiwan had 4 cases yesterday, Vietnam 26, looks like Japan had the largest at 1100.

I have a buddy who's lived in Taiwan for awhile. Trust me... even I don't want the government oversight that it took to get those numbers down in Taiwan.

[DaFace]

Actually, given that theaters have been closed from the beginning, apparently we've all been locked down this entire time.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Definition requested. Are schools closed? Bars? Offices? Restaurants? Restrictions on private gatherings? Masks required?

Forgive me since all this is apparently obvious to everyone else.

You're just arguing to argue now.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Pants

My point was that places where people tend to not wear masks are responsible for the most spread.

Based off what exactly?

Locally we just had 6 people die from Covid, average age 85. 5 of the 6 lived in a long term healthcare facility.

At this point how are people in these facilities still getting Covid? A coworkers wife works at the facility. The patients are isolated from each other, the employees are tested regularly and wear masks and other PPE.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Would you consider my area locked down right now?

-Bars are closed
-Gyms are closed
-Restaurants and offices are 25% capacity
-Masks are required
-No more than 5 people in a private gathering
-10pm curfew for all but essential workers

No. We throw around "lockdown" without appreciation of what "lockdown" actually is.


What you just stated is generally life as normal for me (except for the gym).


But 10 pm curfew is stupid. Coronavirus only comes out at night, eh?

[dirk digler]

In regards to these mRNA vaccines storage. Here is a good article about how rural and low income areas won't be able to provide these because the costs of the very low temp fridge units are expensive and currently the government isn't going to help.

Also the CDC is telling cities not to buy these because other vaccines won't require them.

https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/11/...vid19-vaccine/

‘We’re being left behind’: Rural hospitals can’t afford ultra-cold freezers to store the leading Covid-19 vaccine

arge urban hospitals across the U.S. are rushing to buy expensive ultra-cold freezers to store what’s likely to be the first approved Covid-19 vaccine. But most rural hospitals can’t afford these high-end units, meaning health workers and residents in those communities may have difficulty getting the shots.

The vaccine, developed by Pfizer and the German firm BioNTech, seems to provide 90% immunity according to early data released on Monday. But there’s a catch: The vaccine has to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius. Typical freezers don’t get that cold, making distribution of this vaccine a logistical nightmare.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised state health departments against purchasing ultra-cold freezers — which cost $10,000 to $15,000 each — saying other vaccines with less demanding storage requirements will be available soon. Hospitals with money to spare are flouting this guidance. Four major health care systems, from North Carolina to Ohio, North Dakota, and California, told STAT they had bought additional ultra-cold freezers, while Jefferson Health in Philadelphia said it has leased five units.

About 20% of the hospitals that work with Vizient, one of the largest group purchasers for U.S. hospitals, have bought -80 C freezers, said Azra Behlim, its senior director of pharmacy sourcing and program services. Vizient works with 60% of hospitals nationwide, suggesting that more than 10% of hospitals have shelled out for their own freezers. She couldn’t provide a breakdown, but another major group purchasing organization, Premier, said most of its clients buying ultra-cold freezers were academic medical centers.

“The rural and the small hospitals would be disadvantaged,” said Soumi Saha, a pharmacist and Premier’s director of advocacy.

This purchase is out of reach for poorer hospitals, especially those in rural areas that can barely manage daily expenses. Nearly half of U.S. rural hospitals were operating at a loss in April of this year, said Alan Morgan, chief executive of the National Rural Health Association. And the pandemic has further weakened hospitals’ finances.

Rural populations are precisely those that are vulnerable to Covid-19 and most in need of a vaccine, noted Morgan: “Hundreds of rural, small towns all across the U.S. have a higher percentage of elderly, low-income [residents], a higher percentage of the community with multiple chronic health issues.” Yet, he added, “in this financial environment, you can imagine that there is simply no consideration of rural hospitals purchasing storage equipment for this ultra-cold distribution.”

Even without the ultra-cold freezer divide, there are other obstacles to making the Pfizer vaccine available in rural communities. The company plans to ship the vaccine to distributors in storage containers of 1,000 to 5,000 doses.

The containers will keep the vaccines at -75 C (plus or minus 15 degrees) on dry ice, for 10 days. Once opened, the containers can be used for 15 more days with re-icing every five days, though the boxes can be opened only for a minute at a time no more than twice a day. The doses can survive five more days while refrigerated.