***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.”

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

What are the advantages? My big buying criteria are efficacy and to a much lesser degree side effects. The one dose thing doesn't really make me much difference, nor does storage. Is there anything else I should be considering?

It's mainly those that you don't care about. It's important from a societal perspective because it's far easier to transport and store, and it's much cheaper. So if we're going to vaccinate the world, it's way better. And for those of us at the end of the line, it's likely that you'll have a shot at it earlier.

But for an individual person, you probably technically want Pfizer or Moderna based on preliminary efficacy rates.

[Indian Chief]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

What are the advantages? My big buying criteria are efficacy and to a much lesser degree side effects. The one dose thing doesn't really make me much difference, nor does storage. Is there anything else I should be considering?

When I say advantages, I mean society at large. You're considering everything you should and I agree, efficacy and side effects are at the top of the list. But having a single dose vaccine is going to make it not only an easier sell to the public, but you no longer have to worry about adherence to a second booster dose. The storage requirements are also going to make transport easier and allow us to administer vaccines in poorer rural areas that might lack facilities to accommodate the other vaccines.

Edit: DaFace said pretty much the same thing.

It's also worth noting that since J&J is using a different delivery system, we'll get a good look at an alternative approach.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It's mainly those that you don't care about. It's important from a societal perspective because it's far easier to transport and store, and it's much cheaper. So if we're going to vaccinate the world, it's way better. And for those of us at the end of the line, it's likely that you'll have a shot at it earlier.

But for an individual person, you probably technically want Pfizer or Moderna based on preliminary efficacy rates.

Originally Posted by Indian Chief

When I say advantages, I mean society at large. You're considering everything you should and I agree, efficacy and side effects are at the top of the list. But having a single dose vaccine is going to make it not only an easier sell to the public, but you no longer have to worry about adherence to a second booster dose. The storage requirements are also going to make transport easier and allow us to administer vaccines in poorer rural areas that might lack facilities to accommodate the other vaccines.

I'm all for what's good for society as long as it makes society less likely to kill me.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by petegz28

And for a side dish...

CDC says flu is almost non-existent right now because everyone is wearing masks and social distancing....

While at the same time

CDC says Covid cases are surging because no one is wearing masks and social distancing...


Gotta love people

I was just a little curious on this one... and it does mention masks, social distancing, etc; could be a contributing factor.

I've read one theory that the flu 'migrates' between hemispheres as the seasons change.... and so the theory is interesting in that if southern hemisphere countries are having a better time fighting Covid with mask usage and what not, plus the lack of international travel, then the flu doesn't 'migrate' back as it turns to summer there and winter here. Plus more people getting flu shots, etc.

And I'm sure there's all kinds of math with only needing a certain percentage of mask usage, etc; versus a virus that's 3 times less likely to spread than Covid... so in some sense, it could actually make sense that say 20% mask usage helps the spread of a virus that doesn't spread relatively well, but not hitting say 40% mask usage is causing Covid to continue to spread since it's that much more contagious.

And of course Covid never 'left', so as people have talked about a tipping point in exponential growth with Covid, we hit that mark months ago... while perhaps just a small percentage of help with masks and social distancing and lack of travel, etc; has helped hold the curve down on the flu ramping up and relatively starting from scratch.

And I'm of course not arguing "facts" or anything, just made me curious enough to wonder how that could be true even if on the surface it sounds funny.

A record number of influenza vaccine doses are being produced and distributed in 2020, in an attempt to avoid a "twindemic." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 190.4 million flu vaccines have been distributed across the U.S. this season — the highest number of flu doses distributed in the U.S. during a single influenza season.

Flu vaccination among adults rose 46% — from 31.1 million in 2019 to 45.3 million as of November 28.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/influen...-vaccinations/

[Donger]

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/

Looks like more states have begun updating their vaccine data.

And for some reason, Colorado has put more needles into shoulders than Texas:

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/u...accine-tracker

[neech]

Originally Posted by Donger

Link to both CDC statements?

Why I notice most always you don’t provide links.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by neech

Why I notice most always you don’t provide links.

Bad timing award, awarded. Look above.

[neech]

Originally Posted by Donger

Bad timing award, awarded. Look above.

I said most times.

[petegz28]

Just found out our system us currently doing about 100 arm sticks an hour.

[tooge]

Originally Posted by stevieray

Had a cousin, in excellent shape, who died of a heart attack on a treadmill at Gold's gym.

He was 40.

Here's where you show your ignorance. He obviously wasn't in excellent shape. His body might have looked good. He likely had some arterial narrowing or clogging, or some form of cardiomyopathy or ventricular thickening, enlarged heart, any number of genetic syndromes (Marfans) that you'd never know about and he likely wouldn't either. Healthy hearts don't just stop. Otherwise they weren't healthy. Hell, you could have some of the same issues if he was your cousin. They might find you tits up underneath a ladder with a can full of paint all over your face and say you died of fear of heights. I mean, you are healthy right?

[tooge]

Originally Posted by stevieray

That's your opinion.

I realize people are dying everyday, from a myriad of things. Are they any less tragic?

I've lost three friends and one relative to cancer this year. Couldn't pay respects to any of them. They're just gone.

This has nothing to do with telling people to get over it(), just recognizing there are other mitigating factors that come into play. It's not cut and dried.

If you've got a problem with that, it's on you. We don't get to decide for each other on such a complex issue.

Those friends and relatives clearly didn't take very good care of themselves if they got cancer.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Just found out our system us currently doing about 100 arm sticks an hour.

Should clarify this is for employees....

[ChiliConCarnage]

This isn't completely new but I hadn't seen it before

Today we announce a clinical trial programme to assess the safety and immunogenicity of a combination of AZD1222, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, and Sputnik V, developed by Russian Gamaleya Research institute,” AstraZeneca said in a statement published on its website in English and Russian on Friday.

[MahomesMagic]

Not good news for the suppression camp...

Sadly #Antarctica is no longer free of COVID-19! The Chilean army today reported 36 personnel at O’Higgins Base have tested positive (26 military and 10 civilians); the station has been undergoing the annual exchange of personnel over the last few weeks; pic @Base_OHiggins pic.twitter.com/OKtjqQQ4Om

— The Antarctic Report (@AntarcticReport) December 22, 2020

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by petegz28

And for a side dish...

CDC says flu is almost non-existent right now because everyone is wearing masks and social distancing....

While at the same time

CDC says Covid cases are surging because no one is wearing masks and social distancing...


Gotta love people

It's going to be much harder for the flu to travel with substantial reduction in travel abroad. Combined with the fact that it is significantly less transmissible than COVID (1.3^10 is 13.8 infections for the flu vs 2.4^10 is 6340 infections for COVID) and you are going to see a virtually non-existent flu season if patterns hold.