***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.”

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by barryforthewin20

half my fire department did not get the vaccine either but I did

Next time I call 911 when my house is on fire, I'm specifically requesting you.

Why would a fire person not get vaccinated? You never know who you're going to run into. You might end up pulling a coughing person out of a wreck and there's no way to stay six feet away in a fireman's carry..

[O.city]

We need to be vaccinating 24/7

This variant mutation is frightening in terms of spread. It’s not, to my reading, mutated enough to mess with vaccination but the more spread there is out there and the more infections the higher the likelihood of a significant mutation happening

[DJJasonp]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Next time I call 911 when my house is on fire, I'm specifically requesting you.

Why would a fire person not get vaccinated? You never know who you're going to run into. You might end up pulling a coughing person out of a wreck and there's no way to stay six feet away in a fireman's carry..

my next door neighbor's had fire medical emergency out yesterday - and I was surprised they were only wearing masks. Figured they'd have the face shields on too.

[suzzer99]

Has anyone read anything good on why vaccination #s are falling so far short of the goals? Particularly why we might be hopeful that the current pace of 10 years to vaccinate everyone will speed up soon?

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Has anyone read anything good on why vaccination #s are falling so far short of the goals? Particularly why we might be hopeful that the current pace of 10 years to vaccinate everyone will speed up soon?

Local and state level people have been put in charge of the roll out. They do not have the resources to make this happen as quickly as most would like to see it happening.

[suzzer99]

So where's the hope the pace picks up? We all agree 10 years is unacceptable right?

[TLO]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Has anyone read anything good on why vaccination #s are falling so far short of the goals? Particularly why we might be hopeful that the current pace of 10 years to vaccinate everyone will speed up soon?

Originally Posted by suzzer99

So where's the hope the pace picks up? We all agree 10 years is unacceptable right?

Our city is doing something I quite like. We're setting up a mass vaccination center in our very little used Civic Arena that sits downtown. The city is hopeful they can get everyone on the 1a list in town not already getting the vaccine from our local hospital vaccinated in a couple days time.

[TLO]

I'm not sure how much I like the UK deciding they're gonna space out the doses of vaccines in hopes of getting more people vaccinated. This seems like a bad idea.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by TLO

I'm not sure how much I like the UK deciding they're gonna space out the doses of vaccines in hopes of getting more people vaccinated. This seems like a bad idea.

I think their mixing of vaccines is pretty crazy as well.

[Demonpenz]

my sister and brother in law have it my parents have been blasted sick and I have been sick and sleeping 18 hours a day since last week. Going to try to get a test on tuesday.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

my sister and brother in law have it my parents have been blasted sick and I have been sick and sleeping 18 hours a day since last week. Going to try to get a test on tuesday.

Since last week and just going now to get checked out? You sleep 18 hours a day normally? Come on man, I like ya. Stay healthy.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

my sister and brother in law have it my parents have been blasted sick and I have been sick and sleeping 18 hours a day since last week. Going to try to get a test on tuesday.

Hope you get better Pez and go get a test ASAP.

[dirk digler]

Scotland is going full lockdown for a month and reading this morning that a pandemic expert group Independent Sage is saying this new strain is 40-80% more transmissible.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Monday that Scotland would enter a month-long lockdown beginning at midnight, as a highly infectious COVID-19 variant continues to spread rapidly throughout the United Kingdom.

[O.city]

UK going to a stronger lockdown too. We need to get vaccines out quick

[O.city]

With this new strain being that much more and quicker spread, you’re only option is vaccination. Test and trace and whatever isn’t gonna help