***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 RunKC

NPR radio said they are expecting J&J vaccine to get to FDA for approval by early next month. More vaccines would be extremely helpful

J&J is also a one dose deal so that helps as well

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

I guess I was hoping for much longer than 2 years

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKBN29C0YK

I was told by a person high, high, high up in our leadership the other day that this vaccine will eventually become like the flu shot and people will be getting it every year or so.

[Indian Chief]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

I guess I was hoping for much longer than 2 years

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKBN29C0YK

That's completely speculative. I wouldn't come to any conclusions yet. A paper came out this week detailing 8 months of likely immunity because we've had 8 months to study it. Until we get longitudinal data, we can't really know.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by O.city

Luckily in the dental field, we've found our PPE and what we're doing works great as there hasn't been much if any spread in the actual dental setting. It's mostly from outside sources.

Granted we aren't directly treating active Covid Pt's if we can help it. But we're also finding per a report I read yesterday that they're finding up to half the spread is from non symptomatic people. Which could mean a couple different things.

One would have to assume being around/treating covid patients would obviously up the risk actor greatly given PPE or not but one would think those people would be really really suited up for it.

I actually had a test done Tuesday and the girl was garbed up pretty well. My son tested positive last Thursday, along with his girlfriend and best friend.

They are all doing fine, pretty mild symptoms which is to be expected since they are all around 21 years old. This is with him being very asthmatic as a child and he also had a spontaneous lung collapse a few years ago.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Indian Chief

That's completely speculative. I wouldn't come to any conclusions yet. A paper came out this week detailing 8 months of likely immunity because we've had 8 months to study it. Until we get longitudinal data, we can't really know.

What makes you think we haven't had 8 months to study covid immunity? Its been here for 10+ months.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by O.city

They've found, thankfully, that the Pfizer vax stops the UK mutated strand just as well as the others. So thats great and was expected IMO.

Really? That's fantastic news!

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Indian Chief

That's completely speculative. I wouldn't come to any conclusions yet. A paper came out this week detailing 8 months of likely immunity because we've had 8 months to study it. Until we get longitudinal data, we can't really know.

Based on what we know and what we know about these types of viruses, I would be highly surprised if we didn't have long term immunity to this thing. We do to influenza. Sure it wanes and changes, but we aren't naïve to it.

I think we should assume this will go as we know all others do and change if we get evidence that it doesn't instead of vice versa.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

One would have to assume being around/treating covid patients would obviously up the risk actor greatly given PPE or not but one would think those people would be really really suited up for it.

I actually had a test done Tuesday and the girl was garbed up pretty well. My son tested positive last Thursday, along with his girlfriend and best friend.

They are all doing fine, pretty mild symptoms which is to be expected since they are all around 21 years old. This is with him being very asthmatic as a child and he also had a spontaneous lung collapse a few years ago.

That sucks man. HOpe they do ok.

[Indian Chief]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

What makes you think we haven't had 8 months to study covid immunity? Its been here for 10+ months.

No, I said we HAVE had 8 months of study on it, so we can track early cases and see that they still have immunity. In 20 months we might be tracking the same thing and at that point we'll say people have 20 months of immunity. I'm saying immunity may go well beyond that time, but it's a gate at this point because we simply don't have data beyond that yet.

Originally Posted by O.city

Based on what we know and what we know about these types of viruses, I would be highly surprised if we didn't have long term immunity to this thing. We do to influenza. Sure it wanes and changes, but we aren't naïve to it.

I think we should assume this will go as we know all others do and change if we get evidence that it doesn't instead of vice versa.

Yes, I believe this is likely. COVID would have to behave very differently for us to not have some long-term immunity. The fact that we have documentation of immunity after 8 months is a good sign.

[dirk digler]

Sounds like the new administration is going to release all the vaccine day one or shortly after instead of holding it back like what is going on now. The risky part is can Pfizer\Moderna keep up.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Sounds like the new administration is going to release all the vaccine day one or shortly after instead of holding it back like what is going on now. The risky part is can Pfizer\Moderna keep up.

We can't seem to get the # of vaccines we have now into arms. What good is doling out more vaccines to places that can't administer them do?

[TLO]

Was just reading on CNN that there may be a "USA variant" spreading now. I guess every country is going to end up with their own variant pretty soon.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by TLO

We can't seem to get the # of vaccines we have now into arms. What good is doling out more vaccines to places that can't administer them do?

Just PR

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by TLO

We can't seem to get the # of vaccines we have now into arms. What good is doling out more vaccines to places that can't administer them do?

Didn't you say your employer can't get it? There is a ton of health care or other businesses that want it but haven't gotten it yet.

[dirk digler]

The governors say they want it and can get them distributed.

group of governors wrote a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Operation Warp Speed Chief Operating Officer Gen. Gustave Perna pressing the federal government to distribute "reserved doses" of the Covid-19 vaccine to states that need them.

"Our states are ready to work around the clock to ramp up distribution, get more shots in arms, and save more American lives. General Perna, as you have stated before, 'a vaccine sitting on a shelf is not effective,'" the letter reads. "We couldn't agree with you more. That's why we are asking for your help now. When we work together, we can end this pandemic and return to a life of normalcy sooner."