***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.”

[TLO]

Michael Olsterholm needs to take a Xanax

[O.city]

Originally Posted by TLO

Michael Olsterholm needs to take a Xanax

He's a very intelligent dude, but man, come on. He likes the spotlight.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by O.city

So hospitalizations and cases here are still plummeting which is great. But why? Is it just a saturation thing? Have enough people got it and died or recovered where hitting some kind of immunity?

I don't know if it covers everything, but I have seen almost no one in January compared to quite a few family members over the holidays. That's probably a minor factor at least.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by O.city

I dunno. I can't imagine they've had enough out there to make a difference yet?

MO has only got about 5% of it's total population vaccinated. But I guess, you add the amount who have actually gotten covid maybe to that and were close to something?

Vaccinations are probably making a difference, just on a very small scale. We were seeing numbers dropping around Missouri before vaccines started going into arms.

I'm optimistic that the vaccines we are doing today will prevent a rebound in the numbers tomorrow.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by O.city

He's a very intelligent dude, but man, come on. He likes the spotlight.

CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE IS COMING

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I don't know if it covers everything, but I have seen almost no one in January compared to quite a few family members over the holidays. That's probably a minor factor at least.

The lag time would make some sense, but it was dropping then too. I dunno, something is happening.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by O.city

The lag time would make some sense, but it was dropping then too. I dunno, something is happening.

Banning Pete and Donger from the thread seems to have triggered something for sure.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by O.city

The lag time would make some sense, but it was dropping then too. I dunno, something is happening.

We are at the lowest numbers we have had since spring here at work, down to 1 active case and just a few quarantined. With over 800 people in our facility its not a small sample size.

Very few people here have had the vaccine and I can assure you it has nothing to do with people isolating more than usual in their social life from what I can tell.

[O.city]

I would entertain the idea that the people most likely to be spreaders have had it and recovered (or died) and we're at the point that the hosts just aren't there anymore.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by O.city

I would entertain the idea that the people most likely to be spreaders have had it and recovered (or died) and we're at the point that the hosts just aren't there anymore.

I'd buy that before I'd buy it's anything related to changes in behavior.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

I'd buy that before I'd buy it's anything related to changes in behavior.

I don't think anyone has changed behavior. Those moving about have continued to and those locked in have stayed.

So with where we are, it's at a point where it's not out of control atleast for now.

[dirk digler]

A new over the counter nasal swab at home covid test was just approved. 95% accurate and costs $30.

[tooge]

Originally Posted by O.city

I would entertain the idea that the people most likely to be spreaders have had it and recovered (or died) and we're at the point that the hosts just aren't there anymore.

I've thought this from the get go. I had many patients and even two employees that were very sick back in December and January of 2019/2020 who tested negative for the flu but had similar symptoms. Now we hear that this virus was around as early as November.

However, what I really think has happened, and I mentioned this back in the late summer, is that the virus has attenuated. I think most do over time. It's really simple. If you are sick with symptoms, you tend to isolate, and therefor don't spread that variant. If you are sick without symptoms, you will tend to not isolate as much and therefor spread more of that more mild variant. Ultimately, the less severe variant outcompetes the more severe variant for hosts.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by tooge

I've thought this from the get go. I had many patients and even two employees that were very sick back in December and January of 2019/2020 who tested negative for the flu but had similar symptoms. Now we hear that this virus was around as early as November.

However, what I really think has happened, and I mentioned this back in the late summer, is that the virus has attenuated. I think most do over time. It's really simple. If you are sick with symptoms, you tend to isolate, and therefor don't spread that variant. If you are sick without symptoms, you will tend to not isolate as much and therefor spread more of that more mild variant. Ultimately, the less severe variant outcompetes the more severe variant for hosts.

Eh, I dunno. I was super sick right after the SB for like 2 weeks. Symptomatically it was very COvid like, but I just dunno if it was that widespread then. As we've seen when it does blow up, hospitalizations and deaths happen. They weren't prevalent then or atleast as much.

So while I hoped that's what I had, I'm skeptical.

With the genetic stuff they've done on it I don't think we've had that happen

[DaFace]

This is a nice article all about how good the vaccines are really performing. The timeline may be slower than we'd like, but we're eventually going to kick this thing's ass.

The New York Times: Good Vaccine News.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/01/b...er-police.html