***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.”

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by louie aguiar

So, save the good stuff for the rich folk? Why should low income get the least effective vaccine? The govt is footing the bill anyway.

Putting aside infrastructure... I suppose some of it is possible if we spend a ton on it. But the deep cold needed for storage makes that very difficult.

I'd imagine a lot of people in these areas would prefer one shot to 2 even if it's less effective. A lot of these neighborhoods are nervous about the vaccine as it is.

That's only for the US. Globally, there are tons of third world areas where Moderna and pfizer logistics have to be an absolute nightmare. For many places it might be the jnj vaccine or nothing.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by louie aguiar

Can someone that knows more about these vaccines than I do explain to me why I should get this vaccine instead of waiting for pfizer/moderna? 66% efficacy compared to 94/95% efficacy is quite the gap.

If you have the choice of J&J vs. the others, sure, you're probably better going with the latter two. However, J&J certainly makes a big difference (I've seen evidence that its effectiveness at preventing serious illness is WAY higher than 66%), so if you're able to get that one now vs. the others in months, there's certainly an argument to be made you should just take what you can.

As for me, I'm relatively young (late 30s) and healthy, so I'm not all that worried about it for my own health. If me getting J&J helps to get more of us vaccinated sooner, that's fine by me.

[htismaqe]

Given my age and risk group, I'll just wait for one of the traditional vaccines.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

I think you will see about a 50% vaccination rate at best. Those who had the virus, most likely won’t get it. Rightfully so in my opinion. Regarding everyone else, I believe that the excitement and conversation about getting the virus reduces every day. The slow roll out is a problem in this regard. For large amounts of people who won’t even have access to it until April, May, and even June, they are going to look around and see cases and deaths being pretty minimal. By then the initial surge of momentum and excitement, combined with need, about getting the vaccine will be greatly reduced.

This seems especially likely to me because these will be the younger, healthier, and or low exposure group. If the message continues to be masks social distancing even with the vaccine, what will be their motivation? On top of that if we keep hearing about a need for boosters, which are basically a nonstarter in my view in that the vast majority won’t get them, people in those last eligible groups just aren’t going to commit to something like that in large numbers.

We should make a lunch bet, because I'd guess closer to 90 percent when all is said and done. I'm hopeful that most people will do the logic and realize that the deaths and illnesses are down because of the vaccine and so they'll want to be part of that.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

We should make a lunch bet, because I'd guess closer to 90 percent when all is said and done. I'm hopeful that most people will do the logic and realize that the deaths and illnesses are down because of the vaccine and so they'll want to be part of that.

But deaths and illness are dropping steadily now and its not because of the vaccine.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

We should make a lunch bet, because I'd guess closer to 90 percent when all is said and done. I'm hopeful that most people will do the logic and realize that the deaths and illnesses are down because of the vaccine and so they'll want to be part of that.

WTF are you smoking? Have you been to any rural areas? Those people are NOT on board.

[kcjayhawks5]

Originally Posted by loochy

WTF are you smoking? Have you been to any rural areas? Those people are NOT on board.

This

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by louie aguiar

Can someone that knows more about these vaccines than I do explain to me why I should get this vaccine instead of waiting for pfizer/moderna? 66% efficacy compared to 94/95% efficacy is quite the gap.

That's been my question as well. Right now I'd much prefer the Moderna or Pfizer.

That said, I've seen reports that say the JnJ appears to prevent death or serious illness to a similar degree, and that's the end game I really want to avoid. I don't want to get the virus at all (Moderna and Pfizer), but if I get it and am only down for a few days (JnJ), that's still a win in the big picture.

The other thing I've read is that the difference isn't that big because the JnJ tests were done when the variants were emerging. The Pfizer and Moderna tests were only battling the base virus, so they'd probably report lower success if they were testing at the same time as JnJ. The Novavax vaccine, for example, tested at 89 percent against the base virus and 49 against the South African variant if I remember right. The JnJ was lower overall and higher against the variant than Novavax, so I wonder what the Pfizer and Moderna scores are when split out like that.

All that said, I'd prefer Moderna or Pfizer right now based on what I know, but I'm not sure the JnJ is as far down the list as it seems based on those overall numbers.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by loochy

WTF are you smoking? Have you been to any rural areas? Those people are NOT on board.

About 50% of the staff at the local nursing home doesn't want to get the vaccine ,so I think general population we might get lucky to get flu shot numbers 40%, I figure 35% because of the new technology people will be unsure of.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

But deaths and illness are dropping steadily now and its not because of the vaccine.

What's causing it, then? And what caused the peak last fall? I look at Israel's numbers and I want the vaccine.

Originally Posted by loochy

WTF are you smoking? Have you been to any rural areas? Those people are NOT on board.

Meh, they talk a big game, but at the end of the day they'll be there with their sleeves rolled up complaining about big government.

[R Clark]

Originally Posted by loochy

WTF are you smoking? Have you been to any rural areas? Those people are NOT on board.

I am only 61 but was able to get vaccinated today because no one showed up .I live in a small rural area .

[IA_Chiefs_fan]

I just got poked.
A small town in northern Missouri has a bunch of extra Pfizer doses and they're sticking people today and tomorrow. It was the National Guard organizing it and they guarantee the follow up doses in three weeks. One big step closer to a normal life for my wife and me.

[Marcellus]

My daughter just text me, she had gotten her first vaccine shot Friday though her job, and now has tested positive today for covid. Her live in boyfriend tested positive over the weekend so she went Monday and got tested.

She has mild symptoms but doesn't know if its from the vaccine or covid.

[R Clark]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

My daughter just text me, she had gotten her first vaccine shot Friday though her job, and now has tested positive today for covid. Her live in boyfriend tested positive over the weekend so she went Monday and got tested.

She has mild symptoms but doesn't know if its from the vaccine or covid.

What vaccine did she get?

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by R Clark

What vaccine did she get?

Moderna.