***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.”

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Kiimosabi

This sucks

#BREAKING: L.A. County health officials recommending wearing masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status, amid spread of Delta variant https://t.co/6kuuRGEXfB

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 29, 2021

And this is why I wish more people would get vaccinated. I don't want any of the powers that be in my area throwing their weight around and altering normal life.

[Kiimo]

I think we can all agree that going back to masks will suck.



Maybe the anti-vaxxers who are also anti-maskers will use that motivation to get vaccinated? I hope so. Choose one

[NotDonger]

Ferrer stressed the level of protection offered by the COVID vaccines, releasing statistics showing that between Dec. 7 and June 7, 99.6% of all new COVID infections in the county involved people who were not vaccinated. Of the people who were hospitalized due to the virus in that time period, 98.7% were unvaccinated. And among those who died, 99.8% were unvaccinated.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Kiimosabi

Whether I agree or not isn't the point, if they make us wear masks again it's gonna suck pure and simple

They can go fist themselves is my point. Unless they have hard data that shows the delta variant evades vaccines they can shove it.

[NotDonger]

Originally Posted by TLO

They can go fist themselves is my point. Unless they have hard data that shows the delta variant evades vaccines they can shove it.

The data show that the efficacy of the vaccines with Delta is less than with Alpha.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by NotDonger

The data show that the efficacy of the vaccines with Delta is less than with Alpha.

Correct. But it's not a significant enough drop off to warrant changing guidance for vaccinated people.

[NotDonger]

Originally Posted by TLO

Correct. But it's not a significant enough drop off to warrant changing guidance for vaccinated people.

I don't disagree.

[Kiimo]

Well unless you're the kind of Karen who wants to get kicked out of Ralph's I'm not sure what we're supposed to do if they bring back the mask mandate.


Honestly it's bars and restaurants that will annoy me where you take off your mask to take a bite or drink and then put it back on and suddenly the futility of that hits you and you're like okay what are we accomplishing here

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by Kiimosabi

Well unless you're the kind of Karen who wants to get kicked out of Ralph's I'm not sure what we're supposed to do if they bring back the mask mandate.


Honestly it's bars and restaurants that will annoy me where you take off your mask to take a bite or drink and then put it back on and suddenly the futility of that hits you and you're like okay what are we accomplishing here

I'd be surprised if they force it again. Probably just leave it at recommended. Individual places may force it though and then certain idiots will try to fight staff etc.

[MahomesMagic]

Business leaders arriving in England granted exemption from Covid quarantine
Ministers facing criticism over new rules for visitors who bring ‘significant economic benefit’

Ministers have been accused of making a “mockery” of quarantine rules after it was announced some business executives travelling to England will be able to temporarily leave self-isolation.

Rules for those arriving from amber list countries have been changed to let visitors entering the country bringing “significant economic benefit” interrupt their up to 10-day stay at home for important business activities.

The business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, is understood to have backed the change, which was announced on Tuesday, due to concerns the UK was missing out on major investments and new jobs because of current quarantine rules.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...vid-quarantine

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Kiimosabi

I think we can all agree that going back to masks will suck.



Maybe the anti-vaxxers who are also anti-maskers will use that motivation to get vaccinated? I hope so. Choose one

They'll just ignore the recommendation to mask up until it's law again. Maybe film a few freakout videos harassing some poor minimum wage employee to try to get social media followers.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

I'd be surprised if they force it again. Probably just leave it at recommended. Individual places may force it though and then certain idiots will try to fight staff etc.

Newsome definitely doesn't want the negative publicity during the recall movement.

[BigBeauford]

Wearing a mask after being vaccinated is truly some perfomative anti-science crap. It's over now; it's the non-vaccinated and (unfortunately) health care workers problem. I'm not going back.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by BigBeauford

Wearing a mask after being vaccinated is truly some perfomative anti-science crap. It's over now; it's the non-vaccinated and (unfortunately) health care workers problem. I'm not going back.

Look at the bright side: Healthcare job security and plenty of overtime for nurses and the like.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by BigBeauford

Wearing a mask after being vaccinated is truly some perfomative anti-science crap. It's over now; it's the non-vaccinated and (unfortunately) health care workers problem. I'm not going back.

Finally, something we can agree on.