***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.”

[BigBeauford]

Originally Posted by NotDonger

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas reported its biggest one-day spike in coronavirus cases in four months Wednesday, an increase the state’s governor said was being fueled by the delta variant of the virus.

The state reported 686 new virus cases, bringing its total since the pandemic began to 349,385. The state’s active cases, meaning those that don’t include people who have recovered or died from the virus, increased by 398 to 3,763.

The one-day increase in cases was the state’s highest since it reported 726 on Feb. 25.

The state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations increased by 19 to 325 and deaths increased by four to 5,909.

“The high number of cases today makes it clear that the delta variant is increasing the spread of the virus,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted Wednesday afternoon. Hutchinson, however, said the good news was that the state reported more than 10,000 new vaccinations.

The delta variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was first detected in India.

Arkansas has had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. Nearly 42% of the state’s population has received at least one dose of the vaccine and about 34% have completed their vaccination, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Beaver lake real estate coming in hot!

[TLO]

Glad to see we fixed the messaging issue with vaccines masks...

[loochy]

Originally Posted by NotDonger

The state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations increased by 19 to 325

That's it? For the whole state?

[O.city]

COVID-19 vaccines reduce viral load, severity in breakthrough cases, studies find https://t.co/3tneTv1edE

— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) July 1, 2021

[dirk digler]

The vaccines for covid are a miracle drug and we are extremely lucky to have them. Just wish everyone would realize that.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I think the explanation is far simpler than that:

I feel like there's a pattern here if we can somehow tease it out.

[ChiliConCarnage]

CureVac's mRNA vaccine seems to be a failure at sub-50% efficacy.

Novavax just got more incredible data from their UK trials. Matches up pretty close with US trial results.

Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today announced the publication of results from the final analysis of a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate conducted in the United Kingdom in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The final analysis confirmed an overall efficacy of 89.7% with over 60% (half) of the cases caused by the B.1.1.7 (Alpha) variant, and a 96.4% efficacy against non-B.1.1.7 (non-Alpha) variants which represents strains most similar to the original virus.

If you are worried about mRNA, this seems like the best option so far. No idea if it can get Emergency Authorization before pfizer gets full though.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by ChiliConCarnage

CureVac's mRNA vaccine seems to be a failure at sub-50% efficacy.

Novavax just got more incredible data from their UK trials. Matches up pretty close with US trial results.



If you are worried about mRNA, this seems like the best option so far. No idea if it can get Emergency Authorization before pfizer gets full though.

That's a shame about CureVac. Looks about as effective as the "Made in China" vaccines that are getting distributed to like 100 countries around the world.

NovaVax data is impressive.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Correlation/causation. There have been plenty of articles to the effect that the black community is generally suspicious of the US govt sticking stuff in their arms (for legitimate historical reasons).

And you just need to peek in the DC covid thread to see the other component.

Know how I know you're still being political?

[MahomesMagic]

Originally Posted by TLO

That's a shame about CureVac. Looks about as effective as the "Made in China" vaccines that are getting distributed to like 100 countries around the world.

NovaVax data is impressive.

If I took one, I would do the Nova one.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

The vaccines for covid are a miracle drug and we are extremely lucky to have them. Just wish everyone would realize that.

Yep

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I feel like there's a pattern here if we can somehow tease it out.

Colorado intensifies

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by stevieray

Know how I know you're still being political?

I freakin' swear people actually need the "keep your DC bullshit in DC" stickied all the time, and when it's unstickied there's an immediate influx of DC bullshit.... every... single... time.

[wazu]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I feel like there's a pattern here if we can somehow tease it out.

Yep. Those high-falutin college grads have weak immune systems and they know it.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

I freakin' swear people actually need the "keep your DC bullshit in DC" stickied all the time, and when it's unstickied there's an immediate influx of DC bullshit.... every... single... time.

Come on man. I don't think anyone really contests that either of those groups is suspicious of vaccines. Do they? I wasn't trying to make any point other than that's probably why Mississippi is so low. The state population contains a high % of both groups.