***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.”

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

@CNN: JUST IN: Pfizer has shared new data that suggests a third dose of its Covid-19 vaccine "strongly" boosts protection against the Delta variant https://cnn.it/3f1tlaE

It's going to be interesting to see how the CDC decides to handle the idea of booster shots. It seems pretty clear that they will be helpful, but how necessary it really is remains to be seen.

[suzzer99]

‘What’s Covid?’ Why People at America’s Hardest-Partying Lake Are Not About to Get Vaccinated
At the Lake of the Ozarks, vaccines are shunned, masks are mocked and the long-term consequences take a back seat to the time at hand.

Missourah!

Inside, McNay sat along with a half a dozen other customers who likewise lamented, what they viewed as, a breathless push for vaccines. Two bartenders floated in and out of the conversation, dropping comments like “what’s Covid?” to laughter. Just recently, a beloved cook at the restaurant had died from the virus, they said. But that hadn’t changed the thinking around vaccinations. The cook, they reasoned, likely had other underlying complications.

“We don’t know what else was wrong with him,” said Murry Ferris, who frequents Shorty Pants with his wife Jane. By contrast, Murry said, he and his wife exercise vigorously and regularly. Even so, Jane Ferris said the vaccine hadn’t been studied long enough and she didn’t want to be a “guinea pig.”

"they reasoned"

[O.city]

So apparently the word going around is they used a study to justify this on a vaccine that isn't even approved in the US.

If so, man. What a massive failure.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by O.city

So apparently the word going around is they used a study to justify this on a vaccine that isn't even approved in the US.

If so, man. What a massive failure.

For the new mask guidance?

[KC_Lee]

Originally Posted by O.city

So apparently the word going around is they used a study to justify this on a vaccine that isn't even approved in the US.

If so, man. What a massive failure.

Is this what you are referring too;

Studies from India with vaccines not authorized for use in the United States have noted relatively high viral loads and larger cluster sizes associated with infections with Delta, regardless of vaccination status.

Emphasis mine.

Source; https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...ed-people.html

[TLO]

Good thread about it here.

https://mobile.twitter.com/sailorroo...7Ctwgr%5Etweet

The CDC is doing irreversible damage to public health officials everywhere.

[dirk digler]

I know it is probably a dumb question\thought. But is it possible to see how much virus a covid infected person can shed? I realize this might be a human challenge trial of some sort but seems like this might not be a bad idea if it is possible that is.

[MahomesMagic]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I know it is probably a dumb question\thought. But is it possible to see how much virus a covid infected person can shed? I realize this might be a human challenge trial of some sort but seems like this might not be a bad idea if it is possible that is.

They did it with flu vaccines.

In this study, researchers found a 6x increase in fine aerosols (the ones that actually carry infectious virus) of people who were vaccinated, but still caught flu, relative to unvaxed flu pts

Infectious virus in exhaled breath of symptomatic
seasonal influenza cases from a college communityJing Yana,b, Michael Granthama,1, Jovan Pantelica,2, P. Jacob Bueno de Mesquitaa, Barbara Alberta, Fengjie Liua,3,
Sheryl Ehrmanb,4, Donald K. Miltona,5, and EMIT Consortium6

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/11...zNAfijcnBszQg6

[sedated]

Don't see it posted but KC under mask mandate starting again Monday (August 2) through August 28

https://www.kansascity.com/news/coro...253081963.html

[BigBeauford]

Some of the states hardest hit by the Delta surge showing some indication that their epidemic waves could be starting to peak. https://t.co/gwGNlc544i pic.twitter.com/3M566nDLY6

— Scott Gottlieb, MD (@ScottGottliebMD) July 28, 2021

[Otter]

Originally Posted by O.city

So apparently the word going around is they used a study to justify this on a vaccine that isn't even approved in the US.

If so, man. What a massive failure.

"this"?

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Otter

"this"?

CDC guidance saying that vaccinated people should be wearing masks indoors around unvaccinated.

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It's going to be interesting to see how the CDC decides to handle the idea of booster shots. It seems pretty clear that they will be helpful, but how necessary it really is remains to be seen.

I’m also interested in how this affects the stats. If someone is overdue for a booster do they count as unvaccinated? Or vaccinated? You could make an argument for either.

[smithandrew051]

IMO it’s either a mask mandate for all or for none.

I don’t see how you can possibly enforce mask mandates for some. Even if you check vaccine cards at the door of the grocery store, what’s stopping someone from removing their mask once inside? Will employees be forced to continuously check anyone without a mask on? Maybe wristbands or something like at 18+ bars?

Just doesn’t seem feasible or realistic to me.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

IMO it’s either a mask mandate for all or for none.

I don’t see how you can possibly enforce mask mandates for some. Even if you check vaccine cards at the door of the grocery store, what’s stopping someone from removing their mask once inside? Will employees be forced to continuously check anyone without a mask on? Maybe wristbands or something like at 18+ bars?

Just doesn’t seem feasible or realistic to me.

No need for mask mandates for anyone at this point. You are vaccinated or you aren't. Move on.