***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.”

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

"Necessary steps" = police state for an indefinite duration.

No thanks. The entire world would be better to spin the wheel and take their chances with this thing while awaiting herd immunity than they would to allow these sort of draconian confiscations of basic personal liberties.

Someone does not understand how heard immunity works.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by penguinz

Someone does not understand how heard immunity works.

Expound. Enlighten me.

It's gotta become endemic and in the process enough people have to develop acquired immunity to it to eventually scale down the peaks of epidemics going forward. Just as has ALWAYS been the case with emerging pathogens.

Tell me where I'm wrong here.

[Fish]

Coronavirus halts auto plants in KCK, Claycomo.

Thousands of Kansas City-area auto workers won’t have to report to work as the Big Three automakers announced their facilities would shut down in the wake of the new coronavirus.

General Motors has a plant in Kansas City, Kansas, and Ford has one in Claycomo.

T.J. Berry, executive director of the Clay County Economic Development Council, said the impact of the closure “depends on how long the plants are closed down.”

Ford employs about 8,000 people in Clay County.

Berry said employees across many sectors will face challenges as the coronavirus forces restaurants and retailers to shutter.

But Ford’s employees may be in a better position to handle the economic instability.

“For a Ford worker, they’ve got a lot of safety nets underneath them because of their union,” Berry said.

Workers will likely receive supplemental pay and unemployment benefits, the Associated Press reported.

Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler agreed Wednesday to close their plants, affecting about 150,000 employees.

GM said in a statement that it was suspending operations “due to market conditions, to deep clean facilities and continue to protect people.”

The decision came one day after United Auto Workers urged the companies to cease production for two weeks.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Expound. Enlighten me.

It's gotta become endemic and in the process enough people have to develop acquired immunity to it to eventually scale down the peaks of epidemics going forward. Just as has ALWAYS been the case with emerging pathogens.

Tell me where I'm wrong here.

It is estimated that for heard immunity to work with COVID19 at least 50% of the population will need to be immune. Since there is not a vaccine this means that they have to be infected and recovered.

So look at the population of the US at over 350M. So you are looking at 175M at least needing to get infected. The hospitals cannot even come close to handling this even at 10% of that number.

[SuperChief]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

This isn't about just needing to make money - this is about needing to live a life. A meaningful existence where you wake up and have a task and you do that task and you go to bed at night satisfied that you've accomplished something that day.

Well that's just, like, your opinion, man.

[SuperChief]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Expound. Enlighten me.

It's gotta become endemic and in the process enough people have to develop acquired immunity to it to eventually scale down the peaks of epidemics going forward. Just as has ALWAYS been the case with emerging pathogens.

Tell me where I'm wrong here.

Why wouldn't we just hunker down and wait for a vaccine? Isn't that the path of least resistance? Or does your need to manufacture widgets overrule people's right to health?

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by SuperChief

Why wouldn't we just hunker down and wait for a vaccine? Isn't that the path of least resistance? Or does your need to manufacture widgets overrule people's right to health?

Hey I don't care about no corona I need that new Iphone and the Xbox and Playstation better be on ****ing time!

The people that will win this are gamers, they've been isolated for years.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by SuperChief

Why wouldn't we just hunker down and wait for a vaccine? Isn't that the path of least resistance? Or does your need to manufacture widgets overrule people's right to health?

And if that takes 18 months?

[Dunit35]

My wife shredded her knee last Thursday. Her doctor canceled all appointments because she’s scared of this virus. Really, you just want my wife to walk around with crutches for an extended period of time when all she needed was a doctors note for an MRI.

Luckily urgent care got her an MRI. They won’t even let people into the building and will meet you at your vehicle to check your body temp and symptoms.

Her hospital she works at closed off all entrances except one. Same hospital hired us LEO to work security for them in the ER at $30/hr because they’re scared of out of control family members.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by penguinz

It is estimated that for heard immunity to work with COVID19 at least 50% of the population will need to be immune. Since there is not a vaccine this means that they have to be infected and recovered.

So look at the population of the US at over 350M. So you are looking at 175M at least needing to get infected. The hospitals cannot even come close to handling this even at 10% of that number.

So yes, then. I DO understand herd immunity.

Thanks for clearing that up.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by penguinz

Someone does not understand how heard immunity works.

Lol

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by SuperChief

Why wouldn't we just hunker down and wait for a vaccine? Isn't that the path of least resistance? Or does your need to manufacture widgets overrule people's right to health?

Because if it's a year away there's nothing to come back to.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by O.city

And if that takes 18 months?

Then I hope your video game backlog is pretty big.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Here is some what positive news. Bill Gates says coronavirus shutdown could last 6-10 weeks 'if a country does a good job with testing'

https://www.foxnews.com/tech/bill-ga...ast-6-10-weeks

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

So yes, then. I DO understand herd immunity.

Thanks for clearing that up.

So you understand how ignorant your comment was then. Good to hear.