***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.”

[TLO]

Originally Posted by KCrockaholic

If we're as serious as we say about this then it's time to shut down all commercial air travel

What about interstate travel? Is that even legal?

[KCrockaholic]

Originally Posted by TLO

What about interstate travel? Is that even legal?

Interstate travel should still be allowed. The point of stopping air travel is due to bunching people into small places/buildings.

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by KCrockaholic

If we're as serious as we say about this then it's time to shut down all commercial air travel

I see that happening sooner, rather than later.

[KCrockaholic]

Originally Posted by Bwana

I see that happening sooner, rather than later.

Same, and I hope so. Time to go all-in. Get this thing figured out so we can get back to regular life again.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

Pretty much the way we handled the swine flu and bird flu and the other virus pandemics we’ve faced - not freak the **** out and shut down the country. I’m not trying be a cold hearted prick, I have older people in my life who are at risk from this but, the hard reality is that death is a part of life. For the rest of us still breathing, life does not stop. We have to keep living until our time comes.

Sitting around the house on a government mandate relying on the government to feed you is not living, it’s just kind of existing.

This is one of the most rational posts I have seen in days regarding this topic. This entire situation has reminded me how over emotional our society has become. We are basically all teenage girls at this point.

The course of action I would have taken (I stated this weeks ago) would be to isolate the known at risk portion of our population and let the rest go about their business and develop immunity.

I would even have the government subsidize the endeavor. 25 years old but have respiratory issues? The govt will mandate that you are allowed to either work from home or get paid leave and will compensate you and your employer accordingly. I would also be fine with the govt offering some assistance to anyone else who CHOOSES to self quarantine.

Yes, there will be people who are at risk and decide not to follow precautions. If they do so.... well, **** 'em. That was THEIR CHOICE.

I know my "solution" is far from perfect but it's a massive step up from the cluster**** we are attempting now.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Bwana

I see that happening sooner, rather than later.

It's pretty damn close already. My company does a lot of work at DEN, and my colleague said he felt more comfortable there than at the grocery store. It's that empty.

[displacedinMN]

Originally Posted by eDave

Indeed. But that how it be. I'm enjoying being shut in. Got TV, got internet, got my playstation, got my computer, got food, got water, got weed, got money. It's a ****ing vacation.

No so bad unless you watch the news or have to go to the store.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

This is one of the most rational posts I have seen in days regarding this topic. This entire situation has reminded me how over emotional our society has become. We are basically all teenage girls at this point.

The course of action I would have taken (I stated this weeks ago) would be to isolate the known at risk portion of our population and let the rest go about their business and develop immunity.

I would even have the government subsidize the endeavor. 25 years old but have respiratory issues? The govt will mandate that you are allowed to either work from home or get paid leave and will compensate you and your employer accordingly. I would also be fine with the govt offering some assistance to anyone else who CHOOSES to self quarantine.

Yes, there will be people who are at risk and decide not to follow precautions. If they do so.... well, **** 'em. That was THEIR CHOICE.

I know my "solution" is far from perfect but it's a massive step up from the cluster**** we are attempting now.

From my own layman POV, I agree, but the world's experts seem to disagree. Hope they're right.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by eDave

Indeed. But that how it be. I'm enjoying being shut in. Got TV, got internet, got my playstation, got my computer, got food, got water, got weed, got money. It's a ****ing vacation.

What are you playing? I have been playing modern Warfare warzone.

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It's pretty damn close already. My company does a lot of work at DEN, and my colleague said he felt more comfortable there than at the grocery store. It's that empty.

Yeah there is a lot of "ghost flights" out there right now. The flight my folks were on last week had 10 people on it.

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

Come on. You know if it was that simple we would all be working now.

It pretty much is that simple. People are just too blinded by their emotions right now to see it. I just got off the phone with my dad who used to manage a couple of respiratory departments and is still very mouth in contact with that world selling respiratory and oxygen related equipment. His take is that it is very possible to go on with business as usual with some minor changes in how business is conducted and people acting responsibly. There would be some what of an economic slow down as people made lifestyle adjustments but, it wouldn’t be any where near the grinding halt we are coming to now.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

This is one of the most rational posts I have seen in days regarding this topic. This entire situation has reminded me how over emotional our society has become. We are basically all teenage girls at this point.

The course of action I would have taken (I stated this weeks ago) would be to isolate the known at risk portion of our population and let the rest go about their business and develop immunity.

I would even have the government subsidize the endeavor. 25 years old but have respiratory issues? The govt will mandate that you are allowed to either work from home or get paid leave and will compensate you and your employer accordingly. I would also be fine with the govt offering some assistance to anyone else who CHOOSES to self quarantine.

Yes, there will be people who are at risk and decide not to follow precautions. If they do so.... well, **** 'em. That was THEIR CHOICE.

I know my "solution" is far from perfect but it's a massive step up from the cluster**** we are attempting now.

I think this fiasco should be a giant wake up call for people in terms of how much power mayors and governors have over their day to day lives.

With seemingly minimal oversight or checks/balances and with questionable statistical justification (i.e. using overinflated virus case stats as a fear tactic), mayors/governors across the country have effectively put millions of their citizens under house arrest and have destroyed their personal finances.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

This is one of the most rational posts I have seen in days regarding this topic. This entire situation has reminded me how over emotional our society has become. We are basically all teenage girls at this point.

The course of action I would have taken (I stated this weeks ago) would be to isolate the known at risk portion of our population and let the rest go about their business and develop immunity.

I would even have the government subsidize the endeavor. 25 years old but have respiratory issues? The govt will mandate that you are allowed to either work from home or get paid leave and will compensate you and your employer accordingly. I would also be fine with the govt offering some assistance to anyone else who CHOOSES to self quarantine.

Yes, there will be people who are at risk and decide not to follow precautions. If they do so.... well, **** 'em. That was THEIR CHOICE.

I know my "solution" is far from perfect but it's a massive step up from the cluster**** we are attempting now.

Wouldn't work. Too many people would get sick. Hospitals would get overrun.

I wish it would though.

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

This is one of the most rational posts I have seen in days regarding this topic. This entire situation has reminded me how over emotional our society has become. We are basically all teenage girls at this point.

The course of action I would have taken (I stated this weeks ago) would be to isolate the known at risk portion of our population and let the rest go about their business and develop immunity.

I would even have the government subsidize the endeavor. 25 years old but have respiratory issues? The govt will mandate that you are allowed to either work from home or get paid leave and will compensate you and your employer accordingly. I would also be fine with the govt offering some assistance to anyone else who CHOOSES to self quarantine.

Yes, there will be people who are at risk and decide not to follow precautions. If they do so.... well, **** 'em. That was THEIR CHOICE.

I know my "solution" is far from perfect but it's a massive step up from the cluster**** we are attempting now.

I can’t say that I’m totally excited about all the financial government instance that comes with this plan but, I’d take it all day long over our current “plan”.

And yes, we have become a nation of teenage girls. *shudders*

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Is it overkill at this point if drastic measures were taken to the level of:

Suspend all air travel
All interstate travel is shut down
Require all non essential businesses to suspend business
Encourage everyone to stay at home
Ban all groupings of a certain amount of people

From 11:30pm on the 12th.