***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.”

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Chitownchiefsfan

If only it was that black an white. If you have lung cancer but ultimately die of pneumonia as a result of it you don't just count the death towards pneumonia.

Yeah, I've discovered over my career that most types of data compilation are more complicated and subjectively defined than they would seem at first glance.

For example, I had a very elderly relative who died in 2021. (I never met him - he was my father's cousin or some such thing.) Anyway, the guy was 90+ years old and he got Covid and was apparently feeling very poorly. He got up in the night and either passed out or fell, and ultimately died as a result of the fall. Covid caused the fall, but the fall actually killed him. So where does he count in the statistics?

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Yeah, I've discovered over my career that most types of data compilation are more complicated and subjectively defined than they would seem at first glance.

For example, I had a very elderly relative who died in 2021. (I never met him - he was my father's cousin or some such thing.) Anyway, the guy was 90+ years old and he got Covid and was apparently feeling very poorly. He got up in the night and either passed out or fell, and ultimately died as a result of the fall. Covid caused the fall, but the fall actually killed him. So where does he count in the statistics?

Death certificates list immediate cause of death and underlying cause, with steps in between if they exist.

No idea if your relative's certificate listed COVID-19 as underlying cause, of course.

My father's certificate showed immediate cause of death as "necrotizing pneumonia" and underlying cause as GBM with something else mentioned regarding the chemo that destroyed his immune system. So, he died of pneumonia, but that pneumonia happened because of the chemo, and he was on chemo because of GBM.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by dolphinsneu

I don't know if I will ever know the truth about Covid.

I wish people would conduct studies about the people hospitalized now. How many are vaxxed? How many are single boosted? How many are double boosted?

Most importantly, for how many is this their second infection? This could lead to findings as to if prior infection does give immunity.

During the capitol riots, when the lawmakers were sheltering in a confined area, some Democrats asked some Republicans to wear masks. The Republicans refused, and the Democrats got Covid. This lends credence to the idea that masks don't protect the wearer, but they do stop the spread.

The studies are out there.

But the science doesn't matter any more and that's the point.

For a hot button issue, it doesn't matter how clear any given study is. There will always be some echo chamber pointing to a supposed contrarian result.

As a society, we can't even agree on factual claims like whether the murder rate is going up or down.

Web sites, TV hosts, and of course politicians can just flat out lie without consequences and it is getting harder to sift through the disinformation...

[dolphinsneu]

It’s like Hamlet.

To boost or not to boost, that is the question

[dolphinsneu]

Idaho is making it a crime to administer an mRNA vaccine.

I don’t get this. It should only be illegal to mandate the vaccine

[Chief Roundup]

I know there are several others that work at hospitals and such on here.
How are your covid numbers? Is your facility getting scared? Are you all preparing for another sustained surge?
The hospital where I work is having my department prepare as we have seen a steady increase in Covid numbers. Our numbers have gone from 5 or less for a while to where we are staying over 15 to 20; this last week, we have been over 30 daily.
We have redeployed a dozen HEPA air scrubbers. We have also had to go back to all the negative pressure settings in all covid areas.

[Sure-Oz]

I'm curious about fall/winter.... I always get the flu vaccine every year around October. Is there going to be a new covid booster this coming? Will this be like the flu and be updated every year? I wonder if a new booster will be necessary for people under 60. I've had covid once and it wasn't bad for me and I'm current on shots.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

I'm curious about fall/winter.... I always get the flu vaccine every year around October. Is there going to be a new covid booster this coming?

I'm sure there will be

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

Will this be like the flu and be updated every year?

I'd have to assume yes

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

I wonder if a new booster will be necessary for people under 60.

Necessary? No,unless you have some sort of immune system weakening condition

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

I've had covid once and it wasn't bad for me and I'm current on shots.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Chiefshrink

Panic ??? It's the flu season folks !!! The flu has been in every country of the world at this time of year affecting the elderly the most in death since the dawn of time. Just over 600 cases in NY out of 8 million people who live there ? If it was time to panic those numbers would be in the hundreds of thousands by now IF this was serious. Just over 3000 cases confirmed nationally with 57 deaths out of 350 million as a nation ? IF this was serious these numbers nationally would be in the millions with thousands and thousands of deaths already. Sounds like the flu season to me. Oh No ! CBS has shut down there studio audiences because 2 employees out hundreds of employees have the flu !!!! Imagine that this time of year !!

It's the flu season folks !!

Not buying it !! The numbers just don't back it up and yes some countries are worse than others based on their preparedness or lack thereof.

What I do buy !!! "Never let a ginned up crisis go to waste" !!!

Look at this guy

[loochy]

Originally Posted by dolphinsneu

Idaho is making it a crime to administer an mRNA vaccine.

I don’t get this. It should only be illegal to mandate the vaccine

It's called over reactive virtue signaling

[Pepe Silvia]

Originally Posted by FlaChief58

I don't regret not getting it

Word.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

I know there are several others that work at hospitals and such on here.
How are your covid numbers? Is your facility getting scared? Are you all preparing for another sustained surge?
The hospital where I work is having my department prepare as we have seen a steady increase in Covid numbers. Our numbers have gone from 5 or less for a while to where we are staying over 15 to 20; this last week, we have been over 30 daily.
We have redeployed a dozen HEPA air scrubbers. We have also had to go back to all the negative pressure settings in all covid areas.

No big changes here as of yet. My wife currently has it, which is her second bout. To the best of my knowledge, I never have.

The CDC dashboard does not do real time tracking for variants in this region anymore. EG.5 is 21.5% of total cases over the previous week. I'm sure that will skyrocket as it crowds out other variants.

The hospitalized numbers here are higher, but I haven't seen many severely ill patients yet.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

No big changes here as of yet. My wife currently has it, which is her second bout. To the best of my knowledge, I never have.

The CDC dashboard does not do real time tracking for variants in this region anymore. EG.5 is 21.5% of total cases over the previous week. I'm sure that will skyrocket as it crowds out other variants.

The hospitalized numbers here are higher, but I haven't seen many severely ill patients yet.

We have not yet either. No vents or severe reactions to this variant. At least we are preparing just in case instead of waiting until it is over bearing.
Administration is looking at putting the mask requirement back in place which is a downer. Nobody likes to wear those things. Nor do they believe in them.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

We have redeployed a dozen HEPA air scrubbers. We have also had to go back to all the negative pressure settings in all covid areas.

Until there's a real effort to get air filtration in schools this will be inevitable this time of year.

I was missing 4-5 from every class Thursday and got voluntold to sub during my plan because of the amount of teachers we have out. We're going on Year 4 and I'm so tired of this shit.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Covid is still a thing?