***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.”

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It's kind of insane to me that around a third of people in the U.S. are considered to be high-risk. It's also amusing that "Phase 1" contains ~260 million people while "Phase 2" only has ~70 million. Just semantics, but it seems like it would make more sense to call it Phase 1-5.

I'm sure there's some overlap in the categories - especially the last 2.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by TLO

It's so weird you mention this..

I've never had a positive diagnosis or lost my sense of taste or smell but this has happened to me a couple times over the past month or so

Originally Posted by O.city

I've had a terrible smell in my nose for months. Pretty sure it's from wearing a respirator all day.

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

I suspect I had Covid (but never tested) in the spring and over the course of the year I get this weird smell of like something burning on an occasion. It's like for a split second and is gone.

It's weird. It's a faint but constant smell. The instant something else comes along I don't smell it anymore but once whatever is in the air goes away it comes back.

I did a lot of reading about this when my smell\taste went away and essentially what I got out of it was your cells and neurons basically had to be rebuilt from scratch after Covid killed them so it is possible there is a long lasting if not permanent change.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Phase 1 will include healthcare personnel (HCP), other essential workers, high risk adults, and adults over 65. Phase 1 has 3 tiers: 1a (highest priority), 1b and 1c.
2/ pic.twitter.com/CpxDgMTGhO

— Ed Belongia MD (@EdBelongia) November 24, 2020

253 million citizens in phase 1?

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I doubt they've been terribly precise about updating the categories based on preliminary research. In the end, it isn't going to matter much.

I’m sure there is a universal consensus that health care workers and nursing home patients should be first.

But after that, they need to define the categories much better than these broad strokes.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I’m sure there is a universal consensus that health care workers and nursing home patients should be first.

But after that, they need to define the categories much better than these broad strokes.

Why? I seriously doubt they're going to require proof that you fit a category. The whole thing is going to be done in broad strokes, so I don't really see the value in getting worked up about the details.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by TLO

I'm really surprised that smoking is still listed as a "high risk" category. There have been so many studies showing smoking offers at least some sort of protective effect.

COPD, heart disease. HTN, cancers etc.. smoking will eventually put you in a high risk category at some point.

[Redbled]

Originally Posted by petegz28

One thing you might ask him after his smell starts to return is if when he is just sitting around and there isn't any particular odor in the air if he smells something like sour or rotten garbage?

It seems like if I am just sitting at me desk or in my car or on the couch I smell a faint odor of what is like bad garbage. It could be my own odor but I have read others having similar. One you eat something or smell something else it is fine. It's really weird.

You are just smelling your bad takes

[Redbled]

Pete. I really hope your smell deal isn’t permanent. While not life altering it has to be annoying.

I’m concerned as we now have our 2nd NFL player done for the year with a heart issue. That’s the stuff people don’t want.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

253 million citizens in phase 1?

Assuming overlap it might be something under 200M. Still crazy.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Redbled

Pete. I really hope your smell deal isn’t permanent. While not life altering it has to be annoying.

I’m concerned as we now have our 2nd NFL player done for the year with a heart issue. That’s the stuff people don’t want.

It's returned for the most part. Still certain things like chocolate I don't taste as much as I used too.

[Rain Man]

It looks like I can move up in line if I buy a pack of cigarettes and light up at the doctor's office. Their lobbyists are really good.

[suzzer99]

I'm working on obesity - the journey to get there is a lot more fun.

[Kman34]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Phase 1 will include healthcare personnel (HCP), other essential workers, high risk adults, and adults over 65. Phase 1 has 3 tiers: 1a (highest priority), 1b and 1c.
2/ pic.twitter.com/CpxDgMTGhO

— Ed Belongia MD (@EdBelongia) November 24, 2020

Interesting... I’m a Utilities manager at a local City and am considered a First Responder.. I wonder if I’m going to be required to take the vaccine by my employer or face being written up if I don’t.. I’m still on the fence about taking a rushed out vaccine..

[Rain Man]

When is the world going to realize that market research is an essential job?

[KS Smitty]

It was mentioned at the beginning of the pandemic that the MMR vaccine may provide some protection from Covid-19 and could be the reason that children don't get sick/as sick as older people. The scientists think it's the mumps part that is doing this and have been studying it.
From the link: "This is the first immunological study to evaluate the relationship between the MMR II vaccine and COVID-19. The statistically significant inverse correlation between mumps titers and COVID-19 indicates that there is a relationship involved that warrants further investigation,"

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-...ne-covid-.html