***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 phisherman

My symptoms started just about a week ago, got a positive test last Wednesday and I'm on the mend. A little less gunk in my head and throat every morning.

Glad to hear it!

[TLO]

If you've tested positive recently - what symptoms are you experiencing? There seems to be a fairly distinctive line between Delta and Omicron. We'll try to diagnose which variant you have based on symptoms

[O.city]

Yeah it’s everywhere here. People dropping left and right with it

Luckily no serious illness

[phisherman]

Originally Posted by TLO

If you've tested positive recently - what symptoms are you experiencing? There seems to be a fairly distinctive line between Delta and Omicron. We'll try to diagnose which variant you have based on symptoms

I had about a day of fever, no muscle aches or anything like that. Stuffed up nose and some gunk in my chest but I've generally been able to cough it all up quickly. The tachycardia has been odd. I had two days where my resting heartrate would not go below 85-88 whereas my normal is around 52-55. That's all back to normal now though.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by phisherman

I had about a day of fever, no muscle aches or anything like that. Stuffed up nose and some gunk in my chest but I've generally been able to cough it all up quickly. The tachycardia has been odd. I had two days where my resting heartrate would not go below 85-88 whereas my normal is around 52-55. That's all back to normal now though.

*throws dart*

Omicron!

[phisherman]

Seems like it. I'm double vaxxed and was considering the booster until now. Totally done with it at this point. I'll cross that bridge if/when we get there in the future. One upside was that I get to use extended sick leave for my Christmas break instead of PTO. Score!

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by TLO

I had the exact same thing over Thanksgiving. PCR test said no. I say I'm not so sure. The fatigue is what made me suspicious. Who knows.

Its been just the 2 of us last week and this week so she's opted not to get tested and just self isolate. So who knows, I guess she could be negative but it seems to be moving like a brush fire through places.

There's a couple free testing sites near us that I've never really paid attention to until lines started forming a half a blocking down in the last couple weeks.

[Donger]

96,000 cases yesterday with only 12 states reporting. But if this variant really is much less virulent than the others, and it sure seems like it is, this could be the end game of this ****er. Hope so.

[BigBeauford]

Originally Posted by Donger

96,000 cases yesterday with only 12 states reporting. But if this variant really is much less virulent than the others, and it sure seems like it is, this could be the end game of this ****er. Hope so.

It's definitely feeling that way. I feel that I know more people than not with symptoms of some kind of cold. All vaccinated. I'm seeing so much upside here, and aside from the unvaccinated clogging up our hospitals (again), this is the best case scenario.

[Sure-Oz]

@ashishkjha: This from @Craig_A_Spencer is what you need to know

How Omicron is affecting folks coming to ER

Boosted? A bad cold

Vaxxed/unboosted? Really bad cold

1 dose J&J? Miserable, not life threatening

Who is getting hospitalized for low oxygen, serious illness?

Unvaccinated folks https://twitter.com/Craig_A_Spencer/...25900766031874

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Donger

96,000 cases yesterday with only 12 states reporting. But if this variant really is much less virulent than the others, and it sure seems like it is, this could be the end game of this ****er. Hope so.

Originally Posted by BigBeauford

It's definitely feeling that way. I feel that I know more people than not with symptoms of some kind of cold. All vaccinated. I'm seeing so much upside here, and aside from the unvaccinated clogging up our hospitals (again), this is the best case scenario.

Yeah I think it’s pretty much done.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by O.city

Yeah so far pretty mild

Sorry to hear that you caught it but glad it is mild for you so far. Hope you get to feeling better.

[jdubya]

Friend of mines wife is a flight attendant and just tested positive. Mild headache and runny nose.

Oldest son home for Christmas and came down with sore throat stuffy nose Christmas night. I went to bed with runny nose last night. No tests available at the stores as there seems to be a shortage. Suppose I could go with my son to a local urgent care and get tested but to what end? At this point we all are getting it eventually

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by O.city

Well Covid finally caught up with me

Had a scratchy throat yesterday didn’t think anything of it. Woke up in the middle of the night with a fever and headache. Took a test this morning, positive.

Other than scratchy throat and faint headache, feel fine

Well, ****.

Hope symptoms stay mild and you’re back 100% soon.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

Well, ****.

Hope symptoms stay mild and you’re back 100% soon.

Aren't you supposed to be offering O'City a nice bottle of bourbon or something?


(Sorry to hear about your FIL, my condolences)