***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.”

[O.city]

I'm also just gonna throw this out there. Some here need to weigh all studies and such and not just latch onto one.

The schools and children thing is one. There are a multitude of studies that have shown atleast with primary kids, it's very rare that they pass this on to adults. Then there's one that comes out of Israel and people lose their minds on it.

If you actually look at the situation around it there in Israel, they opened everything up at the same time as schools and had issues. In and across Europe they opened schools without opening everything else up wide open and haven't had issues.

That should tell us something.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

I'm also just gonna throw this out there. Some here need to weigh all studies and such and not just latch onto one.

The schools and children thing is one. There are a multitude of studies that have shown atleast with primary kids, it's very rare that they pass this on to adults. Then there's one that comes out of Israel and people lose their minds on it.

If you actually look at the situation around it there in Israel, they opened everything up at the same time as schools and had issues. In and across Europe they opened schools without opening everything else up wide open and haven't had issues.

That should tell us something.

It's no coincidence we are hearing about kids right as school is starting and many think it shouldn't.

FYI...some anecdotal evidence of just how many parents oppose in-person school in my district...26%. That's right. Only 26% of Parents chose to have on-line classes for their child.

[Bob Dole]

Originally Posted by lewdog

That’s not a good argument.

A few dozen people at a house party vs hundreds of random people and staff at a bar. Plus those going to multiple bars in a night. No comparison.

I had 80+ people at my last two house parties, which is more people than the bars I frequent typically have.

[Donger]

For those who like actual data:

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/2018-2019.html

During the 2018–2019 season, 136 deaths in children with laboratory–confirmed influenza virus infection were reported in the United States8. However, influenza-associated pediatric deaths are likely under-reported as not all children whose death was related to an influenza virus infection may have been tested for influenza9,10. By combining data on hospitalization rates, influenza testing practices, and the frequency of death in and out of the hospital from death certificates, we estimate that there were approximately 480 deaths associated with influenza in children during 2018–2019

[Donger]

https://www.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#demographics

Confirmed COVID-19 Deaths:

0-4 Years Old = 29
5-17 Years Old = 48
18-29 Years Old = 603

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by petegz28

It's almost like the flu is more dangerous to children.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

For mortality yes currently. But as a parent would I be more worried about my kid giving me the flu (which has happened probably for every parent) or Covid? I will definitely take the flu 1 million times over getting Covid.

Originally Posted by O.city

It's likely that number has been consistent thru this whole thing and we're just now testing them as the amount of tests have risen to this level.

I believe this is mostly true but as other epidemiologists have pointed out younger kids have been quarantined with their parents and now are just starting to venture out.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

For mortality yes currently. But as a parent would I be more worried about my kid giving me the flu (which has happened probably for every parent) or Covid? I will definitely take the flu 1 million times over getting Covid.



I believe this is mostly true but as other epidemiologists have pointed out younger kids have been quarantined with their parents and now are just starting to venture out.

If the kids are at home, but the parents are out and about, what difference would that make? Most of the spread we know is in homes, so it wouldn't effect much.

[O.city]

Also, I'm getting pretty tired of reading how "we don't have the will" or "we're not willing to trade this for that".

Stop shaming the normal Americans. They stayed home, lost jobs etc and sacrificed and now we get elites who are able to stay home and get paid looking down their noses at them.

**** that. It's elitism and victim blaming.

We bought them time, did what we had to. It's not our fault they didn't have better plans.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

For mortality yes currently. But as a parent would I be more worried about my kid giving me the flu (which has happened probably for every parent) or Covid? I will definitely take the flu 1 million times over getting Covid.



I believe this is mostly true but as other epidemiologists have pointed out younger kids have been quarantined with their parents and now are just starting to venture out.

Perspective, Dirk. And I speak only for my locality. My county has had 9 people under the age of 70 pass from Covid. I understand some elderly are "Parents" but that is not the norm and those are the ones that need to choose online.

But for the most part this has not been lethal to anyone in my county under the age of 70 and I believe less than 100 people under the age of 64 in the entire state of Kansas. Again, I am not saying precautions should not be taken.

[O.city]

https://twitter.com/BallouxFrancois/...074384896?s=20

Here you go. Immunity should last a while.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

Also, I'm getting pretty tired of reading how "we don't have the will" or "we're not willing to trade this for that".

Stop shaming the normal Americans. They stayed home, lost jobs etc and sacrificed and now we get elites who are able to stay home and get paid looking down their noses at them.

**** that. It's elitism and victim blaming.

We bought them time, did what we had to. It's not our fault they didn't have better plans.

I am going to poorly quote a meme I saw that I think captures the essence of a lot of people these days.

Don't try to teach people that the lockdowns might have been a mistake. You can't. Just try to understand the truth that the lockdowns have turned fear into virtue. And those who are afraid believe they are better than those who are not and they will subconsciously look for ways to perpetuate the fear because that is their virtue.

[O.city]

Theres some validity there for sure.

In the grand scheme of pandemics, this one is really not a big deal. Now thats not to be interpreted as it's not a potentially severe infection, it most assuredly can be. But statistically, for the population at large, it's not much of a pandemic.

I really shudder to think what is gonna happen when a real mother****er comes along.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

Theres some validity there for sure.

In the grand scheme of pandemics, this one is really not a big deal. Now thats not to be interpreted as it's not a potentially severe infection, it most assuredly can be. But statistically, for the population at large, it's not much of a pandemic.

I really shudder to think what is gonna happen when a real mother****er comes along.

Excellent point.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by petegz28

I am going to poorly quote a meme I saw that I think captures the essence of a lot of people these days.

Don't try to teach people that the lockdowns might have been a mistake. You can't.

FYP

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Fish

FYP

Case in point.......