***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.”

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by KC_Lee

Unless someone wants to sue a grocery store, claiming that they got da' rona from some unmasked shopper after the grocery store had lifted all mask requirements.

Ha. That'd be pretty hard to prove that they got it by entering that specific entity. Not only that, but that entity would have the CDC's own guidelines as their backup.

[KC_Lee]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Ha. That'd be pretty hard to prove that they got it by entering that specific entity. Not only that, but that entity would have the CDC's own guidelines as their backup.

Both very true but never underestimate a determined lawyer, or lawyers, that want to make a case...and some cash...

[TLO]

Originally Posted by loochy

THIS is the kind of messaging that will encourage vaccination. Not "you still have to act like you are infected", not "you are literally Hitler if you don't get a vaccine", not "you are a science hater".

This kind of messaging should have come out around March. Maybe sooner.

[BigBeauford]

Here is the new table that vaccines block transmission (tipping point on this question reached - seemed to know some time ago?) and will up on following link so you can get the links:https://t.co/RrvP0XXafW pic.twitter.com/Wdaqn4iW9Z

— Monica Gandhi MD, MPH (@MonicaGandhi9) May 13, 2021

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by louie aguiar

Hopefully grocery stores, hardware store etc will now drop their mask mandates

Not likely unless they start asking for proof of vaccination. I’m doubtful they will go by the honor system though at this point they should. I and others have said for a while once the vaccine is widely available with some sort of grace period to give everyone a chance for both doses then masks and social distancing are no longer needed and completely normalcy should be back.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

No. It'd be nice if all adults would get vaccinated so we can move on. However, if some adults have chosen to not be vaccinated by now (and that's certainly their choice) and they get Covid, then that's on them. I'm not going to feel guilty or beholden to masks/testing after I have already received both doses of vaccine.

This. Everyone that has had a fair shot at getting it and refused I won't feel sorry for them. It's easily accessible now.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by TLO

This kind of messaging should have come out around March. Maybe sooner.

Probably don't have to give away millions probably a $100 gift card to random place might do it for some...

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

This. Everyone that has had a fair shot at getting it and refused I won't feel sorry for them. It's easily accessible now.

Yep. While it's not 100% true that vaccinated people are fine, you'd have to be SUPER unlucky (on the scale of dying in a car wreck unlucky) to die from COVID after being vaccinated.

At this point, everyone should be happy. No one's required to get the vaccine. No one's required to give a shit if unvaccinated people die. It's just a new way of getting a Darwin award IMO.

I'm still in favor of being cautious, monitoring the spread, and being open to modest restrictions if things start getting shitty again, but given our current trajectory, it's time to get back to life.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Yep. While it's not 100% true that vaccinated people are fine, you'd have to be SUPER unlucky (on the scale of dying in a car wreck unlucky) to die from COVID after being vaccinated.



At this point, everyone should be happy. No one's required to get the vaccine. No one's required to give a shit if unvaccinated people die. It's just a new way of getting a Darwin award IMO.



I'm still in favor of being cautious, monitoring the spread, and being open to modest restrictions if things start getting shitty again, but given our current trajectory, it's time to get back to life.

Agreed.

[Coach]

https://fox4kc.com/tracking-coronavi...-new-guidance/

Kansas City to rescind mask order, effective Friday, after CDC’s new guidance

[MahomesMagic]

How it started How it’s going pic.twitter.com/nnhmU5hScu

— Eric (@IAmTheActualET) May 14, 2021

[arrowheadnation]

I don't know why, but it's emotional typing this. So can those of us who are vaccinated basically declare the pandemic "over" as of right now for all intents and purposes? I mean, real life feels like a lifetime ago. My dad died during covid (not from covid), all of my country bumpkin relatives who were staunch anti-mask/anti-vax all caught and luckily survived covid and are now all vaxxed, and I was told a week after my dad's funeral that I am being laid off on July 1....Life comes and it comes fast, but I'm blessed. The dog days are over; the dog days are done.

[Red Beans]

Originally Posted by arrowheadnation

I don't know why, but it's emotional typing this. So can those of us who are vaccinated basically declare the pandemic "over" as of right now for all intents and purposes? I mean, real life feels like a lifetime ago. My dad died during covid (not from covid), all of my country bumpkin relatives who were staunch anti-mask/anti-vax all caught and luckily survived covid and are now all vaxxed, and I was told a week after my dad's funeral that I am being laid off on July 1....Life comes and it comes fast, but I'm blessed. The dog days are over; the dog days are done.

It's been a long 15 months...

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by arrowheadnation

I don't know why, but it's emotional typing this. So can those of us who are vaccinated basically declare the pandemic "over" as of right now for all intents and purposes? I mean, real life feels like a lifetime ago. My dad died during covid (not from covid), all of my country bumpkin relatives who were staunch anti-mask/anti-vax all caught and luckily survived covid and are now all vaxxed, and I was told a week after my dad's funeral that I am being laid off on July 1....Life comes and it comes fast, but I'm blessed. The dog days are over; the dog days are done.

It's tough to fully say it's "over" - in theory we could see another wave in the fall, especially if variants end up being problematic.

But right now, it's looking like the vaccines are working better than anyone could have possibly hoped for. Once vaccinated, your risk of death from COVID is incredibly low. So if you and most of the people you care about are vaccinated, yeah, I think you can celebrate at this point.

We'll still see some lingering restrictions for a while I'm sure (e.g., international travel restrictions, masks in certain situations), and we will almost certainly see a small level of lingering deaths among non-vaccinated people. But for the most part, this summer should be as close to normal as we could have hoped for back in January.

[kgrund]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It's tough to fully say it's "over" - in theory we could see another wave in the fall, especially if variants end up being problematic.

But right now, it's looking like the vaccines are working better than anyone could have possibly hoped for. Once vaccinated, your risk of death from COVID is incredibly low. So if you and most of the people you care about are vaccinated, yeah, I think you can celebrate at this point.

We'll still see some lingering restrictions for a while I'm sure (e.g., international travel restrictions, masks in certain situations), and we will almost certainly see a small level of lingering deaths among non-vaccinated people. But for the most part, this summer should be as close to normal as we could have hoped for back in January.

What would you consider a wave at this point? I do not think we will ever see anything close to what we saw last fall/winter specific to this virus. Any future "wave" will likely be a ripple that is less than a typical flu season IMO.