***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.”

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by kgrund

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.

I think it's hugely unlikely that we'll have anything that we'd consider to be bad enough that we'd lock things down again. I only mention it because it's not completely out of the question that we could see a variant that is different enough that our vaccines suddenly are useless. I won't be losing any sleep over it, but it's not completely out of the realm of possibility.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I think it's hugely unlikely that we'll have anything that we'd consider to be bad enough that we'd lock things down again. I only mention it because it's not completely out of the question that we could see a variant that is different enough that our vaccines suddenly are useless. I won't be losing any sleep over it, but it's not completely out of the realm of possibility.

At this point, a mutation in Ebola that makes it highly contagious is probably a bigger risk.

[sedated]

Originally Posted by kgrund

What would you consider a wave at this point?

I'm very curious to see how things go now that we are fully reopening with only 40% vaxxed. Especially when stadiums are full, concerts, etc. Will 40% put enough of a dent to prevent super-spreader events, or will we hear about hospitalizations spiking on occasion?

[DaFace]

No surprise, but Colorado is rolling everything back as well.

Coloradans will be allowed to go mask-free in almost all settings, Gov. Jared Polis announced on Friday https://t.co/S0Do3feE0n via @zachbright_ and @JesseAPaul

— The Colorado Sun (@ColoradoSun) May 14, 2021

Key quote:

“The pandemic is not yet over,” Polis said. “But if you are vaccinated, it is largely over for you.”

[Otter]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

At this point, a mutation in Ebola that makes it highly contagious is probably a bigger risk.

Good read and you seem like a guy that $5 to spare.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by DaFace

No surprise, but Colorado is rolling everything back as well.

Coloradans will be allowed to go mask-free in almost all settings, Gov. Jared Polis announced on Friday https://t.co/S0Do3feE0n via @zachbright_ and @JesseAPaul

— The Colorado Sun (@ColoradoSun) May 14, 2021

Key quote:

“The pandemic is not yet over,” Polis said. “But if you are vaccinated, it is largely over for you.”

I'm in Colorado and I still had to wear a mask for 15 seconds while I entered the restaurant. **** this shit. I GOT RIGHTS

[ghak99]

The local health center claims they've had 35 cases in May. Of those 35 cases, 3 were in fully vaccinated people who were at least 2 weeks after their booster.

They added that they believed Mother's day was a catalyst for some of these cases. Sounds like a good enough reason to at least avoid visiting mother in laws for a few more months.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by ghak99

The local health center claims they've had 35 cases in May. Of those 35 cases, 3 were in fully vaccinated people who were at least 2 weeks after their booster.

They added that they believed Mother's day was a catalyst for some of these cases. Sounds like a good enough reason to at least avoid visiting mother in laws for a few more months.

35 people hospitalized or 35 cases?

[tooge]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

I'm in Colorado and I still had to wear a mask for 15 seconds while I entered the restaurant. **** this shit. I GOT RIGHTS

While I'm all for opening up WITHOUT masks and have been for several months, the only right you have regarding the restaurants is to not eat at them if you dislike their policies.

[ghak99]

Originally Posted by TLO

35 people hospitalized or 35 cases?

Cases. No mention of a hospitalization.

[MahomesMagic]

New York ditching the masks but seems like they are leaving the door open for vaccine passports.

Cuomo first ordered all New Yorkers to wear a face covering while in public in April of last year.

“Let’s get back to life,” Cuomo said during a press conference. “If you are vaccinated, you are safe. No masks, no social distancing.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/17/cdc-...uomo-says.html


Of course just like the CDC, New York is pretending the essential workers who got Covid already don't exist.

[cdcox]

My university lifted mask and social distancing requirements for vaccinated people today. Oh happy day!

[prhom]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

At this point, a mutation in Ebola that makes it highly contagious is probably a bigger risk.

There’s probably a biological weapon-grade version of this in a lab somewhere already.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by prhom

There’s probably a biological weapon-grade version of this in a lab somewhere already.

Fauci just came with joy

[TLO]

Daily case numbers and deaths are taking a major nosedive. Hopefully this is the end.