***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.”

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

Otwp is nice to me and is sick

You on the other hand always talk down to me. So if you get sick I’ll send you some Canadian mist and a **** off letter

YOU'RE A DENTIST!!!

What am I supposed to do? Act like you're a decent person who doesn't wildly overstate his importance to society? Dentists get off on the suffering of others - it's the only explanation that can possibly exist for someone willingly taking on tens of thousands of dollars in debt for the privilege of putting his hands in people's mouths all day. Nobody would choose to do that if it wasn't because like like watching people squirm when they jam that damn pick in there.

And I will not take grief for being condescending from the likes of you, sir. I mean shit, you dare besmirch the good name of Canadian Mist? You have clearly exposed your true nature.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

Why do you say that?

He’s right. Those sleep mask cpap things do too

[srvy]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

If anything, it makes it hurt a bit more. Waiting on a call back from my doc.

Have the Doc prescribe that green nasty tasting cough medication. You will be coughing out lung cookies before you know it.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

If anything, it makes it hurt a bit more. Waiting on a call back from my doc.

Oh wow, never had an inhaler make me hurt. It usually makes my breathing much better and gets rid of the tightness in my chest.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

Why do you say that?

Making it airborne is no bueno.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by O.city

I had a guy sneeze blood in my face today after I extracted 3 abscessed teeth

I may not see tomorrow

Great googily moogily

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I think it's just an issue with people believing something could be true that's so unprecedented. If you read back in the first couple thousand posts in this thread, we had plenty of people (myself included, to some extent) who basically felt like this was just gonna be a bad flu season or another SARS 1.0. It was just incomprehensible that we'd literally have to shut down society for this.

Hell, my brother in law was adamant a week ago that this was all still way overblown. Unfortunately for him, he's a mechanic for the Denver FD, and they just had 9 guys test positive...

***

Originally Posted by DaFace

The issue with those stats is that they only cover the percent of people who were SEEN AND TREATED. It's been reported that this thing can be carried by people showing no symptoms or only mild symptoms, and it's likely that those kinds of cases actually make up the vast majority of people "infected."

The real death rate is almost certainly well below 1%, and it might be more like 0.00001%, especially once we start including areas where the medical response is prepared and better equipped than rural China.

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

Ok. Fair enough.

But it is hard to talk about low probability but high consequence events without generating hysteria and then a backlash to the hysteria.

Coronavirus is new to humans. Nobody has any previous immunity. So the number of people who could contract it is way higher than the seasonal flu.

It is unlikely but still plausible that half the world’s population could contract it over the next year. Even a 0.1% fatality rate would be 4 million people.

That on top of the panic it would cause would be really serious.

Worst case scenarios should be calmly considered and contingency plans made as appropriate.

Originally Posted by DaFace

But that's the whole issue - it's a low probability event that is getting a HUGE amount of media attention and is now bordering on causing mass hysteria. There's a chance we'll get hit by a massive asteroid in the next year and all of humanity will be wiped out. Don't think I'll change my vacation plans just yet, though.

[SAUTO]

CNN reporting that just one lab was 160k Tests behind last wed. And it was growing every day.


Taking over 10 days to get results

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

Oh wow, never had an inhaler make me hurt. It usually makes my breathing much better and gets rid of the tightness in my chest.

Feels tingly like a short run on a cold day.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

I am asking how you know this and what about using a Nebulizer, that uses Albuterol sulfate which comes from salt and is also in the rescue inhaler, makes a person more contagious.

A nebulizer treatment is classified as an Aerosol Generating Procedure, and requires advanced PPE. The aerosolized particles
remainlonger in the air. If you need to use one, use it on the porch, or in the garage.

A MDI does not have the same risk, but it does have risk. PPE requirements are less for MDI usage.

Google should result in a lot of policies and literature.

You are more contagious in the sense that the exhaled nebulized particles are more easily transmitted to those around you than those from a MDI

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by SAUTO

CNN reporting that just one lab was 160k Tests behind last wed. And it was growing every day.


Taking over 10 days to get results

That's the only decent thing out of my situation. Had results in two days.

Who knows if the results are valid, but...

[TLO]

Originally Posted by SAUTO

CNN reporting that just one lab was 160k Tests behind last wed. And it was growing every day.


Taking over 10 days to get results

Where at?

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by TLO

Where at?

Quest diagnostics.

And they can only process 30k a day

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by SupDock

A nebulizer treatment is classified as an Aerosol Generating Procedure, and requires advanced PPE. The aerosolized particles
remainlonger in the air. If you need to use one, use it on the porch, or in the garage.

A MDI does not have the same risk, but it does have risk. PPE requirements are less for MDI usage.

Google should result in a lot of policies and literature.

I have been using a nebulizer machine with Albuterol since the end of January. I don't have Covid and OTWP tested negative so he does not have it either, most likely, therefore I do not see what the problem would be in these instances. Although I did not know this so in the future if I am ill I will be more careful about where I do my treatments.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

I have been using a nebulizer machine with Albuterol since the end of January. I don't have Covid and OTWP tested negative so he does not have it either, most likely, therefore I do not see what the problem would be in these instances.

Even if he doesn't have Covid-19, he likely has something that he would prefer not to spread.