***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.”

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by DaFace

This whole thing has to be terribly disheartening to people in public health. These days, it's not just a matter of saying "Here's the optimal advice we can give based on the evidence we have." You have to consider how much what you say will cause people to freak out and hoard supplies that are needed by hospitals. You have to consider what tiny pieces of the information you provide will be misconstrued and twisted to mean something else. You have to hedge on everything (often to the point of not giving the advice you feel is best) because you know that anything you say that ends up being different than reality in the future will be used by people to point and say that you can't be trusted. And then you have to consider that just about anything you recommend that causes the tiniest bit of inconvenience for people might be blown up to the point that people are literally getting shot because of it.

I can't imagine how they keep going every day.

It's taught me that there are a lot of people who just frankly really stupid. No amount of education can help them, they find any shred of anything that makes them feel better and they run with that. If anyone says anything that disagrees with it even a expert, then the expert is a fraud etc etc.

It's really kinda sad what society has become in so many ways.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Pants

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...-effectiveness

https://theconversation.com/masks-he...wearing-138507

There are another Eleventy Billion articles and papers like this.

Do the masks stop the virus clusters from getting through? Very few do. Do the masks help prevent the spread of the virus? Absolutely.

Does it matter WHY people wear masks? Nope. Regardless of your reason to wear them, the benefits are the same.

I'm not sold on the way that Chinese experiment was done.

The other article is fascinating. Though I will say that I think this part is bologna.

Another recent study showed that unfitted surgical masks were 100% effective in blocking seasonal coronavirus in droplets ejected during breathing.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Yeah it's not my fault you didn't read it before you went off. Own it or don't that's on you

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Using a Tweet from 3 months ago to make a point in an article printed 3 months later.

Who lacks reading comprehension?

[Pants]

Originally Posted by jdubya

If it is spread from droplets suspended in the air for hours then the comparison to chainlink fences keeping mosquitos out is fairly accurate for the majority of masks being used.

Except you know... science telling us the opposite.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Still haven't read the article, have you?

FFS pete that is what I just said, it is to protect the patients but it COULD still stop a drop of blood from flying directly into your mouth short term (surgeon would just replace the mask). it is still a short term barrier if used properly, I have never condoned homed made masks for personal protection , but if they can cut even a percentage of the virus from escaping or traveling a further distance from you if you are infected it can help no?

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Lzen

I'm not sold on the way that Chinese experiment was done.

The other article is fascinating. Though I will say that I think this part is bologna.

The seasonal one is not nearly as strong, if everyone wore masks and washed their hands it would probably do wonders for the cold and flu season.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by DaFace

A more apt comparison would be golf balls being hit at a chain link fence. Would some get through? Yes. But a lot wouldn't.

And if you ever actually read the article you would u understand that the added protection of the mask is minimal to people who say are customer facing all day. So again before you go off on a straw man or out words in the mouths of others why dont you read it then maybe question so.ething the article states as opposed to what you think I believe?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Mecca

It's taught me that there are a lot of people who just frankly really stupid. No amount of education can help them, they find any shred of anything that makes them feel better and they run with that. If anyone says anything that disagrees with it even a expert, then the expert is a fraud etc etc.

It's really kinda sad what society has become in so many ways.

The internet has made it so that it's difficult to distinguish between an expert opinion and the opinion of someone who is just making shit up.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I think we should have a fun experiment where we put people who are against masks in a room with people who 100% confirmed to be infected. You don't know who is who or what percentage is infected.

You can stay six feet away from people, but no more. You have a choice - everyone in the room wears a mask (including you) or no one wears a mask.

I would be fascinated to see what percentage would choose for no one to have to wear a mask.

* Drops AR-15 and asks meekly, "Can I borrow a mask, please?" *

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Using a Tweet from 3 months ago to make a point in an article printed 3 months later.



Who lacks reading comprehension?

Apparently you since the tweet was part of the timeline and not the story. But you would know that if you read things instead of consistently saying stupid shit about something you obviously didn't read.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by petegz28

And if you ever actually read the article you would u understand that the added protection of the mask is minimal to people who say are customer facing all day. So again before you go off on a straw man or out words in the mouths of others why dont you read it then maybe question so.ething the article states as opposed to what you think I believe?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I have no idea how any of this relates to anything I've said.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by Lzen

I'm not sold on the way that Chinese experiment was done.

The other article is fascinating. Though I will say that I think this part is bologna.

I'm guessing your issue with the Hong Kong experiment was the sample size?

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by petegz28

And if you ever actually read the article you would u understand that the added protection of the mask is minimal to people who say are customer facing all day. So again before you go off on a straw man or out words in the mouths of others why dont you read it then maybe question so.ething the article states as opposed to what you think I believe?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

But if that person working face-to-face with customers all day was positive and asymptomatic, that mask they are wearing could actually PROTECT YOU as the customer. Since we don’t know who’s asymptomatic, masks are needed! Catch on Pete!

[jdubya]

Originally Posted by DaFace

A more apt comparison would be golf balls being hit at a chain link fence. Would some get through? Yes. But a lot wouldn't.

IF the mask is properly worn and fitted I agree. After my visit to the grocery store yesterday I would venture to guess that the majority are literally paper napkin material held on by rubber bands around the ears....no bueno. Those golf balls just turned into marbles or pea gravel

[Lzen]

The third problem is that there is a shortage of medical masks around the world. Many policymakers were concerned that recommending face coverings for the public would lead to people hoarding medical masks. This led to seemingly contradictory guidance where the CDC said there was no reason for the public to wear masks but that masks needed to be saved for medical workers. The CDC has now clarified its stance and recommends the public use of homemade masks while saving higher-grade masks for medical professionals.

This is the thing that makes me angry. At the beginning of this thing, I was at Lowes and needed to grab some dust masks for a home project. Some arseholes had bought up all of their boxes/cases of dust masks. I'm sure they were taking advantage of the emergency to make a quick buck. Those are the worst kinds of people, IMO.