***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.”

[tk13]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

This is going to be a dark winter.

I don't think people have any idea. Look at Wisconsin. Hit 6000 cases for the first time yesterday. Then without any hesitation hit 7000 for the first time today. Just getting to numbers so large it'll be impossible not to have a fair number of hospitalizations and deaths.

You're already seeing the train coming down the tracks in places like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, etc... as the cold weather filters it's way down it's just going to get worse.

[TLO]

A preview of what America will look like if a lockdown is ordered.

BREAKING - Massive protests underway in #Leipzig (Germany) opposing the new #COVID19 lockdown.pic.twitter.com/ahYSecCyHI

— Disclose.tv �� (@disclosetv) November 7, 2020

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by TLO

A preview of what America will look like if a lockdown is ordered.

BREAKING - Massive protests underway in #Leipzig (Germany) opposing the new #COVID19 lockdown.pic.twitter.com/ahYSecCyHI

— Disclose.tv �� (@disclosetv) November 7, 2020

So from what I've gleaned in some small experiences with Germans and what I've come across online, the Cold War partition of the country was just long enough to create sociological differences between your average East and West German.

There's a reason this demonstration is in what was East Germany and not West.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by TLO

A preview of what America will look like if a lockdown is ordered.

BREAKING - Massive protests underway in #Leipzig (Germany) opposing the new #COVID19 lockdown.pic.twitter.com/ahYSecCyHI

— Disclose.tv �� (@disclosetv) November 7, 2020

Eh I highly doubt it. I don't think there'll be a lockdown unless this thing looks so ugly that there's no choice and it's already become abundantly clear that the economy is tanking. I do fully think there'll be travel restrictions. But in general Americans have very little concept of being able to project the future. By the time we take a step like some of the European countries have, it will be abundantly clear there's a serious problem and likely already too late.

[suzzer99]

Anyone discussing lockdown should first define what they mean by lockdown. For some it seems to mean having to wear masks and not being able to go to sporting events. For some it means China-style where you can leave your house for 1 hour/week to go grocery shopping. And then everything in between for others.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Anyone discussing lockdown should first define what they mean by lockdown. For some it seems to mean having to wear masks and not being able to go to sporting events. For some it means China-style where you can leave your house for 1 hour/week to go grocery shopping. And then everything in between for others.

Mask mandates are not lockdowns and illegal on a federal level anyways. Forcing businesses to close and limit where people go and for how long is locking them down.

[O.city]

There’s no lockdowns left. Unless shit just really goes off the rails, we know what we’re doing now can somewhat control things to a level that’s manageable.

Hospitalizations and deaths are going back up which was probably inevitable but we’re close to vaccines I’d think so just gonna have to tough out the next 3/4 months

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by O.city

There’s no lockdowns left. Unless shit just really goes off the rails, we know what we’re doing now can somewhat control things to a level that’s manageable.

Hospitalizations and deaths are going back up which was probably inevitable but we’re close to vaccines I’d think so just gonna have to tough out the next 3/4 months

Fortuitous timetable. . .

[dirk digler]

Dr. Fauci confirms long hauler covid symptoms. I hope here in the next few months we will get more answers on what is causing this since there is a few studies going on now.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the United States government's top infectious disease expert, said lingering Covid-19 symptoms last much longer than those from other viral syndromes like influenza.

Between 25% and 35% of Covid-19 patients have lingering symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle aches, sleep disturbances and “brain fog.”

"“We do know for absolutely certain that there is a post Covid-19 syndrome -- referred to sometimes as long Covid, chronic Covid, long haulers. It’s got different names," Fauci said on Saturday during an event with the American Medical Association."

It's unclear exactly how long symptoms can last, as the virus was discovered less than a year ago, but Fauci said symptoms have been observed for months after an initial infection.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Fortuitous timetable. . .

The winter months are usually pretty tough for corona virus infections so I’m guessing this one follows the same lines. Hopefully we get a vaccine mass distributed by feb/March but that may be too quick of a timeline.

Very hopeful I’m wrong on the next couple months sucking. We shall see

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Anyone discussing lockdown should first define what they mean by lockdown. For some it seems to mean having to wear masks and not being able to go to sporting events. For some it means China-style where you can leave your house for 1 hour/week to go grocery shopping. And then everything in between for others.

Yep and at least here in the US hard down lockdown won't happen but it is happening in Europe.

We already seeing in the US though curfews implemented and soon restaurants\bars will be closed in the hard hit areas.

Just look at what is happening in South Texas.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by O.city

There’s no lockdowns left. Unless shit just really goes off the rails, we know what we’re doing now can somewhat control things to a level that’s manageable.

Hospitalizations and deaths are going back up which was probably inevitable but we’re close to vaccines I’d think so just gonna have to tough out the next 3/4 months

People just need to take it seriously and be responsible and just be reasonable when it comes to social gatherings even with family and wear masks indoors , the same things experts have been saying from the start and you should not need lockdowns and hospitals should be able to manage, you still might have to scale Bck in some hard hit locations temporarily .

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by O.city

Nursing homes in our area were told to prepare for widespread vaccinations by early December. So that would be good news

One of the homes in ozark I believe had like 34 deaths. Terrible

My mother-in-law lives in Golden City/Lamar area. Her long time friend from High school's family has been hit hard by Covid. She died yesterday. One of her sons thought covid was a hoax. The whole side of his family has covid. Spread to 43 cases and 3 deaths so far and he will die soon.

My brother is in Rogersville. He knows of a family that thought it was a hoax or overblown. 24 hospitalizations and 12 deaths so far.

I think we need to do some education in the rural areas of America. We can save lives.

[dirk digler]

This is article is personal for me and this nurse quoted in this article works with my daughter. My daughter is struggling with PTSD from the first wave with all the death she had to deal with but is doing it all again and is preparing for the worst that is starting.

I know alot of people have covid fatigue and see these death numbers and have become numb to it. So I think it is time for the media to embed with hospitals and show what it is like to suffer and die with covid much like what they do when we go to war. I think people would instantly change their behavior.

Anyway, keep all of our front line health care workers in your thoughts as they are going to need major mental health care once this is all done with.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/coro...ainstage_card3

‘With this, I’ve lost count:’ As COVID surges in KC, health workers, families struggle

Nathan Jones wishes people could witness what he’s seen: Patients who arrive struggling to breathe. Patients sedated and intubated, relying on a machine to push oxygen into their inflamed lungs.

“It used to be you could count or remember the people that you’ve coded (lost), and their story,” said Jones, 31, a nurse who worked at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission and will be starting at Saint Luke’s.

“With this, I’ve lost count.”

COVID-19 killed eight people, on average, every day in metropolitan Kansas City last week. Two days in a row, more than 1,000 new cases were reported, with 5,100 total added last week. The University of Kansas Health System was hit with a record number of virus patients. Physicians voiced their concerns to elected officials during a call Friday.

The third wave appears to be the worst yet. Infection is crossing all categories of age and health. Last weekend, a 13-year-old Missouri boy died of complications from the coronavirus. Other young people are suffering strokes. Patients who contracted the virus months ago still can’t breathe without supplemental oxygen.

Jones is astounded that countless Kansas Citians continue to downplay the seriousness of the pandemic or are tired of taking the steps necessary to flatten the curve. Local elected officials have failed to lead, he said.

Frontline workers

One of the most difficult parts for Jones, the ICU nurse, is post-mortem care, which requires wrapping the deceased’s head with gauze to contain any virus particles.

“Every time we do it — it takes two people — one of us always mentions how much we hate it,” he said.

Some health care employees that Jones knows have relied on therapy, others have started taking antidepressants. Some have burned out, mentally and physically, and left the field.

“It comes in waves. If you have a good week where you don’t have a lot of passing or you get a break from COVID, you start to feel a little bit more like yourself,” he said. “If you have a week of COVID and you don’t have success and you get a bunch of deaths, you definitely start to feel it.”

Zoe Schmidt, a nurse at Research Medical Center, said she feels hopeless as cases rise, seemingly unabated.

She’s disappointed in her public officials, who have failed to institute statewide mask mandates or local lock downs as the situation worsens. And in her hospital’s administrators, who she feels aren’t providing adequate protection or support to staff.

With all that, she said, “there’s no end in sight.”

“Everything keeps rising and we’re losing staff and we’re already so understaffed and we’re already really burnt out and tired and scared and we keep getting sick,” Schmidt, 24, said.

She said more than 200 nurses have quit at Research since April. Many of those who remain are seeking therapy or counseling because of the trauma they’ve witnessed and endured.

Many, she said, have contracted the virus themselves and are scared of bringing it home to their friends and family.

In April, a nurse at Research Medical center died after contracting the virus. Schmidt said she’s worried there will be more.

“A lot of us are dealing with a strong emotional impact when we don’t really have as much of as support system as we’re used to,” she said.

COVID-19 patients, she said, aren’t able to see their family so hospital workers are their main source of support. This is more difficult, Schmidt said, because they don’t know enough about the virus to reassure patients that it will be okay.

She’s seen young people have strokes after contracting the virus and patients months after catching the virus who still need oxygen. She can’t tell these patients whether it will ever get better.

“It’s scary for them, and it’s scary for us,” she said.

“There are stories that haunt us all but we can’t talk about them publicly,” she said. “People of all backgrounds and races and ages are getting really sick and dying.”

[TLO]

Our hospital reached its highest number of inpatients today.