***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.”

[SAUTO]

Here’s from forbes

refundable tax credit? A refundable credit means that you can take advantage of the credit even if you do not owe any tax. Unlike with a nonrefundable credit, if you don’t have any tax liability, the “extra” credit is not lost but is instead refunded to you.

In this case, the stimulus check acts like a refund for a new, temporary tax credit that you get in advance based on your 2020 income. That’s confusing because you don’t know how much you’re going to earn in 2020, but it’s why the IRS is using earlier returns. But since it’s an advance payment on a new credit does not affect your “normal” tax refund for 2020: you won’t lose out on your expected tax refund for 2020 with the check.

Can you give me an example? Sure. Let’s say you’re entitled to a stimulus check for $1,200 and you get your check this year (in 2020). Let’s also say that you were expecting a $1,500 refund in 2021 (for the 2020 tax year). When you get your stimulus check, that doesn’t change your expected refund: you would still qualify for the $1,500 in 2021. But what if you didn’t get your stimulus check because you didn’t file in 2018 or 2019 – or some other reason? You’ll still get your $1,500 in 2021 but you’ll also get the $1,200 in 2021. Either way, you won’t miss out by taking the check and you don’t have to pay it back.

[TLO]

People on Twitter pissed at http://www.healthdata.org/covid

[SAUTO]

So how does this work? Do I need to file anything to get my check? Technically, the checks are advances of a new, temporary credit for 2020. It will not affect your “normal” refund in 2020, nor how much you owe. Since we haven’t filed for 2020 yet, the IRS will “advance” your check based on your most recently filed tax return (2018 or 2019 tax return). If you haven’t filed a tax return, and your income is from Social Security benefits, the bill allows Treasury to use the information on your 2019 Form SSA-1099, Social Security Benefit Statement, Form RRB-1099, Social Security Equivalent Benefit Statement (after some initial confusion, this was confirmed by the Treasury and IRS).


Also from Forbes

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

You can google it. Forbes, business insider, all the major networks, newspapers are saying the same thing. It’s an advance, not free money it was sold as by both parties.

I googled it from Forbes and it looks as though you are wrong

[SAUTO]

They are giving a credit on 2020 taxes and advancing it to people now.

[SAUTO]

Q. A friend told me the CARES stimulus payment will be returned to the IRS when we file our 2020 income tax return. Somebody else emphatically stated the stimulus money will count as 2020 income. Are they right?

— W. T., Niles

A. It didn’t take long for urban legends to surface about the CARES stimulus payments from the “feds” which will happen later this month. First and foremost, the payments will not be included in 2020 income. The official title for the stimulus funds is the “2020 Recovery Rebate for Individuals.” Practically speaking, any payment you receive is an ADVANCE PAYMENT of a credit that will appear on your 2020 income tax return.

Here’s an example which we hope will help. A single taxpayer with two children (both under 17) receives a stimulus check for $2,200 (i.e., $1,200 for the taxpayer plus another $1,000 for the children) on April 30, 2020. When our taxpayer prepares a 2020 income tax return, a $2,200 credit appears on the Form 1040. Elsewhere on the return, the $2,200 ADVANCE PAYMENT of the credit will surface. The result is a “wash” meaning the credit and the ADVANCE PAYMENT cancel each other out. Bottom line result, the taxpayer receives $2,200 (non-taxable) to spend and the money is NOT returned to the IRS.

[carlos3652]

Originally Posted by SAUTO

Q. A friend told me the CARES stimulus payment will be returned to the IRS when we file our 2020 income tax return. Somebody else emphatically stated the stimulus money will count as 2020 income. Are they right?

— W. T., Niles

A. It didn’t take long for urban legends to surface about the CARES stimulus payments from the “feds” which will happen later this month. First and foremost, the payments will not be included in 2020 income. The official title for the stimulus funds is the “2020 Recovery Rebate for Individuals.” Practically speaking, any payment you receive is an ADVANCE PAYMENT of a credit that will appear on your 2020 income tax return.

Here’s an example which we hope will help. A single taxpayer with two children (both under 17) receives a stimulus check for $2,200 (i.e., $1,200 for the taxpayer plus another $1,000 for the children) on April 30, 2020. When our taxpayer prepares a 2020 income tax return, a $2,200 credit appears on the Form 1040. Elsewhere on the return, the $2,200 ADVANCE PAYMENT of the credit will surface. The result is a “wash” meaning the credit and the ADVANCE PAYMENT cancel each other out. Bottom line result, the taxpayer receives $2,200 (non-taxable) to spend and the money is NOT returned to the IRS.

Thats what I googled. Thanks for providing the quote

[O.city]

https://twitter.com/scottgottliebmd/...330985991?s=21

[RunKC]

NYC also recorded lower death rate today for the first time. Let’s hope we’ve hit the peak and this starts to level off

#BREAKING Italy records lowest virus death toll in over two weeks: officials pic.twitter.com/Z6EER8WC52

— AFP news agency (@AFP) April 5, 2020

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by 007

Now you can't even order groceries online all slots are taken up all the time. This is getting very ridiculous.

Welcome to living in Los Angeles for the past 4+ weeks

[DaneMcCloud]

And what's with all this "people are going to get sick of being locked up" nonsense?

We've been on Lockdown in LA for more than three weeks and I haven't heard or seen anyone say "I'm sick of this!".

If anything, people have been completely understanding about this situation and want to do anything possible to make sure we're safe, even if that means 60 or 90 more days of lockdown.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

And what's with all this "people are going to get sick of being locked up" nonsense?

We've been on Lockdown in LA for more than three weeks and I haven't heard or seen anyone say "I'm sick of this!".

If anything, people have been completely understanding about this situation and want to do anything possible to make sure we're safe, even if that means 60 or 90 more days of lockdown.

It's out there. People just don't want to come across as insensitive but I am seeing a lot more frustration in my area as we enter week 3 of a shutdown.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Update: Chest still feels like I'm in a constant bear hug, but breathing is a slight bit easier today - not quite as wheezy. But my fever is back up over 101 again and steady.

Maybe O.City is gonna get let off the hook?

[O.city]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

Update: Chest still feels like I'm in a constant bear hug, but breathing is a slight bit easier today - not quite as wheezy. But my fever is back up over 101 again and steady.

Maybe O.City is gonna get let off the hook?

I’ll take the loss just don’t die

[O.city]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

It's out there. People just don't want to come across as insensitive but I am seeing a lot more frustration in my area as we enter week 3 of a shutdown.

I think it’s tough in areas that haven’t been hit by it very hard

Kinda same thing happening here. People are getting antsy