***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.”

[BleedingRed]

Originally Posted by tyecopeland

These avatars are getting confusing.

[Eleazar]

Same thing happening in other states where the pandemic has never really had a major peak:

Four bars help fuel Minnesota's COVID-19 surge among young adults

By Jeremy Olson Star Tribune JUNE 26, 2020 — 2:52PM


Teenagers and young adults represent the fastest-growing age groups hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new data released Friday by the Minnesota Department of Health that included 5 more deaths and 498 more lab-confirmed cases of the infectious disease.

The number of lab-confirmed cases in Minnesota has increased 37% — from 25,208 on June 1 to 34,616 as of Friday — but the numbers among people aged 6 to 19 increased 61% in the same time frame. And 20-somethings overtook people in their 30s for the first time this week as the age group in Minnesota with the most lab-confirmed cases.

State health officials on Friday identified four bars — two in Dinkytown and two in Mankato — as being sites in which young adults spread the virus to one another. Infectious disease director Kris Ehresmann said people who frequented The Kollege Club and Cowboy Jacks in Minneapolis June 14-21, and Rounders and 507 in Mankato June 12-13, should be aware of potential exposure risks.

The outbreak associated with the Mankato bars resulted in roughly 100 infections, including workers at child care facilities that are now having to make changes that will disrupt families and children, Ehresmann said.

"Its a sad example of how COVID works," said Ehresmann, noting that the major concern is that these young adults will spread COVID-19 to others at higher risk of severe disease.

The outbreaks centered on the Dinkytown bars involved more than 30 people, and Ehresmann said it reflects the kind of rapid growth that could upset progress in the state in managing the pandemic. She encouraged people to wear masks in public and practice social distancing, and said that social media images of crowds at these locations showed that state safety guidance for bars and restaurants wasn't being followed.

The 7,045 cases among people in their 20s now represent 20% of all cases. More infections in this population might not result in more severe outcomes — only two of 1,411 total deaths so far in the pandemic have involved people younger than 30 in Minnesota. But state health officials worry that these mobile young adults can spread the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 to others at greater risk.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday updated its list of risks for severe COVID-19, doing away with the age of 65 as a breakpoint and instead simply stating that risk increases with age.

Minnesotans 70 and older make up 12% of known cases in the state, but 81% of COVID-19-related deaths. All five deaths reported Friday involved residents of long-term care or assisted-living facilities, bringing the total of deaths in such facilities to 1,112.

Obesity was added as a leading risk factor to the CDC's list, which also includes heart conditions, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes. Hypertension was removed from the list, even though it is the most common underlying condition found in patients in Minnesota who are hospitalized for COVID-19, according to a state health analysis. CDC officials said that related heart conditions, rather than hypertension, are probably increasing the risks in such individuals.

On Friday, 335 Minnesotans were hospitalized for COVID-19 — including 157 who needed intensive care.

Free COVID-19 testing clinics in Minneapolis and St. Paul following the May 25 police killing of George Floyd found a relatively low rate of infections — roughly 1.5% of the more than 7,700 demonstrators and others who were tested. Health officials have been relieved that these mass events didn't spread the coronavirus further, but are now tracking upticks in young-adult cases related to bars and restaurants.

Limited indoor service at bars and restaurants resumed on June 10 along with fitness clubs and entertainment venues. Minnesota had been under a stay-at-home order for 51 days to reduce the spread of the virus until the order was lifted on May 18.

Detected cases of COVID-19 via diagnostic testing are only the tip of the iceberg. CDC officials on Thursday estimated that every one lab-confirmed case represented 10 cases. Most infections result in mild or no symptoms, but people with mild infections are risks for spreading the virus to others.

Minnesota's COVID-19 case count includes 30,008 people who have recovered to the point they are no longer considered infectious or required to isolate themselves to avoid spreading the virus to others.

https://www.startribune.com/20-somet...ota/571504962/

[Demonpenz]

Nzoner could be flat broke but you get him some mean shorts and mp3s he is fine

[BleedingRed]

Young people fastest growing demographic.. Bunch bar hoping no good people!

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by BleedingRed

Young people fastest growing demographic.. Bunch bar hoping no good people!

Yep, it's all the bars .....has to be. Even ones that have only been open for 10 days.

[BleedingRed]

Guy smashes window of CVS

"Guys there is no beer in here, wanna hit the next bar?!"

[petegz28]

See I call outright bullshit on this for a couple reasons...

Free COVID-19 testing clinics in Minneapolis and St. Paul following the May 25 police killing of George Floyd found a relatively low rate of infections — roughly 1.5% of the more than 7,700 demonstrators and others who were tested. Health officials have been relieved that these mass events didn't spread the coronavirus further, but are now tracking upticks in young-adult cases related to bars and restaurants.

One, I know for a fact a lot of people do not get tested properly because they stop the test giver before the swab is deep enough. I have heard this especially from drive up testing.

Secondly up until then all the "negative" tests were met with a huge amount of skepticism and were called false negatives.

Suddenly we are to take this on face value? 10's of thousands of people in the very age group who were out protesting, in some cases before the bars even opened barely 2 weeks ago didn't spread it or get it but the second they walked into a bar...yea....okay

They didn't even open the bars there until 16 days ago. Sorry that just sounds like someone trying to turn a blind eye.

[Donger]

I suppose in binary world, one isn't capable of considering that perhaps some of the young people attended protests, got infected and THEN went to bars, which is leading to more cases.

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by petegz28

See I call outright bullshit on this for a couple reasons...




One, I know for a fact a lot of people do not get tested properly because they stop the test giver before the swab is deep enough. I have heard this especially from drive up testing.

Secondly up until then all the "negative" tests were met with a huge amount of skepticism and were called false negatives.

Suddenly we are to take this on face value? 10's of thousands of people in the very age group who were out protesting, in some cases before the bars even opened barely 2 weeks ago didn't spread it or get it but the second they walked into a bar...yea....okay

They didn't even open the bars there until 16 days ago. Sorry that just sounds like someone trying to turn a blind eye.

I reject the facts and statistics presented (in this case, verified contact tracing to the four bars mentioned) because 'I know for a fact...'"

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Why can’t people read? Your entire post is based on ignoring that I specifically said we knew cases would increase with reopening.

You wanted to make the case that protests were a primary cause. I'm sure it accelerated it. But if what you're saying is true then every major protest zone would see a huge spike in cases compared to non protest zones. That doesn't look to be the case. The worst is happening in the southern belt and much of the spike is in rural areas.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Eleazar

I reject the facts and statistics presented (in this case, verified contact tracing to the four bars mentioned) because 'I know for a fact...'"

Yep, it was 100% bars. No one at the bar was at a protest and maybe got it from there. Thanks, that clears up a lot.

[TLO]

KC is mandating wearing masks indoors starting Monday.

[dirk digler]

KCMO Mask order but they are removing the capacity limits except for bars\taverns.

KCMO mask requirements: “Effective Monday, June 29, all employees or visitors to any place of public accommodation must wear face coverings in an area or while performing an activity which will necessarily involve close contact or proximity to co-workers or the public.” @KCTV5 pic.twitter.com/kTysT7BLlh

— Emily Rittman KCTV5 (@EmilyRittman) June 26, 2020

[Hammock Parties]

**** the mayor.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by petegz28

See I call outright bullshit on this for a couple reasons...




One, I know for a fact a lot of people do not get tested properly because they stop the test giver before the swab is deep enough. I have heard this especially from drive up testing.

Secondly up until then all the "negative" tests were met with a huge amount of skepticism and were called false negatives.

Suddenly we are to take this on face value? 10's of thousands of people in the very age group who were out protesting, in some cases before the bars even opened barely 2 weeks ago didn't spread it or get it but the second they walked into a bar...yea....okay

They didn't even open the bars there until 16 days ago. Sorry that just sounds like someone trying to turn a blind eye.

Well, testing challenges will be universal... unless someone tested all 7700 of those people and was just terrible at it, I'd think testing any random person after protests, bar-going, etc; would roughly the same percentage of bad results over time.

As far as "but the second they walked into a bar", we don't know what that percentage would be either... it's not like the article says "90% of bar-goers have tested positive".... that could easily be 1% or less, and of course the same people can continue making the same bad decisions and eventually catch it somewhere.

It does make me curious what stats are out there from other large outdoor gatherings though, whether it was protests in other cities or whatever.

~1.5% doesn't seem crazy low for something outdoors and right after/during reopening.