***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.”

[Hammock Parties]

One of my customers just asked me if his PC is going to get the coronavirus

[displacedinMN]

Maybe my district will cancel classes and I can teach remotely.
That way I would not lose all of my sick time

[BleedingRed]

Hmmm I wonder what the economic impact on S. Korea is canceling events compared the United States.

Look the cat is out of the bag already. It's to late now, lets all just get into full panic mode and go from there.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by BleedingRed

I mean, sure.... Lets send the world into a global depression over something that in the end might end up being less deadly than Swine Flu in the end.

Swine flu killed 22k Americans.

That .6% death rate you keep touting at 20% infected (again, both low end) is 350k Americans dead.

[BIG_DADDY]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Every single person in this country needs to be taking this seriously right now. We need to stop worrying about the stock market and start worrying about human lives.

I'll bet Cheeto's and porn are going to have a huge month

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by BleedingRed

I mean, sure.... Lets send the world into a global depression over something that in the end might end up being less deadly than Swine Flu in the end.

If you want a .6% death rate, it's not going to happen by operating like business as usual.

[Johnny Vegas]

Came back from Spokane while attending the Tool concert I went to the bathroom and dudes were waiting not just in line for the pisser but also a line in the restroom for the sinks. Never seen that before haha

[tk13]

Originally Posted by BleedingRed

.6 in South Korea more than "Crunched" the numbers on that one.

This is a terrible example because South Korea is knocking it out of the park. They're testing like 10-15,000 people a day, have set up drive thru stations and are being super proactive about keeping people apart. It does go to show it can be contained though. The problem is we're not doing any of this in America. You cannot contain a disease when you don't know who has it.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

Maybe my district will cancel classes and I can teach remotely.
That way I would not lose all of my sick time

It could happen. We just had a staff meeting about it today. My co-workers were stunned.

[Reerun_KC]

NCAA tourney will play with zero fans.

Embarrassing

[Donger]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Swine flu killed 22k Americans.

That .6% death rate you keep touting at 20% infected (again, both low end) is 350k Americans dead.

I just can't imagine this killing that many Americans in this modern age. H1N1 "only" killed 280,000 globally.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by tk13

This is a terrible example because South Korea is knocking it out of the park. They're testing like 10-15,000 people a day, have set up drive thru stations and are being super proactive about keeping people apart. It does go to show it can be contained though. The problem is we're not doing any of this in America. You cannot contain a disease when you don't know who has it.

People are wanting South Korea's outcomes without South Korea's approach. There is a massive amount of cognitive dissonance going on with some folks parading that example on facebook.

[BleedingRed]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

If you want a .6% death rate, it's not going to happen by operating like business as usual.

Agreed,

But lets not pretend that everyone by this point hasn't been whipped up into a panic frenzy. All we need now is a run on the bank to complete this bad boy!

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

NCAA tourney will play with zero fans.

Embarrassing

What's more embarrassing is those who can't differentiate panic and being proactive.

As far as the NCAA Tourney goes, who gives a shit?

The vast majority are watching from home anyway.

[BleedingRed]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

People are wanting South Korea's outcomes without South Korea's approach. There is a massive amount of cognitive dissonance going on with some folks parading that example on facebook.

Yeah except the same amount of time you afforded the South Korean's with their response is not be afforded to the United States............