***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.”

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by limested

Lew has asthma. That makes death from covid a legit concern. I am in the same boat.

Yup. I’d say mild asthma if that matters. One of my staff with it has asthma too and lives with her 70 year old mother.

Hopefully we’ll all be fine but who knows.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Okay where did the staring from Europe come from?

The genetics of the New York strain are the same as the European strain that came from China. So it came from China thru Europe theoretically

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by tk13

I'll keep an eye out. I assume it'll be written in crayon.

I had to put in a form you would comprehend....what can I say, I'm sensitive to the needs of my patients

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

I think people are missing this as well. It wasn’t millions of deaths in a month. Wasn’t that like over a year?

I know it wasn't a month but I can't say if it was for a year but nonetheless they backed off that quickly. My point is every time we get told something bad is going to happen it never turns out to be what we get told.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

The genetics of the New York strain are the same as the European strain that came from China. So it came from China thru Europe theoretically

I know, that was rhetorical. Sorry.

[limested]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Yup. I’d say mild asthma if that matters. One of my staff with it has asthma too and lives with her 70 year old mother.

Hopefully we’ll all be fine but who knows.

Mine is fully under control and i only use a rescue inhaler a few times a year.

Once all this became ‘real’ I got everything in order assuming if I were to get it then high chance of it being the end.

Fun thing to have to put on a hero face for when the kids ask what would happen to dad if he got this.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

The genetics of the New York strain are the same as the European strain that came from China. So it came from China thru Europe theoretically

Or is your point that Europe took something bad and ****ed it up even more? I could believe that.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by limested

Mine is fully under control and i only use a rescue inhaler a few times a year.

Once all this became ‘real’ I got everything in order assuming if I were to get it then high chance of it being the end.

Fun thing to have to put on a hero face for when the kids ask what would happen to dad if he got this.

Well hopefully neither one of you get it.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by O.city

The genetics of the New York strain are the same as the European strain that came from China. So it came from China thru Europe theoretically

The Europe strain is a mutated strain.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/scie...-chinese-study

The deadliest mutations in the Zhejiang patients had also been found in most patients across Europe, while the milder strains were the predominant varieties found in parts of the United States, such as Washington state, according to their paper.

A separate study had found that New York strains had been imported from Europe. The death rate in New York was similar to that in many European countries, if not worse.

This finding could shed light on differences in regional mortality. The pandemic’s infection and death rates vary from one country to another, and many explanations have been proposed.

Genetic scientists had noticed that the dominant strains in different geographic regions were inherently different. Some researchers suspected the varying mortality rates could, in part, be caused by mutations but they had no direct proof.

[notorious]

Shut down New York if that's the case.

Oh, too late.

[O.city]

If that’s the case go ahead and dose me up with the California version

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by limested

Mine is fully under control and i only use a rescue inhaler a few times a year.

Once all this became ‘real’ I got everything in order assuming if I were to get it then high chance of it being the end.

Fun thing to have to put on a hero face for when the kids ask what would happen to dad if he got this.

Same as you. I use an inhaler the times I get sick and that's basically it.

Not sure your age but I do have "youth" on my side I suppose.

All the best to you.

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Same as you. I use an inhaler the times I get sick and that's basically it.

Not sure your age but I do have "youth" on my side I suppose.

All the best to you.

Grew up with childhood asthma. Even as an adult anytime I get the 'flu' it always goes straight to my lungs.

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by TLO

Um.. Yes. I think people who feel perfectly well would love to know if they've been exposed to the virus and have antibodies.

The tests they are using now is a finger prick test.

I can’t see people in mass getting tested. At this point people are about fed up with the whole deal and want to have their lives back. The last thing most will have an interest in is giving in to another government demand.

[tyecopeland]

Originally Posted by TLO

Um.. Yes. I think people who feel perfectly well would love to know if they've been exposed to the virus and have antibodies.

The tests they are using now is a finger prick test.

I barely go to the doctor when I'm sick. I'm definitely not going when I'm healthy.