***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.”

[ChiliConCarnage]

Originally Posted by TLO

I'm honestly surprised they aren't projecting it to be higher.

Agreed. We’re just getting so many new cases every day still.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by ChiliConCarnage

Agreed. We’re just getting so many new cases every day still.

We will see if yesterday was an outlier but it was the fewest number of new cases reported since March 30th.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by loochy

because they're prisons and nobody gives a damn about prisoners

Ignorant statement. I think the families and friends of prisoners would beg to differ.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Me and a friend has a discussion about prisons weeks ago, it seemed odd their hadn't been an outbreak considering the living in close quarters etc...

We have one quarantine wing where I work but no "confirmed" cases yet.

Hopefully they'll test the whole place for antibodies so people won't freak out...

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

Ignorant statement. I think the families and friends of prisoners would beg to differ.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Rausch

We have one quarantine wing where I work but no "confirmed" cases yet.

Hopefully they'll test the whole place for antibodies so people won't freak out...

I would be really interested to see the numbers on cases and deaths in NY prisons.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Anytime you disagree with my posts I know I nailed it

[BigCatDaddy]

Ignore the little bit of political stuff and focus on the science and common sense here. This doctor nails it.

https://youtu.be/Lze-rMYLf2E

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

Ignorant statement. I think the families and friends of prisoners would beg to differ.

Let'g go with why are you in prison in the first place? Did you steal a car? Yeah, no need to be mean.

Did you brutally murder someone? Sit and rot.

[petegz28]

Quest Diags is offering AntiBody tests to anyone who wants one. No doctor referral needed.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Ignore the little bit of political stuff and focus on the science and common sense here. This doctor nails it.

https://youtu.be/Lze-rMYLf2E

Good stuff. Not overly political and yet another doctor saying you can't hide from the virus if you want to build an immunity.

High risk people stay home
Low risk get out in the world

"We actually want to get this to get it over with.."

Very reasonable take imo and one we need to be following.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Ignore the little bit of political stuff and focus on the science and common sense here. This doctor nails it.

https://youtu.be/Lze-rMYLf2E

We are getting tons of info and tons of different opinions from all over the place , a lot of medical experts might disagree on many forms of treatments and might all end up with the same results. It is hard in situations like these to know if what we did was the right strategy, his strategy might be better it might not, If only this was like Counterpart with an alternate world we could use as a placebo group but unfortunately it is not.

Experts will continue to disagree on this for many years but just because they match up with out own opinions doesn't mean it is the right answer.

[Discuss Thrower]

Moar Vitamin D studies needed

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Monticore

We are getting tons of info and tons of different opinions from all over the place , a lot of medical experts might disagree on many forms of treatments and might all end up with the same results. It is hard in situations like these to know if what we did was the right strategy, his strategy might be better it might not, If only this was like Counterpart with an alternate world we could use as a placebo group but unfortunately it is not.

Experts will continue to disagree on this for many years but just because they match up with out own opinions doesn't mean it is the right answer.

Let me ask this though, how else do our bodies develop an immunity to things without coming in contact with them? I think what him and other doctors are saying is what we need to be concerned about. Yes, we have flattened the curve but if you don't start getting out and building immunity you are going to get a huge spike later down the road.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Good stuff. Not overly political and yet another doctor saying you can't hide from the virus if you want to build an immunity.

High risk people stay home
Low risk get out in the world

"We actually want to get this to get it over with.."

Very reasonable take imo and one we need to be following.

I don't see how it's even debatable seeing the lack of other viable options.