***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.”

[banyon]

Originally Posted by TLO

That makes sense - but with what I understand is a limited supply on hand, who makes the decisions on who gets it and who doesn't?

That I am not sure of, but they have talked about giving it out for free:

https://endpts.com/ramping-up-global...d-19-for-free/

Gilead is still some days away from turning the card on its first round of data on remdesivir’s ability to fight severe cases of Covid-19, but the big biotech is ramping up an emergency supply of a million courses of therapy as it starts free distribution of the drug to tens of thousands of patients under their compassionate use and expanded access program as well as clinical trials.

In his latest open letter posted over the weekend, Gilead CEO Dan O’Day outlined how the company has been successful in cutting production time on remdesivir while repurposing some of their own facilities and turning to contract manufacturers to build a near-term supply of 1.5 million doses. They are still working on efficacy and dosing, but that supply could cover 140,000 courses of treatment. That supply, he added, would be more widely available following a potential approval.

I would think it would go to the cities with the biggest surge issues.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Pretty much exactly what I said weeks ago:

Gilead drug proves effective against coronavirus in US study

(AP) - U.S. government officials say an experimental drug has proved effective against the new coronavirus in a major study.

Gilead Sciences's remdesivir is the first treatment to pass such a strict test against the virus, which has killed more than 218,000 people since it emerged late last year.

The study was led by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and tested remdesivir versus usual care in more than 1,000 hospitalized coronavirus patients around the world.

Results released Wednesday showed the drug reduced the time to recovery by 31%, or four days on average, compared to usual care.

It is given through an IV and interferes with the virus's ability to copy its genetic material.

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE AP Chief Medical Writer

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by TLO

Where do you see the critical care number?

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

8th column to the right.

Clearly it is not the end all be all, but it may be an indicator of things.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by banyon

If FDA approves the emergency use, then doctors can give it to people making that request if the doctor feels it is compatible with their course of treatment.

They are talking about doing it very soon.

Since I haven't seen this actually sourced in the thread...

Breaking News: The FDA plans to authorize emergency use of the experimental antiviral drug remdesivir for coronavirus treatment. Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed cautious optimism about early trial results.https://t.co/ERJySqWQIm pic.twitter.com/fQEcNNyjhp

— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 29, 2020

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by TLO

That makes sense - but with what I understand is a limited supply on hand, who makes the decisions on who gets it and who doesn't?

It depends. Pharmaceutical inventory and procurement isn't really my bag, but many newly-approved drugs with narrow uses are restricted to larger hospitals and the institutions that participated in the original study because the practitioners know the most about their use. Additionally, there are tight restrictions on who can prescribe.

About two years ago the FDA approved a reversal agent for Factor Xa inhibitors (like Xarelto or Eliquis if you'd seen the commercials) called Andexxa. It was about $30,000 for a treatment course and very difficult to obtain unless you got in on the ground floor.

[jaa1025]

Today I learned that one of the retirement centers outside of JOCO is being forced to take positive COVID-19 patients. The hospitals have room but this apparently has something to do with Medicare funding. My coworker's wife works at the retirement center. This is asinine considering the elderly are the highest risks. Has anyone else heard of this happening at other similar places?

[petegz28]

ICU Director from Cedars-Sinai Tarzana. Yes this was from Glen Beck's show but it is not political other than about 20 seconds of talk about the 2 CA doctors having their video removed from Youtube. Talks about suppressing the immune system to save people....

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by petegz28

ICU Director from Cedars-Sinai Tarzana. Yes this was from Glen Beck's show but it is not political other than about 20 seconds of talk about the 2 CA doctors having their video removed from Youtube. Talks about suppressing the immune system to save people....

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

WTF do you think is so funny? The fact this doctor and his staff have saved lives? Or perhaps you can tell us what the doctor said that was wrong?

[OnTheWarpath15]

1.) Glenn Beck's show

2.) You felt the need to follow up saying "but it's not political".

3.) 30 seconds in Beck says "thanks for having the courage to come on and say what some people don't want to hear."


Sounds political to me.

[OnTheWarpath15]

In other news, AZ Governor Ducey extended the stay at home order to May 15th.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by petegz28

ICU Director from Cedars-Sinai Tarzana. Yes this was from Glen Beck's show but it is not political other than about 20 seconds of talk about the 2 CA doctors having their video removed from Youtube. Talks about suppressing the immune system to save people....

I watched most of it makes sense to me, pretty much what others are seeing, it’s a weird virus doing weird unpredictable things with no quick fix answer.

[MahiMike]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

1.) Glenn Beck's show

2.) You felt the need to follow up saying "but it's not political".

3.) 30 seconds in Beck says "thanks for having the courage to come on and say what some people don't want to hear."


Sounds political to me.

**** you. Is that political?

[2112]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Pretty much exactly what I said weeks ago:

Gilead drug proves effective against coronavirus in US study

(AP) - U.S. government officials say an experimental drug has proved effective against the new coronavirus in a major study.

Gilead Sciences's remdesivir is the first treatment to pass such a strict test against the virus, which has killed more than 218,000 people since it emerged late last year.

The study was led by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and tested remdesivir versus usual care in more than 1,000 hospitalized coronavirus patients around the world.

Results released Wednesday showed the drug reduced the time to recovery by 31%, or four days on average, compared to usual care.

It is given through an IV and interferes with the virus's ability to copy its genetic material.

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE AP Chief Medical Writer

That’s great news. Have you heard anything more about mass production issues?

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

1.) Glenn Beck's show

2.) You felt the need to follow up saying "but it's not political".

3.) 30 seconds in Beck says "thanks for having the courage to come on and say what some people don't want to hear."


Sounds political to me.

Nothing more political than anything said and argued in this thread.