***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.”

[displacedinMN]

Originally Posted by eDave

Smart car for ants.


For real, they are delivering online orders. They are buzzing all over Tempe. If you get close to it it will speed up. Too close and it warns you. It will also tell you to move if you get in front of it. They also read traffic signals so they can cross busy streets safely.

Bye bye food delivery companies. I want one for my own personal use.

But can it handle the snow?

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

Wtf is that?

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

O city keeps talking about vaccines but I'm willing to bet there wont be one

Depends what you mean by a vaccine and the time scale. Nobody yet knows for sure but my take it is extremely unlikely there is going to be a vaccine in the next nine months that provides 95%+ protection. At most maybe something that reduces somewhat your chances of getting sick and maybe reduces the severity.

But certainly a tremendous amount of resources are being thrown at this. If an effective vaccine is possible with our current level of technology, we are likely to find it. But an effective vaccine that you can get to billions of people, I'll take the over on the time estimates.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I think most people wouldn't want to infect their family members and if everyone had a place where they could isolate for 14 days then they should but if they don't then why not a voluntary quarantine in an empty hotel with other covid people.

NEW: @ASlavitt and @ScottGottliebMD are leading a call for $46.5 billion in congressional funding for:

— expanding the contact tracing workforce

— paying to use vacant hotels for self-isolation

— income support for those voluntarily self-isolatinghttps://t.co/b0A0DgBFGj

— Ben Swasey (@benswasey) April 27, 2020

Okay, you changed it to voluntary.

Who wouldn't support that?

[tk13]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It's true, and it'll never happen here. It kind of sucks, though, that some countries are largely back to normal already because they truly locked down while we're going to be dealing with it for months. If you told me right now that I literally had to go to jail for a month but everything would be fine when I got out, I'd take that in an instant. We just don't have a culture of that level of sacrifice for the greater good.

I'm a bit worried about that. I think we haven't seen the worst of that yet. Especially when other countries are going to be much more back to normal and we're going to be sitting here fighting around in the same circles again and again.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by notorious

Okay, you changed it to voluntary.

Who wouldn't support that?

Yeah that is my fault.

There is lots of people who wouldn't favor it, just go look in DC at all those idiots and all the its no worse than flu crowd.

[TLO]

I haven't been paying as close attention to this over the past few days, but here's Missouri's latest numbers.

Cases in Missouri: 8,386

Total Deaths: 352

Patients tested in Missouri (by all labs): approximately 91,083
As of 2:00 p.m. CT, May 3

Around 900 hospitalized currently.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Yeah that is my fault.

There is lots of people who wouldn't favor it, just go look in DC at all those idiots and all the its no worse than flu crowd.

I think it's a great idea.

DC gonna DC.

[notorious]

I am surrounded by counties that have the same infection rate as New York.


Almost 3 people per 100. That didn't take long. Yikes.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by TLO

I haven't been paying as close attention to this over the past few days, but here's Missouri's latest numbers.

Cases in Missouri: 8,386

Total Deaths: 352

Patients tested in Missouri (by all labs): approximately 91,083
As of 2:00 p.m. CT, May 3

Around 900 hospitalized currently.

What we’re the counts yesterday? I can’t find the daily data for mo

[POND_OF_RED]

Originally Posted by O.city

I think we’ll end up woth a vaccine by September for health care workers and elderly. Manufacturing it for everyone is gonna take a while.

As someone who works in the health care industry I can say there is no way you’re getting most health care workers to agree to take a vaccine that was made that fast.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It's true, and it'll never happen here. It kind of sucks, though, that some countries are largely back to normal already because they truly locked down while we're going to be dealing with it for months. If you told me right now that I literally had to go to jail for a month but everything would be fine when I got out, I'd take that in an instant. We just don't have a culture of that level of sacrifice for the greater good.

Come on now . . .

First off, I'm gonna need someone to explain the nuances between mentioning politics and openly grousing about culture of sacrifice, . . . somewhere, somehow.

But 'one month in jail' is a definitive bargaining position, based on a hypothetical. An overwhelming majority of the non-sacrificing, non-greater-good populace would trade a definite penalty for a definite solution.

OK, on month in jail . . . in a heartbeat? How about a month without food? 3 months in jail without food and rainwater only? Stay in jail until everyone outside agrees you can go free?

I'm not trying to be mean or judgmental, but I'm also trying to put a broader perspective about the actual dynamics of the situation. People aren't itching to get out because they're bored, they're not getting promising data on resolution while the data on consequences of their sacrifice piles up. It's not about wanting an ice cream cone on the first week in May, it's starting to bristle that things could stretch on for months with nothing more for guidance than 'stay inside until we say otherwise.'

And before people slam me for HOLDING these positions, I'm merely trying to empathize with and give voice to them, instead of less reasoned or charitable interpretations.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by notorious

I think it's a great idea.

DC gonna DC.

I think it is to.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Come on now . . .

First off, I'm gonna need someone to explain the nuances between mentioning politics and openly grousing about culture of sacrifice, . . . somewhere, somehow.

But 'one month in jail' is a definitive bargaining position, based on a hypothetical. An overwhelming majority of the non-sacrificing, non-greater-good populace would trade a definite penalty for a definite solution.

OK, on month in jail . . . in a heartbeat? How about a month without food? 3 months in jail without food and rainwater only? Stay in jail until everyone outside agrees you can go free?

I'm not trying to be mean or judgmental, but I'm also trying to put a broader perspective about the actual dynamics of the situation. People aren't itching to get out because they're bored, they're not getting promising data on resolution while the data on consequences of their sacrifice piles up. It's not about wanting an ice cream cone on the first week in May, it's starting to bristle that things could stretch on for months with nothing more for guidance than 'stay inside until we say otherwise.'

And before people slam me for HOLDING these positions, I'm merely trying to empathize with and give voice to them, instead of less reasoned or charitable interpretations.

I think people are getting bored and want out of the house for sure. The states that have beaches, parks etc open are getting huge crowds and no social distancing.

And yes it is frustrating not to have any answers but that is because this is a highly contagious and deadly novel virus that we are slowly trying to figure it out.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I think people are getting bored and want out of the house for sure. The states that have beaches, parks etc open are getting huge crowds and no social distancing.

And yes it is frustrating not to have any answers but that is because this is a highly contagious and deadly novel virus that we are slowly trying to figure it out.

My point was that accepting that this is a difficult problem that's going to take time, . . . an unknown amount of time that doesn't even have solid metrics for progress let alone resolution, is a very different imposition than 'stay put for x, and we promise y' which was the basis for criticizing our national sense of shared sacrifice.

Think of that experiment with kids and Oreos, or was it m&ms? . . . think it was marshmallows... Where you made a bargain where they could eat one now, or two in 5 minutes. Even then there was a psychological differentiation regarding deferred gratification.

Now make it a starving kid, and say they can have one marshmallow now, . . . or maybe someday later in the week, someone might drop by with two, . . we hope. . . The differentiation would be off the charts.