***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 Rain Man

Are all of the governors talking to each other, or is the 250 person limit a CDC recommendation? Colorado just did the same thing with the same size limit.

It actually seems a bit large to me. A meeting of 100 people is still a pretty large group of people. So the consistency of the 250 person limit makes me think I missed some announcement at the federal level.

no kidding. Even the 6 ft rule for 30 people in almost impossible

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by luv

Presumptive positive in Springfield. The girl (20-something) had returned from Austria. She called ahead to a clinic, was greeted by an empty waiting room, immediately given a mask, tested, and taken home for quarantine. Test was sent off to CDC to confirm.

The hardest part of this whole thing, for me, is worrying about my kiddo. When I dropped him off at daycare this morning, they had implemented hand washing upon arrival. Makes me feel a little better, I guess. And my house is good on toilet paper. Did our usual stocking before all of this hit, so we're good for a bit.

I know its normal to worry about your kid but we are not hearing of kids getting effected. For some reason still unknown, kids 15 and under are getting it at a lower rate than any other group of humans.

[displacedinMN]

kids are carriers. My father in law lives in a 55+ place in Palm Springs. They have been told to NOT LET people come visit for four weeks.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

This has crossed my mind a few times in the past 24 hours.

I didn't live here but there were riots in LA that led to 50 dead and more than $1 Billion in damage back in 1992 after the Rodney King verdict.

If essential services are interrupted and there's a lack of supplies available, what happens then?

2pac_DrDre_CaliforniaLoveMusicVideo.MPEG

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

This has crossed my mind a few times in the past 24 hours.

I didn't live here but there were riots in LA that led to 50 dead and more than $1 Billion in damage back in 1992 after the Rodney King verdict.

If essential services are interrupted and there's a lack of supplies available, what happens then?

Then you're on your own.

[synthesis2]

So from a extremely ignorant point of view I guess I am struggling with why this is such a horrible virus. It sounds like 95 plus percentage of deaths are old people with current problems. These are the people (for the most part) that quality of life is poor to bad right now. Why is it such a big deal if some of these people die a week/month or year early when their quality of life is bad anyway? If I end up in that same situation I would much rather just meet my maker then rot in a nursing home.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Donger

Water and electric & gas utilities are highly automated, but not anywhere near 100%

They are very vulnerable to cyber attacks though. They are in general, way behind other industries in protecting their stuff from people who want to cause havoc or ransomware them.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

They are very vulnerable to cyber attacks though. They are in general, way behind other industries in protecting their stuff from people who want to cause havoc or ransomware them.

No, I assure you they are not, particularly electric & gas. But, that's a different topic. Humans still are and have to be in the loop to deliver their product.

[The Franchise]

Louisiana postponed their primary election until July.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by synthesis2

So from a extremely ignorant point of view I guess I am struggling with why this is such a horrible virus. It sounds like 95 plus percentage of deaths are old people with current problems. These are the people (for the most part) that quality of life is poor to bad right now. Why is it such a big deal if some of these people die a week/month or year early when their quality of life is bad anyway? If I end up in that same situation I would much rather just meet my maker then rot in a nursing home.

Cause no one wants their mom or grandma to die.....like that one dude said, I thought everyone loved their grandparents then some sporting events got cancelled.

Also if everyone got it and the numbers held millions dead looks bad.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

Just got home...washed hands and changed clothes.

Clothes???? Just like for allergies....Outside clothes and inside clothes.

Every single person in the USA should immediately wash their hands when they get home.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by synthesis2

So from a extremely ignorant point of view I guess I am struggling with why this is such a horrible virus. It sounds like 95 plus percentage of deaths are old people with current problems. These are the people (for the most part) that quality of life is poor to bad right now. Why is it such a big deal if some of these people die a week/month or year early when their quality of life is bad anyway? If I end up in that same situation I would much rather just meet my maker then rot in a nursing home.

Setting aside the problem with the elderly/vulnerable population for a moment, I think it's got the potential to kill more, and that's something that's not really being discussed. Someone posted that article about the first guy to catch it, and it sounded like he almost died as a healthy 48 year old. So it made me realize that the current death rate is happening with medical intervention. Without it, the death rate would likely be notably higher and this would truly be a historic event.

[displacedinMN]

Sometimes I am just here to spread humor

Get two birds with one stone.#PanicBuying pic.twitter.com/f7xprruLKe

— Will Wilson (@willgoliath) March 13, 2020

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Frazod

Then you're on your own.

Exactly.

And unlike Bwana, I don't have a safe of goodies.

I've teased my kids this week that if the "Zombie Apocalypse" happens, we're heading to my parents house, as my dad has more than 15 handguns and three AR15's.

But they're 1,684 miles away, so...

[synthesis2]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Cause no one wants their mom or grandma to die.....like that one dude said, I thought everyone loved their grandparents then some sporting events got cancelled.

Also if everyone got it and the numbers held millions dead looks bad.

I get it but as an example my grandmother passed away and has had dementia for years. She wasn’t who she was . Just felt like visiting a body. Her passing was a blessing . Or my friends mom is just drugged up in a nursing home just drugged out of her mind . Many , many of these people don’t want to live that way and if given a choice would choose to move on to a much happier life than rotting inside room.