***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.”

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Coach

I been working home since March. With an occasional 1 day in each month to go to the office to grab supplies, (which isn't an issue because nobody's there anyways or even if someone is there, spacing isn't an issue), I'm still working from home in July.

I hazard a guess that this probably will continue onwards until at least the end of the year, in my opinion.

My wife works for an ad firm on the Miracle Mile and has been home since early March. She recently received word that she'll be working from home for at least one more full year, if not forever.

I've got friends all over town that are also working from home with no end in sight. It's going to be interesting to see how all of the studios deal with their staffers once a vaccine is safe, effective and available for all...

[TLO]

Originally Posted by lewdog

I’m digging this post.

There's been a lot of good news coming out about vaccines. Pfizer is also ramping up a Phase 3 trial. Other countries are having good luck as well.

Modern medicine is an amazing thing to behold.

[TLO]

And after this is all over, maybe we can properly prepare ourselves for a pandemic that is infinitely more dangerous than this one. It's terrifying to think of the consequences of being so ill prepared for something more dangerous than Covid

[Coach]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

My wife works for an ad firm on the Miracle Mile and has been home since early March. She recently received word that she'll be working from home for at least one more full year, if not forever.

I've got friends all over town that are also working from home with no end in sight. It's going to be interesting to see how all of the studios deal with their staffers once a vaccine is safe, effective and available for all...

I don't mind working from home to be honest with you. I know it's not for everyone, and I'm aware of it. For me, it has additional perks working from home, such as (in no particular order):

1. Less wear and tear on my vehicle/less mileage/less gas consumption ($ saver).

2. Free time/work time is more efficient (for me it is, can't speak for others).

a) The drive from home to work takes me about 30-35 minutes (60-65 minutes round trip). That's an extra hour of free time that I can utilize to whatever I chose to use it for. Also, added bonus is not fighting traffic.

b) Can chose to work from 8am to 12pm then 3pm to 7pm, or any hours really, so as long I put in the 8 hour shift in a day. Our management has no issues with how we stagger our hours as long we meet the 8 hour rule in a day.

3. The view in my apartment is sure as hell better looking than a cubicle in the office.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

The Pfizer news and the Moderna vaccine trials are those stories that make me optimistic that we will have a better grip on this thing by the new year.

I’m not much of a New Years celebratory guy....but if we have vaccines in the fall, I’m going to throw myself the biggest party bringing in 2021.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Coach

I honestly don't mind working from home to be honest with you. I know it's not for everyone, and I'm aware of it. For me, it has additional perks working from home, such as (in no particular order):

I've been working from home in my studio since 2011 and most days, I'm fine with it.

There have been times when I miss human interaction throughout the day, which normally isn't possible but now, with the wife and kids at home 24/7, I sometimes miss the silence.

[mlyonsd]

We were scheduled to fly to florida tomorrow for our twin granddaughter's graduation. Decided to do the right thing and cancel this morning. **** this thing.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

I’ve loved working from home.

I don’t sit in traffic.

More time with the family.

Can for a run and get all sweaty during my lunch break and not have to worry about stinking out my cowowrkers.

Microsoft teams is great.

Eating much better....like I’m eating out maybe once a month (curbside to go).

...that chatter with our leadership group is that once things get back to “normal” we will have the option to continue to work from home. I’m hoping that’s the case. I will probably end up working 3-4 days from home and just head into the office for client meetings or project coordination.

[Donger]

65,000+ new cases, 931 new deaths so far.

Mask up, people.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by TLO

And after this is all over, maybe we can properly prepare ourselves for a pandemic that is infinitely more dangerous than this one. It's terrifying to think of the consequences of being so ill prepared for something more dangerous than Covid

If history is anything to go by we will probably spend 5 or so years building a great capability. But if it isn’t needed then the capacity will start deteriorating, funding cuts, etc.

But I’m all for building it up as much as possible.

I would like to see other low probability/high impact events get more attention and preparation.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

If history is anything to go by we will probably spend 5 or so years building a great capability. But if it isn’t needed then the capacity will start deteriorating, funding cuts, etc.

But I’m all for building it up as much as possible.

I would like to see other low probability/high impact events get more attention and preparation.

Permanently reduced capacity for live sports and entertainment combined with mandatory mask wearing on all forms of mass transit.

Yay.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Permanently reduced capacity for live sports and entertainment combined with mandatory mask wearing on all forms of mass transit.

Yay.

Pandemics can be beaten, even without vaccines. "We've" done it before. And, there seems to be reason to be optimistic about getting a vaccine for this damn virus this time.

[kgrund]

Originally Posted by Donger

Pandemics can be beaten, even without vaccines. "We've" done it before. And, there seems to be reason to be optimistic about getting a vaccine for this damn virus this time.

This will be a nothing burger next year.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by kgrund

This will be a nothing burger next year.

The permanent 10% unemployment is a total nothingburger. Right.


Also going to be amusing to see a good number of those current WFH jobs get offshored.

[kgrund]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

The permanent 10% unemployment is a total nothingburger. Right.


Also going to be amusing to see a good number of those current WFH jobs get offshored.

I agree with you on this. The economic impact will last far longer than this virus.