***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.”

[eDave]

Originally Posted by MahomesMagic

I am not that familiar with that country specifically but if you have a younger population I would probably have those 65 and older and those at high risk stay home and keep the younger people moving. You can't afford to collapse your economy when so many people are very close to starvation already.

If Nick Mason solo tours again, go see that. Smoke weed.

[Kidd Lex]

I keep hearing how hard it is to get tested but when I lived in Alabama I was able to be tested twice and have results in 24 hours, and today in KCMO I was able to get a rapid test with results in 15 minutes. (All negative) Seems reasonable to me, but I have decent insurance. It could be much harder without insurance, not sure if that's the gap?

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Kidd Lex

I keep hearing how hard it is to get tested but when I lived in Alabama I was able to be tested twice and have results in 24 hours, and today in KCMO I was able to get a rapid test with results in 15 minutes. (All negative) Seems reasonable to me, but I have decent insurance. It could be much harder without insurance, not sure if that's the gap?

In AZ it has to do with the sheer volume of testing and labs can't keep up. We work in healthcare and routinely have had staff not getting results for 10-14 days even though they "expedite" healthcare workers swabs. We just tested a patient in our rehab and it took 13 ****ing days. And we wonder why certain States are having trouble controlling this virus.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Kidd Lex

I keep hearing how hard it is to get tested but when I lived in Alabama I was able to be tested twice and have results in 24 hours, and today in KCMO I was able to get a rapid test with results in 15 minutes. (All negative) Seems reasonable to me, but I have decent insurance. It could be much harder without insurance, not sure if that's the gap?

I sent 2 employees without insurance to get tested a few weeks ago. They were seen that day, had a rapid test administered, and the test was paid for through some grant. I don't think insurance is an issue, but I'm that's just my own personal experience.

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by MahomesMagic

I am not that familiar with that country specifically but if you have a younger population I would probably have those 65 and older and those at high risk stay home and keep the younger people moving. You can't afford to collapse your economy when so many people are very close to starvation already.

Burkina Faso is one of the poorest, if not the poorest country on earth. I doubt that they have a ton of people over 65, and I'm sure they are not going to work and sitting in cubicles all day.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by lewdog

In AZ it has to do with the sheer volume of testing and labs can't keep up. We work in healthcare and routinely have had staff not getting results for 10-14 days even though they "expedite" healthcare workers swabs. We just tested a patient in our rehab and it took 13 ****ing days. And we wonder why certain States are having trouble controlling this virus.

It's time to move away from PCR testing. "The gold standard" of testing takes too long to get results. Start using the rapid testing then follow up with a PCR test if absolutely needed.

[MahomesMagic]

Originally Posted by Eleazar

Burkina Faso is one of the poorest, if not the poorest country on earth. I doubt that they have a ton of people over 65, and I'm sure they are not going to work and sitting in cubicles all day.

So that makes a lockdown even more pointless for them.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by TLO

It's time to move away from PCR testing. "The gold standard" of testing takes too long to get results. Start using the rapid testing then follow up with a PCR test if absolutely needed.

The State ran out of rapid tests 3 weeks ago when I was looking to get tested. They have more now but are trying to use them mostly at hospitals currently. They also are refusing to test you unless you have symptoms so they can conserve tests. It's almost like States should know what they **** they are doing by now and where to get more tests.

Oh well.

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by Kidd Lex

I keep hearing how hard it is to get tested but when I lived in Alabama I was able to be tested twice and have results in 24 hours, and today in KCMO I was able to get a rapid test with results in 15 minutes. (All negative) Seems reasonable to me, but I have decent insurance. It could be much harder without insurance, not sure if that's the gap?

I have heard anecdotally that where I live, so much testing is going on that reagents are periodically in short supply. "It's hard to get tested" is a difficult statement to interpret because it varies day to day or week to week town by town, and it may not even be true. In June we had more tests than we knew what to do with, but when testing surges supplies temporarily get strained.

Apart from that, what was the problem for the person who said this? No appointments available? No drive-thru testing in your area? No tests available? No supplies for collection available? Only testing people who are symptomatic and not anybody who wants one? Testing is temporarily restricted for some other reason? Did the person just not know where to go or what to do? Are they just repeating that they have heard it's hard to get tested?

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I follow a guy who gets his numbers from the counties and his numbers are generally higher than DHSS.

By a couple hundred a day.


Not some huge number like they are acting like.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by TLO

It's time to move away from PCR testing. "The gold standard" of testing takes too long to get results. Start using the rapid testing then follow up with a PCR test if absolutely needed.

Yep. The rapid tests are less accurate but we could catch at least half at a much faster rate so we can isolate those people.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by MahomesMagic

I am not that familiar with that country specifically but if you have a younger population I would probably have those 65 and older and those at high risk stay home and keep the younger people moving. You can't afford to collapse your economy when so many people are very close to starvation already.

I'm wondering why if the markets are shut down and her family sold less vegetables they are starving.


Eat the ****ing vegetables.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by TLO

There has apparently been a backlog, though I'm skeptical as to how much that's truly playing a part.

Also Kansas City and St Louis exist, so that's a thing.

Today's backlog number reported was 372.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by Donger

You don't have any shame, do you.

Crazy how they just grasp at anything hoping something breaks their way. I dont get it.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Yep. The rapid tests are less accurate but we could catch at least half at a much faster rate so we can isolate those people.

The rapid test used by at our Urgent Care claims a 95.8% accuracy if administered within 5 days of symptom onset. There's info on it somewhere if you care to see it.