***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.”

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by patteeu

How can you be confident that you aren't the one acting irrationally?

i have an app . . .

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

What exactly am I doing that is putting anyone at higher risk? You following me around or something?

When you're leading your life as normal, do you ever encounter other human beings?

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

I'm over 50 and I'm a smoker. Not as much as I used to, now pretty much just when I go out, so a couple times a week or every two weeks, but there it is.

The fact is that I have a much higher chance of dying from this thing than many of you, especially if you're under 40 or whatever.

But getting emotional about it does nothing. It's a waste of everyone's time. Acting irrational is worse. I'm going to live my life as normally as possible. I can't work from home. And I'm not going to hide from the world because I might get this thing and it might kill me. I'm 51; life's too short to hole up in a bunker hoping this goes away.

You definitely don't seem emotional about this at all.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

So the full name if this thing is SARS-CoV whatever. Not really important, but okay.

I've only seen it referred to as either conoravirus or COVID-19. So sue me.

That's the official name of the virus. It is of the coronavirus "family." COVID-19 is the name of the disease it's currently causing.

The R0 is somewhere in between 2 and 3. That means that anyone who gets it will spread it to 2 to 3 people. And those 2 to 3 people likely give it to 2 to 3 other people each. And so on. The R0 for a rhinovirus (cold) is much higher at 6. So, as you can see now, thankfully this bug does NOT spread as fast as the common cold. It is much more lethal, however.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by patteeu

I didn't realize how far behind the thread I was. I thought I was on the most recent page, but it turns out I was about 100 posts behind so I figured it wasn't the time to bring it back up.

I appreciate the cross-thread humor in these difficult times.

[srvy]

Originally Posted by Hammock Parties

This is going to happen to Missouri next. If you're not prepared, you were warned.

The hoarders are doing the world a favor by eliminating high sodium junk food.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by patteeu

When you're leading your life as normal, do you ever encounter other human beings?

Actually not that much. Not as much as most people probably.

I work nights, so I get to work around 9:30pm,

I say hi to the dispatcher, through a little window, who's in his little office.

I change clothes in the locker room, and 99% of the time I'm in there alone.

I head back to talk to the mechanic on duty, but usually from about 20-30 feet away as I have to collect a couple things on the other side of the hangar while I ask him about whatever squawk is in the book.

From that moment until I touch down in BUR I'm alone. I park the plane and turn over my paperwork to the lead ramp rat. Usually he's wearing work gloves.

In BUR for 4 hours, I talk to the dispatcher, same deal, head back to the pilot's lounge and either watch some TV or nod off. Maybe there's 2-4 other pilot's in the room when I get there.

When I get back to PHX, it's basically what I did before departure in reverse.

i go home, take a nap, then around 11am I get up and do normal stuff. Chores around the house, errands.

I cook the majority of my meals, so I don't spend much time in restaurants. The exceptions would be Friday night I usually have dinner with a couple friends. Saturday night is reserved for the GF if she's in town. If she's not I usually play in a pool tournament I've been a regular in for 15 years now. My other ideas for recreation are hunting and fishing, where I get as far away from other humans as possible. Like 40 miles away. That sort of thing.

So probably I might get within spitting distance of other people a dozen times during the week. Maybe twenty people or so over the weekend.

[Jerm]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Rumor is they are going to say we have community spread here in Clinton due to a 72 yr old man that came to GVMH with a cold but no other symptoms really so they let him go home.


Sounds like they didn't quarantine the staff so.....

The town has been eerie this weekend....

[suzzer99]

Coronavirus: Gov. Newsom orders all bars closed; Californians over 65 should self-isolate at home

LOS ANGELES — Gov. Gavin Newsom Sunday ordered all bars in California to close temporarily because of the coronavirus, directed restaurants to reduce their capacity by roughly half, and said all state residents older than 65 are required to self-quarantine in their homes.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says all bars in the city would be closing.

“Everything we do right now will determine the outcome of this crisis, and we can save lives if we stay calm, care for one another, and take forceful steps to protect our communities,” Garcetti said in a statement Sunday. “That’s why we must follow the guidelines laid out by Gov. Newsom, build on them for local needs, and put the health and safety of the most vulnerable above all else. Los Angeles has weathered enormous challenges before, and our strength and resilience are this City’s most powerful assets.”

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said his office was working with state officials and other mayors and would be releasing local guidance later related to bars, restaurants, and other state announcements.

Newsom also announced that six people in the state have died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. The number of those confirmed to have been infected in the state rose to 335 Sunday, a 14 percent increase from the prior day.

The restrictions on older Californians is due to the fact that they are the group most at-risk for the disease. Sunday’s order says that community members over the age of 65 should enter into a state of home isolation as they are a high-risk group.

When pressed about whether he was prepared to enforce the order, Newsom said he didn’t think it would come to that, and expressed confidence that the public, businesses and local governments would follow the directive.

The governor made it clear, however, that he has the authority to enforce the order if necessary.

“We’ll exercise the appropriate authority in consultation with the experts, with an eye on public health and public safety,” Newsom said. “We are working in concert, day in and day out, with not just our federal partners but other states, looking at best practices around the world. We have teams that are (conducting) a detailed review of what worked and what didn’t work in China, worked and didn’t work in Singapore, what’s going on in Italy, what’s not going on, based upon some of the headlines. Same with France, same with Spain, we have people on the ground, literally, … providing real-time information, we have our legal team … we’re working with the FAA on flights, repatriation … All this is part of our all-hazards strategies.”

Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis called for calm.

“Now is the time for prevention, not panic,” Holis said after the governor’s announcement. “I urge everyone in Los Angeles County to remain calm as we face the challenge of containing the spread of COVID-19. I want to reassure everyone that LA County public health officials are working diligently to preserve the public’s health.”

Newsom said more guidance would come Tuesday regarding schools that remain open, saying he was especially focused on providing support to low-income families.

[Mr. Plow]

All our local schools are closing until March 30.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Monticore

Are weed enthusiasts and vapers lumped into smoking numbers , just curious , also good luck quitting smoking I know how tough it can be .

As I understand it has something to do with carbon monoxide and other chemicals in the actual smoke. Please don't rely on me for the answer to that though.

Far as I know it's smoking and not vaping.

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by Jerm

The town has been eerie this weekend....

People are aware....

too bad such nutters are on FB

Be safe....

[Spott]

Originally Posted by srvy

The hoarders are doing the world a favor by eliminating high sodium junk food.

I noticed that when I went to Whole Foods yesterday all of the healthy stuff was still on the shelves. They even had tp, although I didn’t get any.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

You definitely don't seem emotional about this at all.

It doesn't accomplish anything to be emotional. In fact, looking at any serious situation going back as long as they've been recording history, I don't think there's ever been a case where mass/individual hysteria has helped in any way whatsoever.

I know in my line of work it's absolutely the worst thing you can do, but that may not be true in every workplace, I don't know.

And once you've had a life-changing experience, or a near-death moment, your mind kind of puts things into perspective for you whether you like it or not. You make your peace with it at some point and move on.

So, no, I'm not scared. I'm not thinking I'm invulnerable either. Not by a long shot. But being scared or being motivated by that fear is not something I'm interested in.

I figure eventually I'll catch this thing, and i doubt I can avoid it no matter what precautions I take. And I'll either pull through or I won't. Until then, I have things to do.

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

It doesn't accomplish anything to be emotional. In fact, looking at any serious situation going back as long as they've been recording history, I don't think there's ever been a case where mass/individual hysteria has helped in any way whatsoever.

I know in my line of work it's absolutely the worst thing you can do, but that may not be true in every workplace, I don't know.

And once you've had a life-changing experience, or a near-death moment, your mind kind of puts things into perspective for you whether you like it or not. You make your peace with it at some point and move on.

So, no, I'm not scared. I'm not thinking I'm invulnerable either. Not by a long shot. But being scared or being motivated by that fear is not something I'm interested in.

I figure eventually I'll catch this thing, and i doubt I can avoid it no matter what precautions I take. And I'll either pull through or I won't. Until then, I have things to do.

It was sarcasm.