***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.”

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by O.city

Fatigue has definitely set it.

Someone posted it and it makes sense to me, but think of all the things as a "swiss cheese" approach. Masking by itself isn't enough. It's masking, distancing, hand washing, testing etc. The more layers we can have on it the better.

But at this point, with all the political issues and such with it, we're in for the long haul.

I am 100 pct confident we will see 100k cases a day soon. Likely in the week or two following Thanksgiving.

Alot of my extended family are rural Iowans. They refuse to socially distance. Large family gatherings are fueling this more than ppl not masking at the grocery store IMO. Extended close exposure. Think of your grammy during these holidays. Many of us younger ppl have had it, gave it to someone and we didnt even know it.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

FWIW despite wearing masks and distancing for months, percent positives are rising in IL and we could be looking at scaling back to phase 3 (whatever that means).

*Not an anti-mask post by any means, just highlighting the reality of what appears to be a second wave despite following the advised protocols.

Are people REALLY following the protocols though?

I drove from AZ to MO a few weeks back and regardless of small town or bigger city - stop for gas, to eat, to sleep - people weren't wearing masks. 50/50 at best. Across 5 states.

Some of those areas were under mask mandates - which means nothing. At this point, people know it's not being enforced and are doing whatever the **** they want. Add in the lack of distancing, people holding weddings/large events...of course it's going to get worse.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I am 100 pct confident we will see 100k cases a day soon. Likely in the week or two following Thanksgiving.

Alot of my extended family are rural Iowans. They refuse to socially distance. Large family gatherings are fueling this more than ppl not masking at the grocery store IMO. Extended close exposure. Think of your grammy during these holidays. Many of us younger ppl have had it, gave it to someone and we didnt even know it.

Oh for sure after Thanksgiving and XMas. Some tough decisions ahead.

Both my wife's family and mine have decided against having either this year, but all things considered it wasn't really a tough decision.

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

Are people REALLY following the protocols though?

I drove from AZ to MO a few weeks back and regardless of small town or bigger city - stop for gas, to eat, to sleep - people weren't wearing masks. 50/50 at best. Across 5 states.

Some of those areas were under mask mandates - which means nothing. At this point, people know it's not being enforced and are doing whatever the **** they want. Add in the lack of distancing, people holding weddings/large events...of course it's going to get worse.

Can really only speak for Chicagoland, but yeah, hobos even mask up to go into corners stores here because they have to. Bars have had licenses pulled early on for not enforcing mask mandates. Maybe in the deep hoods that are barely operating at a human level, masks likely aren't a priority, but that's about it. Case are up over every demographic here.

I feel its a good point on family gatherings though, both rural and in the city that are likely driving percent positive increases, but out and about, masks are very much a thing.

I'm pro maks, pro distancing, and firmly believe those things should continue to be practiced, but the reality is sinking in for me that this is here with us and its feeling a bit hopeless.

[O.city]

KCUnited isn't wrong.

And it's why the messaging and or lack thereof has been awful.

We were always gonna be in this for the long haul. Once it got out, it was just gonna go wild. Unless you wanna do what South Korea has done, which I'm not sure could be done here all things considered.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by O.city

KCUnited isn't wrong.

And it's why the messaging and or lack thereof has been awful.

We were always gonna be in this for the long haul. Once it got out, it was just gonna go wild. Unless you wanna do what South Korea has done, which I'm not sure could be done here all things considered.

Bingo.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by O.city

KCUnited isn't wrong.

And it's why the messaging and or lack thereof has been awful.

We were always gonna be in this for the long haul. Once it got out, it was just gonna go wild. Unless you wanna do what South Korea has done, which I'm not sure could be done here all things considered.

Messaging worldwide? I'm not seeing any place that "nailed it" by any means.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Maybe in the deep hoods that are barely operating at a human level, masks likely aren't a priority, but that's about it.

Just kidding.

Originally Posted by KCUnited

I'm pro maks, pro distancing, and firmly believe those things should continue to be practiced, but the reality is sinking in for me that this is here with us and its feeling a bit hopeless.

Why would you feel hopeless? We've had 100's of pandemics in human history and we're all still here. The individual impacts can be very severe (still feeling bad for O.City) but as a race, we're going to survive well beyond this.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Messaging worldwide? I'm not seeing any place that "nailed it" by any means.

Define nailed it.

Once it got out and there was community spread, you aren't gonna stop it. You can slow it, like Germany did, but it won't last forever because people tire of it.

The whole "suppress until a vaccine" wouldn't ever work unless you have complete buy in from the populace for long term amounts of time.

In the end, we're gonna have to just power thru until there's a vaccine and do what we have to do in terms of distancing and such.

The US was never gonna be New Zealand or South Korea. Way too much disagreement. So at this point, just dig in and hope the hospitals hold up.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by O.city

Fatigue has definitely set it.

Someone posted it and it makes sense to me, but think of all the things as a "swiss cheese" approach. Masking by itself isn't enough. It's masking, distancing, hand washing, testing etc. The more layers we can have on it the better.

But at this point, with all the political issues and such with it, we're in for the long haul.

We were always in it for the long haul. I distinctly recall having this very discussion, in this very thread, 6 months ago now.

This isn't likely to ever go to go away. We'll be living with it, our progeny will be living with it, and generations upon generations down the line will be living with it.

We're not going to wear masks forever. It's just not going to happen.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

I'm pro maks, pro distancing, and firmly believe those things should continue to be practiced, but the reality is sinking in for me that this is here with us and its feeling a bit hopeless.

Flu shot? people still get the flu.

Not to sound harsh, but it's a virus. You are either going to get it or not, and you are either going to die or not.

Sadly, that's a part of life. Doesn't mean you stop living. We've created a massive expensive system that has to keep moving forward. We can't have major cities crumbling due to lack of revenue.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by O.city

Define nailed it.

Once it got out and there was community spread, you aren't gonna stop it. You can slow it, like Germany did, but it won't last forever because people tire of it.

The whole "suppress until a vaccine" wouldn't ever work unless you have complete buy in from the populace for long term amounts of time.

In the end, we're gonna have to just power thru until there's a vaccine and do what we have to do in terms of distancing and such.

The US was never gonna be New Zealand or South Korea. Way too much disagreement. So at this point, just dig in and hope the hospitals hold up.

Yep.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by O.city

Define nailed it.

Once it got out and there was community spread, you aren't gonna stop it. You can slow it, like Germany did, but it won't last forever because people tire of it.

The whole "suppress until a vaccine" wouldn't ever work unless you have complete buy in from the populace for long term amounts of time.

In the end, we're gonna have to just power thru until there's a vaccine and do what we have to do in terms of distancing and such.

The US was never gonna be New Zealand or South Korea. Way too much disagreement. So at this point, just dig in and hope the hospitals hold up.

Basically handled this on point. I don't see anyway here this could have went much better. It sucks but sucking it up and dealing with it as you saynis the only option.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

When the first thing I see upon opening a link is a popup trying to hawk supplements recommended by this "doc"...

You mean the eye doctor? That's when I stopped reading.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

We were always in it for the long haul. I distinctly recall having this very discussion, in this very thread, 6 months ago now.

This isn't likely to ever go to go away. We'll be living with it, our progeny will be living with it, and generations upon generations down the line will be living with it.

We're not going to wear masks forever. It's just not going to happen.

Sure, at some point we'll have a vaccine, we'll have natural immunity and we'll get back to normal.

Lotta people will die along the way, but that's life I suppose.