***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.”

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by TLO

The monoclonal antibody announcement kind of came and went without much publicity.

LY-CoV555? Those results were extremely good.

[Donger]

The number of Americans with COVID-19 currently hospitalized has surged around 73% over the past 30 days to at least 59,008 - a record level that surpasses the previous high of 58,370 on July 22. Daily new infections, meanwhile, exceeded 100,000 for the sixth consecutive day.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

You can't keep schools open if you don't have teachers to teach the kids, just like you can't provide adequate care to the people who are sick if you don't have adequate staff.

MU has been on bed holds for weeks now. The peds hospital is cross training pediatric nurses to be able to cover over at the main hospital due to patient surges and staff shortages.

Columbia just went back to all-virtual through mid-January, and as much as it sucks (and it will cost us around $2,000/month), it's the right decision for the educators. I'm just glad that we can afford to shoulder that financial burden.

It's problematic for sure. But I think you also realize the vast majority of people can't shoulder that burden and have huge issues with kids not in school.

I'm not saying just open schools with no distancing or any measures, but schools have to figure out how to open.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Yeah, believe so. I would think you could just about direct ship it to hospitals on dry ice without too much of a problem as long as you can forecast how many are needed in advance. The biggest questions to me are 1) whether there are concerns with dry ice supplies in general and 2) if there will be issues with hospitals requesting more than they can use in the 10-day period and the having doses go bad.

There are challenges for sure, but I just don't see how they would be insurmountable.

Originally Posted by R Clark

I would think so but it doesn’t last long if your in and out of container much ,but that might not be an issue. We have a hard time finding it where I live ,that also may not be an issue in the city.

Yeah, I'm sure we don't have dry ice placed strategically all over the USA yet, thats where the military comes in with their supply and logistic expertise to get that dry ice, supplies and storage containers out to the USA.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

You can't keep schools open if you don't have teachers to teach the kids, just like you can't provide adequate care to the people who are sick if you don't have adequate staff.

MU has been on bed holds for weeks now. The peds hospital is cross training pediatric nurses to be able to cover over at the main hospital due to patient surges and staff shortages.

Columbia just went back to all-virtual through mid-January, and as much as it sucks (and it will cost us around $2,000/month), it's the right decision for the educators. I'm just glad that we can afford to shoulder that financial burden.

I and the wife work/teach from home. Son is taking college courses from home.

Most people don't have jobs where they can work remotely long term. Its just not practical. Kids need to be in a physical school for their long term benefit. It's definitely something that must be dealt with on a national scale.

Everyone's tired of this shit. Covid spread, right now, is at the worst its ever been in the USA. Any buffon can see this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. We are supposed to open up more? How?

[O.city]

Focus testing on schools if you have to. Shoulda been done from the get go.

[O.city]

Cases, hospitalizations and deaths spiking back here after a lull. Dunno if it's from Halloween?

I'm not looking forward to post thanksgiving and xmas.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by O.city

Cases, hospitalizations and deaths spiking back here after a lull. Dunno if it's from Halloween?

I'm not looking forward to post thanksgiving and xmas.

That's what our local Chief Medical Officer said.

"Looking at about 10 days out from Halloween"

Truthfully I think it's just spreading like wildfire all over the place and Halloween had very little to do with it overall.

If you subscribe to the theory that we're catching 1 out of 5 cases, that's 500,000 - 600,000 new cases a day. There's no containing that. There's no stopping it. People just have to take responsibility for themselves and do their best to protect themselves. Even with those measures in place there's no guarantee you won't get sick.

At least we have some theraputic options on the table and a vaccine on the horizon.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by TLO

That's what our local Chief Medical Officer said.

"Looking at about 10 days out from Halloween"

Truthfully I think it's just spreading like wildfire all over the place and Halloween had very little to do with it overall.

If you subscribe to the theory that we're catching 1 out of 5 cases, that's 500,000 - 600,000 new cases a day. There's no containing that. There's no stopping it. People just have to take responsibility for themselves and do their best to protect themselves. Even with those measures in place there's no guarantee you won't get sick.

At least we have some theraputic options on the table and a vaccine on the horizon.

Like O.city has been saying, we're just in it at this point.

The time to get the numbers down is long past, and no one has the appetite for restricting things further. So hang onto your butts, tell your parents and grandparents you love them, and wait until the vaccines and therapeutics can save us - hopefully only another few months.

[dirk digler]

Dr Fauci says the average citizen will start getting vaccinated starting in April most likely.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Dr Fauci says the average citizen will start getting vaccinated starting in April most likely.

I'm rolling up my sleeve now just in case an appointment opens up earlier.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I'm rolling up my sleeve now just in case an appointment opens up earlier.

You could probably get in on a trial now. They are looking for volunteers here in KC right now so I bet Denver has this option.

I was looking into it today but they were wanting people who aren’t working from home.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Like O.city has been saying, we're just in it at this point.

The time to get the numbers down is long past, and no one has the appetite for restricting things further. So hang onto your butts, tell your parents and grandparents you love them, and wait until the vaccines and therapeutics can save us - hopefully only another few months.

Agreed. We should still be doing the basics, face masks, social distancing etc. but.... its going to be a bumpy couple of months.

[Demonpenz]

Hot take. An NFL player dies

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

You can't keep schools open if you don't have teachers to teach the kids, just like you can't provide adequate care to the people who are sick if you don't have adequate staff.

Sure. But instead of deciding to close the whole district, it seems like the district should figure out how many teachers would be comfortable teaching in person.

Focus on trying to provide in person instruction for K-6 for those parents that want it.