***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.”

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

As I said from the beginning, it will be just like the flu vaccination in those settings.

You brought up mandating anything

Sorry, no I did not. You said it would be required like the flu shot after I and then Dirk and ghak stated that a lot of health care workers are not getting the vaccine.

I am not trying to fight with you on this. It's rather pointless to be honest. It isn't like I have a say so in it.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by O.city

It’ll be required similarly to how they do the flu shot

This would be my first post on it.

Similar to how they do the flu shot.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by O.city

Again similar to the flu shot, it’ll be get it or wear full Ppe all the time

Which I then clarified as this, again, similar to how they do the flu shot

Not once said anything about forcing anything. Sorry if that was implied

[O.city]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Okay, well, take this for what it's worth, I work for the largest health system in the area and we are not mandating the vaccine. I know nurses that work for 2 of the other major health systems in the area and they are not being mandated to take the vaccine.

To which you replied

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Sorry, no I did not. You said it would be required like the flu shot after I and then Dirk and ghak stated that a lot of health care workers are not getting the vaccine.

I am not trying to fight with you on this. It's rather pointless to be honest. It isn't like I have a say so in it.

If I don’t get the flu shot and we have an outbreak at our hospital, I have to take tamiflu or stay home unpaid, I assume there will be something similar with covid vaccine.
I am sure plenty won’t take it but during a pandemic any of them will be sent home.

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Okay, well, take this for what it's worth, I work for the largest health system in the area and we are not mandating the vaccine. I know nurses that work for 2 of the other major health systems in the area and they are not being mandated to take the vaccine.

We always do pete.


You tee'd that one up.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Monticore

If I don’t get the flu shot and we have an outbreak at our hospital, I have to take tamiflu or stay home unpaid, I assume there will be something similar with covid vaccine.
I am sure plenty won’t take it but during a pandemic any of them will be sent home.

Yeah that's Canada, bro. At our place if you're sick, you're sick. We require the flu shot. We are not requiring the Covid vaccine at this time.

And as I stated we have a hospital here that is actually requiring nurses to work if they have Covid as long as they don't have symptoms so you are way the **** off base on all of this.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by stumppy

We always do pete.


You tee'd that one up.

What a coinkydink. I just happened to be chatting with another parent about the upcoming Board of Education meeting tomorrow and long story short her exact words about the Teachers and the vaccine were "I am a nurse and they have can my dose".

[O.city]

Originally Posted by petegz28

That might be. If you don't get the flu shot for religious or medical reasons you have to wear a mask even in areas you normally don't in our system this year.

Nothing says they won't take those actions but again they aren't mandating the vaccine and that is that.

So is the flu shot required or not pete?

[O.city]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Yeah that's Canada, bro. At our place if you're sick, you're sick. We require the flu shot. We are not requiring the Covid vaccine at this time.

And as I stated we have a hospital here that is actually requiring nurses to work if they have Covid as long as they don't have symptoms so you are way the **** off base on all of this.

As I said from the beginning, it’s gonna be just like the flu shot.

Get it or wear full Ppe.

It sucks that they’re having to have covid positive nurses work because of worker shortages. I know they’re having those same issues here

[IA_Chiefs_fan]

My dad is home!

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by O.city

So is the flu shot required or not pete?

I have answered that several times already. Why are you asking again?

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by IA_Chiefs_fan

My dad is home!

NOICE!

[R Clark]

Originally Posted by IA_Chiefs_fan

My dad is home!

That’s great news ! Glad to hear he’s doing better.

[jdubya]

I was a firefighter/paramedic until retirement a few years ago and we all had annual flu shots. The way it went down was,while on duty our crews were told to report at a certain station at a certain time so we all could get our shots. However, once there, if one said, "I dont want a flu shot". The nurse would say, "OK, thats fine, next!" In other words, we were never forced to get shots, they were just available for those that wanted them.