***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.”

[KCrockaholic]

People act like the mask is the savior and end all be all of what stops the spread of an airborne virus

[TLO]

Please God... Let's not rehash the mask debate.

[O.city]

We’re all getting it. You can have immunity and likely not get it via vaccination or get a breakthrough and get sick mildly or unlikely get real sick.

You can be naive immune and get it, maybe not get to sick maybe get real sick, survive and get natural immunity

There’s no reason for any mandates anymore. Delta spreads so fast we’re gonna get thru this quicker than we’d like but that’s just reality

[O.city]

https://twitter.com/astoraaron/statu...225484289?s=21

If you’ve had covid, you’ve got good immunity

Go forth and live

[O.city]

It’s also dumb to test asymptomatic people at this point.

[kgrund]

Originally Posted by KCrockaholic

People act like the mask is the savior and end all be all of what stops the spread of an airborne virus

Yeah it is pretty comical that some out there almost equate mask wearing as being equivalent to being vaccinated. Not even remotely close.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by O.city

It’s also dumb to test asymptomatic people at this point.

Finally, here is a study showing prior infection with ancestral covid producing antibodies potent enough to neutralize Delta and other variants of concern. Acknowledging this should NOT be viewed as a hindrance to mass vaccination. https://t.co/3GsKR3FtBo

— Aaron Astor (@AstorAaron) August 20, 2021

The problem comes with people who *think* they were previously infected but aren't sure. If you are not absolutely sure you were previously infected, you should assume you were not. But an antibody or T-cell test should suffice as "immune" when vaccinations are mandated.

— Aaron Astor (@AstorAaron) August 20, 2021

This is great news. His third tweet is what I've been talking about as the primary issue wrt to crafting policy around this. There's no clear been sick/not been sick dividing line. But still very good news.

[lawrenceRaider]

The sad thing is I still have to convince people that prior infection is as good as vaccination. People only remember the initial reports of 90 days protection. Some it doesn't seem to matter when I provide them with the studies. They still cling to their outdated notions.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by loochy

Because of masks?

No, just attitudes in general.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by TLO

Sure we will. But it's probably going to take a few years until the virus mutates itself down to "just another common cold coronavirus". There's unmitigated spread all over the world.

Just need everyone to get vaccinated. Then we ride it out.

And there's the rub...

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by O.city

https://twitter.com/astoraaron/statu...225484289?s=21

If you’ve had covid, you’ve got good immunity

Go forth and live

Anecdotal, obviously - but I know 4 people who have gotten it a 2nd time within 3-4 months of testing positive the first time.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by lawrenceRaider

The sad thing is I still have to convince people that prior infection is as good as vaccination. People only remember the initial reports of 90 days protection. Some it doesn't seem to matter when I provide them with the studies. They still cling to their outdated notions.

I read this the other day, which clearly states something I've been trying to put into words for a while:

It's a fact of life that we hold ideas we would like to believe, to a lower standard of proof than ideas we would like to disbelieve. In the former case we ask "Am I allowed to believe it?" and in the latter case ask "Am I forced to believe it?"

We all do this. Every minute of every day. People who think they don't are deluding themselves. The best you can do is try to be aware of it imo.

[kgrund]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

Anecdotal, obviously - but I know 4 people who have gotten it a 2nd time within 3-4 months of testing positive the first time.

This has been discussed at length throughout this whole thing, but if there is one area in this pandemic that I least trust it is the actual PCR test. Unless the people you know were actually sick with symptoms I don't know if it means much IMO.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by kgrund

This has been discussed at length throughout this whole thing, but if there is one area in this pandemic that I least trust it is the actual PCR test. Unless the people you know were actually sick with symptoms I don't know if it means much IMO.

I tend to agree, and the people in question were all symptomatic, 3 of the 4 pretty seriously the first time.

Just making the point that there are/will be people who use prior infection as an excuse to not vaccinate.

[lawrenceRaider]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

I read this the other day, which clearly states something I've been trying to put into words for a while:



We all do this. Every minute of every day. People who think they don't are deluding themselves. The best you can do is try to be aware of it imo.

I actively fight against this tendency. I work to be open to information that contradicts my previously held belief. It isn't easy as I still find myself not wanting to change my mind. Especially when I don't like the new information.