***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.”

[AustinChief]

Probably already posted but...

https://www.mediterranee-infection.c...Kgp9cjViKBMsZ4

We need an effective treatment to cure COVID-19 patients and to decrease the virus carriage duration. In 80 in-patients receiving a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin we noted a clinical improvement in all but one 86 year-old patient who died, and one 74 year old patient still in intensive care unit. A rapid fall of nasopharyngeal viral load tested by qPCR was noted, with 83% negative at Day7, and 93% at Day8. Virus cultures from patient respiratory samples were negative in 97.5% patients at Day5. This allowed patients to rapidly de discharge from highly contagious wards with a mean length of stay of five days. We believe other teams should urgently evaluate this cost-effective therapeutic strategy, to both avoid the spread of the disease and treat patients as soon as possible before severe respiratory irreversible complications take hold.

A follow up to the original French study but this time with more patients... but also no control group. It will be interesting if New York's current study is following the same procedures. If so, there should be preliminary results by Sunday. If the results match up then there is no reason to not start removing restrictions as soon as our supply chain can handle possible demand for AZ and HCQ. For those spreading doom and gloom about hoarding and a lack of HCQ... the fact is, there is plenty out there, it is just a matter of getting in the right places. It should only take one z-pak (6 x 250mg tablets) and 20-30 200 mg HCQ to treat each patient. By next week we should have an additional 5-10 MILLION HCQ tablets available here in the US. That is enough to treat every known case we have.

Fingers crossed that we start to see substantial proof of its effectiveness early next week.

Just to be clear though, there are many (especially elderly with comorbidities) Covid-19 victims who are going to be too far along to help. A doctor in Italy pointed this out as a major problem for them, many of the people there who have died were on the way out regardless and Covid-19 was the enough to push them over the edge.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by oaklandhater

https://m.sfgate.com/coronavirus/art...e-15164242.php

81k death by aug 2020.

They’re saying we’re going to peak in April. That’s actually good news.

And if their numbers are correct it would be about 2x the normal flu. The lockdowns will end up saving a lot of lives if this report is accurate.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Probably already posted but...

https://www.mediterranee-infection.c...Kgp9cjViKBMsZ4



A follow up to the original French study but this time with more patients... but also no control group. It will be interesting if New York's current study is following the same procedures. If so, there should be preliminary results by Sunday. If the results match up then there is no reason to not start removing restrictions as soon as our supply chain can handle possible demand for AZ and HCQ. For those spreading doom and gloom about hoarding and a lack of HCQ... the fact is, there is plenty out there, it is just a matter of getting in the right places. It should only take one z-pak (6 x 250mg tablets) and 20-30 200 mg HCQ to treat each patient. By next week we should have an additional 5-10 MILLION HCQ tablets available here in the US. That is enough to treat every known case we have.

Fingers crossed that we start to see substantial proof of its effectiveness early next week.

Just to be clear though, there are many (especially elderly with comorbidities) Covid-19 victims who are going to be too far along to help. A doctor in Italy pointed this out as a major problem for them, many of the people there who have died were on the way out regardless and Covid-19 was the enough to push them over the edge.

Would be amazing news.

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

THE Covid video you should watch. Really well done.

Does anyone really believe that China, a country damn near the same size as the US but with 1 billion more people crammed in it, has "beaten" covid-19? Their "recovered" patients test negative and then positive.

[oaklandhater]

N.Y.C.’s 911 System Is Overwhelmed. ‘I’m Terrified,’ a Paramedic Says.

With coronavirus cases mounting, emergency workers are making life-or-death decisions about who goes to a hospital, and who is left behind.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/n...virus-ems.html

[Johnny Vegas]

Rightfully so. We’re about to witness territory never seen, only read, in the next two weeks. I hope I’m wrong.

[Three7s]

Do you ever stop, OH?

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by Three7s

Do you ever stop, OH?

Some of our healthcare providers are in a horrible situation right now. Nothing wrong with his post.

[Donger]

While I'm not downplaying this bug at all, can you imagine if next year during "flu season," the same kind of focus on new case growth and deaths was reported daily?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

For those spreading doom and gloom about hoarding and a lack of HCQ... the fact is, there is plenty out there, it is just a matter of getting in the right places. It should only take one z-pak (6 x 250mg tablets) and 20-30 200 mg HCQ to treat each patient. By next week we should have an additional 5-10 MILLION HCQ tablet.

That's funny, because the pharmacists I know, including ones at stores that process 1000 prescriptions per day, are down to a handful and are holding them for RA and lupus patients that have been established customers for years. I know floaters who tell me that every store in their district is down to less than 100.

Unless you have an account with McKesson or Cardinal, you have no idea.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by Three7s

Do you ever stop, OH?

When the president is considering locking down a region and military is being sent in thats BAD. We are seeing the worst case scenario playing out in our biggest city.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by Donger

While I'm not downplaying this bug at all, can you imagine if next year during "flu season," the same kind of focus on new case growth and deaths was reported daily?

Bad comparison for a ton of reasons but I get your point. I was hanging out w some friends yesterday and they both talked about how after this is over people are going to be more cautious while in nightclubs and girls will be less willing to dance. I thought that was a bit ridiculous.

When this is over you gotta live life to the fullest you only get one. With how safe and cautious they are now being w this virus when nightclubs are back open it will be safe for everyone otherwise they wouldn't be open.

For now we all have to play it safe but once this is over I'm not going to live any different than how I used to.

[WhawhaWhat]

Very sad news, former Broncos WR Orlando McDaniel passed away at age 59, reportedly complications from Coronavirus... #fb

— Jim Saccomano (@broncos_sacco) March 28, 2020

[O.city]

https://twitter.com/scottgottliebmd/...686057985?s=21

Good info on where we go from here

[Donger]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

Bad comparison for a ton of reasons.

I'm well-aware of the differences, but can you imagine seeing a map or chart showing 60 million infections and 10,000 deaths every year?