***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.”

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Monticore

Kids risk of kids being infected is the same as anybody else, they might not get as ill but cans till spread it to their parents or grand parents who could be in a high risk category, losing a grandparent would bad for mental health .

No it isn't.

Data right now suggests that their body is fighting this off at MUCH higher rates. And if they are exposed but the virus never 'takes root' then they aren't going to be infected and thus aren't going to spread it either because they aren't expectorating it.

Yes, if it takes hold in their system and they remain asymptomatic, they can spread it just the same. But right now the information suggests that its simply being beaten back at the gates at far higher rates among younger populations so their risks of spread are far lower.

And again - if you go see your grandparents during this, you're an idiot. Why is there some automatic assumption that parents/teenagers are just hell-bent on seeing their elderly family members right now? My daughter badly wants to go see grandpa danny down at the lake but y'know what? Sorry kid - can't do that right now. Because your dad likes his dad and isn't an idiot.

Again - somewhere between zero risk and playing ookie-mouth with every old person you see is a reasonable compromise.

[mililo4cpa]

Originally Posted by Bwana

Yeah I had that happen ONCE, lesson learned.

I mean, I can cut my own hair and **** it up.

I posted this early, but last week my GF tracked down the girl that cuts my hair (but salon was shut down). After a brief health inquiry, we had her come over Friday afternoon and cut my hair in my home. I tipped very generously and it was way better than in the salon!

and letting significant others cut your hair is a good way for them to become ex-significant others....

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

No it isn't.

Data right now suggests that their body is fighting this off at MUCH higher rates. And if they are exposed but the virus never 'takes root' then they aren't going to be infected and thus aren't going to spread it either because they aren't expectorating it.

Yes, if it takes hold in their system and they remain asymptomatic, they can spread it just the same. But right now the information suggests that its simply being beaten back at the gates at far higher rates among younger populations so their risks of spread are far lower.

And again - if you go see your grandparents during this, you're an idiot. Why is there some automatic assumption that parents/teenagers are just hell-bent on seeing their elderly family members right now? My daughter badly wants to go see grandpa danny down at the lake but y'know what? Sorry kid - can't do that right now. Because your dad likes his dad and isn't an idiot.

Again - somewhere between zero risk and playing ookie-mouth with every old person you see is a reasonable compromise.

A lot of grandparents are being forced to raise their grandkids these days. My in-laws are 75 and are raising their 3 grandkids because my brother in-law is a ****head.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Monticore

I am not sure if you can just store some of this stuff for ever (masks etc. not sure on test kits) our hospital were giving away masks a few years ago that were old and people tried to wear them recently and they were just falling a part and told us not to use them. Keeping that type of stuff fresh in large amount would be expensive.

No one will advocate just buying some PPE, throw them in storage and your fine. It has to be an ongoing task. You rotate them out. Send them out to hospitals, nursing homes etc. from time to time and get new ones. That SOP.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by mililo4cpa

I posted this early, but last week my GF tracked down the girl that cuts my hair (but salon was shut down). After a brief health inquiry, we had her come over Friday afternoon and cut my hair in my home. I tipped very generously and it was way better than in the salon!

and letting significant others cut your hair is a good way for them to become ex-significant others....

I keep trying to convince my wife to let me cut the boy's hair. She's not having it.

Look - If I have to draw a goatee on the kid so he can rock the CP "bald w/ a goat" look, I'll do so. But I'm not having that child run around looking like a goddamn hippy.

Wife has to sleep at some point. I'll get to him sooner or later...

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Almost a million people in NY rode the subway today.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nyt...iders.amp.html

I understand the difficulties it presents shutting down the subway system, but if they don’t (or at minimum limiting it to only health care and grocery workers) NY is goi g to get exponentially worse.

Agreed. The Subway should have been shut down weeks ago. Weeks. ****ing walk. Ride a bike. Deal with it.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Which is why I believe that MLB should be doing everything it can to go out there and get games in. A 125 game season is still reasonably doable w/ some double-headers and expanded rosters.

But Mookie Betts shouldn't be forced to forego a year of MLB service time (setting his clock back another season and potentially costing him $30 million) AND give up his salary for this season.

Or flip it the other way - if I'm the Cardinals, the LAST thing I want is to have to sit on another season of the disastrous Brett Cecil or Dexter Fowler contracts. Take my money, Dex - just be gone.

The ripple effects would trickle down through all levels of baseball. I just don't see any way to press pause on this thing for a year in any manner that doesn't do massive damage to the players specifically.

As a Dodgers fan....it ****ing sucks knowing we gave up three players for basically nothing.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

It would be a little surreal, but it would also give people at home something to grab onto a bit.

And man, time is unbeaten and untied. A guy like Justin Verlander or Zack Greinke or even Clayton Kershaw - those dudes are looking at just a few years left in the league. Or at/near their peaks.

Verlander has his ring(s) but Kershaw and Greinke, if you tell them that they just don't get a shot at it this year because games without fans would be weird, you're taking away one of their last, best shots at the culmination of a lifelong dream.

And then you look at cap sports like the NBA or NHL, you've got teams that made decisions with their cap for this season that are somewhat 'all-in' and now to what effect? The Lakers only have 2-3 years left with LeBron at/near this level. The Blues have pushed hard against their cap this year (likely to the detriment of the next few years) in an attempt to defend their cup.

I think if you can play games without fans in a way that doesn't pose a direct health risk to the players (rapid testing should allow for that), I think you should go ahead and play. It would be good for the national mood, IMO and it's a better solution for those players than just telling them they won't get a shot.

Everything's just a question of finding the best of bad options at this point, but I think there are enough factors weighing in favor of playing that all leagues should be looking for ways to do so.

As much as I like sports its just entertainment. The one priority right now has to be stopping this virus.

It'll be nice to have it back for sure but shutting it down for a year or a couple months isnt a big deal to me. They'll be other seasons.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

Tough situation and I don't know what the answer is honestly. In my opinion no landlord in NYC should have the ability to evict someone right now. Does anyone know if they can?

The people riding the subway obviously would rather take the risk of getting the CoronVirus then be homeless. I feel horrible for them and its got to be a tough situation.

Landlords just supposed to take it in the ass while the tenants get a free ride? Yeah that seems fair.

[RollChiefsRoll]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Again - somewhere between zero risk and playing ookie-mouth with every old person you see is a reasonable compromise.

Well, there goes my Friday night.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Agreed. The Subway should have been shut down weeks ago. Weeks. ****ing walk. Ride a bike. Deal with it.

Yes, and the mayor's overall initial reaction was foolish.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Monticore

A lot of grandparents are being forced to raise their grandkids these days.

Oh for ****'s sake.

Then tell THEM to keep their kids inside.

What the hell is it about the concept of telling adults to exercise personal responsibility that is so foreign to people? If you are an old person who lives with a young person, tell that young person to find other accommodations or keep them inside. Or if you have comorbidities, do the same.

But if you're the vast majority of people in this country who have children living with you and you're in your 20s to mid-40s, you can probably let them go play with other teenagers outside.

And then don't go visit old folks.

If you're going to insist on a one-size fits all approach to a country of 350 million people it can't be "well some grandparents raise their kids now so we have to tell the remaining 80% of the population to just operate as though they ALSO live with hold people...."

At least pretend to pay passing heed to how this will impact the overwhelming majority of people.

[RollChiefsRoll]

Originally Posted by Donger

Yes, and the mayor's overall initial reaction was foolish.

Yeah, he delayed for like 4-5 days in deciding to close the schools. He’s always been a dithering moron.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by DaFace

On a similar note, they did an interview with Bill Gates on TED this past week, and he addressed the desire to open back up the economy and accept our fate.

I can't recall his exact words, but it was along the lines of "it's hard to convince people to go out there and spend money while ignoring the piles of bodies" and that people would be hesitant to go about normally while knowing they're making the problem worse.

He's got a point. The economy is ****ed no matter what restrictions there are in place.

Its not the exact same thing as after 9/11, but what this post event will have in common with 9/11 that will hold us back from getting back on our feet, will be getting past the fear.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

As a Dodgers fan....it ****ing sucks knowing we gave up three players for basically nothing.

As an Expos fan you get no sympathy from me.