***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.”

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Yeah.

In LA lots of gym owners are defying the order. I haven't seen any bars defying and staying open.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

I know when were in Branson recently, there were signs in some businesses that literally said:

"By order of the City of Branson, ordinance blah blah blah, you are REQUIRED to wear a mask inside of this business under penalty of fine of $100" but when you read all the way to the bottom (they were QUITE wordy) said "we understand we have no way to enforce this".

We saw lots of people not wearing masks and nobody hassled them, not business owners, not other patrons, not even the police.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

I know when were in Branson recently, there were signs in some businesses that literally said:

"By order of the City of Branson, ordinance blah blah blah, you are REQUIRED to wear a mask inside of this business under penalty of fine of $100" but when you read all the way to the bottom (they were QUITE wordy) said "we understand we have no way to enforce this".

We saw lots of people not wearing masks and nobody hassled them, not business owners, not other patrons, not even the police.

Selfish people.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Donger

Selfish people.

Certainly could be painted that way but that wasn't really my point.

It doesn't seem that a lot of these municipal mandates are enforceable at all. We're going to have to have some kind of legal precedent set, tried in court, or at least some people are just going to ignore the orders.

[MahomesMagic]

Originally Posted by Donger

A case is an infection, as you just acknowledged. So there's nothing misleading about that either.

No, I never acknowledged that.

A case is a detection of viral particles that may or may not be( 40 to 90% of the time) a viral infection.

The NY Times showed that as many as 90% of cases were not active infections.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by MahomesMagic

No, I never acknowledged that.

A case is a detection of viral particles that may or may not be( 40 to 90% of the time) a viral infection.

The NY Times showed that as many as 90% of cases were not active infections.

Yes, you did:

Cases are defined however the state wants them to be. Right now that is any positive result from 37 to 40 cycles of the PCR test.

If a person tests positive, they have been infected.

How are the viral particles detected in a person without that person being infected?

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Donger

Yes, you did:

Cases are defined however the state wants them to be. Right now that is any positive result from 37 to 40 cycles of the PCR test.

If a person tests positive, they have been infected.

How are the viral particles detected in a person without that person being infected?

Have been and being are different. It's not viral particles. It's viral RNA. It could be degraded, it could be viable.

If it's at that specific level, likely, you're seeing the artifacts of a cleared infection.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by O.city

Have been and being are different. It's not viral particles. It's viral RNA. It could be degraded, it could be viable.

If it's at that specific level, likely, you're seeing the artifacts of a cleared infection.

Yes, I know. And the person only has the artifacts because they were infected with SARS-CoV-2. Hence, they get counted as a case.

[O.city]

If I'm reading it right, the German tests use a 30 ct amplification cycle, where as we're using IIRC 37/40.

I'd imagine that is gonna lead to more positives?

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Donger

Yes, I know. And the person only has the artifacts because they were infected with SARS-CoV-2. Hence, they get counted as a case.

"were" infected is of no significance to us and the public health response.

So we're wading into active vs artifact and that does no good.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by O.city

"were" infected is of no significance to us and the public health response.

So we're wading into active vs artifact and that does no good.

AGENDA!

[Donger]

Originally Posted by O.city

"were" infected is of no significance to us and the public health response.

So we're wading into active vs artifact and that does no good.

I don't agree. Knowing total cases is important in trying to determine the prevalence and R0. Cases are counted (as best they can) for every pandemic. Even seasonal influenza.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

I know when were in Branson recently, there were signs in some businesses that literally said:

"By order of the City of Branson, ordinance blah blah blah, you are REQUIRED to wear a mask inside of this business under penalty of fine of $100" but when you read all the way to the bottom (they were QUITE wordy) said "we understand we have no way to enforce this".

We saw lots of people not wearing masks and nobody hassled them, not business owners, not other patrons, not even the police.

CDC guidelines suggest not having employees confront customers regarding mask.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

CDC guidelines suggest not having employees confront customers regarding mask.

You'll notice that I said "not employees, not other customers, not even THE POLICE".

You know, the guys that get paid to enforce the law won't touch it. I saw them walk right by without saying a word.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

You'll notice that I said "not employees, not other customers, not even THE POLICE".

You know, the guys that get paid to enforce the law won't touch it. I saw them walk right by without saying a word.

I train with a lot of officers. They want to part of wearing a mask let alone enforcing any mandates

[Kiimo]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

I train with a lot of officers. They want to part of wearing a mask let alone enforcing any mandates

They sound pretty stupid