***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.”

[Loneiguana]

Originally Posted by Donger

Gotta have priorities, after all.

I'm also pretty sure the city was sued and the courts agreed they could shut down everything like that, but I can't find the court case now.

[suzzer99]

My boss just called us into a small enclosed conference room to terrify us with stories from her family in China, and remind us that any of us could have it and be in incubation period and not know it.

One interesting tidbit - in China they’re telling people it won’t live for more than 5 hours on clothing. So when the shit really hits the fan but you have to go out for food - leave your clothes out where they can get some air for 5 hours, take a shower, and you should be good.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

colleges closing like crazy.

Iowa
Minnesota
Grinnell
Mich St.
Harvard

Add Iowa State to the list.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by IUsedToBeATightEnd

Reading this thread looks like no one is afraid of ending up intubated for 2-3 weeks.
I am not afraid of dying of this disease, because mortality rate - however higher than flu is still low - expecially in my age range.
However I'd rather avoid ending up hospitalized and intubated if I can...must not be any fun.

I posted some figures regarding percentage of people requiring intensive care and intubation in Italy, they are alarming, and they went totally overlooked because the main topic here is mortality rate, mortality rate, mortality rate, WHICH IS NOT THE REAL PROBLEM.

Well if you don't get it early - there may not be any ventilators left - as is happening in Italy. So you won't have to be intubated but you will die.

[Mecca]

Lets cancel March Madness the betters will go crazy.

[Fat Elvis]

I was supposed to leave for DC this Sunday, but the conference was just cancelled.

I'm surprised it took this long to cancel it.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Loneiguana

Nobody wants to be stuck at home for two weeks and run out of toilet paper.

My boss just told us that from her family's experience in China - it's more like 2 months before the thing slows down.

[Third Eye]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

On a national basis, I would think that the economic losses will be net zero, other than international arrivals. If I don't go to the market research conference in Atlanta, I'll probably stay here and buy a bunch of ice cream and pay-per-view movies instead. And some person in Atlanta won't come to the dog training conference in Denver, so they'll stay home and buy a bunch of yogurt and a bowflex machine.

Yeah, people are going to spend their disposable income, just in different ways. There is no doubt that there will be local impacts, but writ large, there shouldn’t be much of an impact. That is of course unless there is an impact to the labor force population, but since this effects mostly people over 60, that seems unlikely.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I'm supposed to go to Cancun for a week in June.

I am going to Bonaire the first week fo june.

[Spott]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Man it was this badass resort too....god damn it.

You shouldn’t have a problem. I’m going to Cozumel the first week of May. If anything the place will be less crowded which should make it more enjoyable.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Loneiguana

America has done stuff like this before and those specific actions went away.

St. Louis saw the deadly 1918 Spanish flu epidemic coming. Shutting down the city saved countless lives







https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/...785692bb5.html

And Philadelphia threw a parade.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Spott

You shouldn’t have a problem. I’m going to Cozumel the first week of May. If anything the place will be less crowded which should make it more enjoyable.

Well some think they aren't going to let us leave the country by then...my wifes work is already telling people not to travel.

[Discuss Thrower]

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

colleges closing like crazy.

Iowa
Minnesota
Grinnell
Mich St.
Harvard

UCLA

[Spott]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Lets cancel March Madness the betters will go crazy.

My old man has been going to Vegas for the tournament for over 30 years. He’d be pissed off as hell, although he’d still find something else to gamble on.